Designer Bags as Investments: Which Hold Value & Which Not

Let’s say the quiet part out loud: most designer bags are not “investments.” They’re luxury purchases that sometimes behave like assets in resale, if you buy the right thing, in the right spec, and you’re okay with a resale process that eats time, fees, and convenience.

The reason people get disappointed is simple. They hear “Birkins beat the stock market” and assume any expensive bag will hold value. In reality, handbag resale is closer to sneakers or watches than it is to index funds: a few models are liquid and price resilient, and a huge amount of everything else depreciates like a car leaving the lot.

Also, the vibe has shifted recently. A The Wall Street Journal piece published January 27, 2026 describes scarcity premiums softening, with Hermès bags at their lowest premium levels since 2017 and wait lists “getting shorter” in some categories. That doesn’t mean iconic bags are suddenly bad buys, but it does mean the easy-money storytelling is getting harder to justify.

Here’s the non-hype framework: what holds value, what doesn’t, and how to buy if you want the best odds of not losing your shirt.

Quick answer for skimmers

• The resale “winners” are mostly iconic models with constrained supply + consistent demand, especially in classic specs.
• Hermès still leads value retention on major resale-index reporting: Rebag’s 2025 Clair Report coverage cites ~138% average retention in 2025.
• Goyard is also a standout on the same 2025 reporting, cited at ~132% retention.
• Chanel classics often hold up well, but the market can be sensitive to price hikes and broader resale cooling.
• Louis Vuitton is usually strong on iconic, high-liquidity models (Speedy, Neverfull, Pochette styles), especially in classic prints.
• Bags that don’t hold value: trend-driven silhouettes, seasonal colors, novelty hardware, personalized pieces, and anything that’s hard to authenticate or hard to wear daily. (More on that below.)
• If you only do one thing: buy the most boring spec of the most iconic model you genuinely want to carry (classic color, standard hardware, popular size, no personalization).

First, define “holds value” (because people mix this up)

When someone says a bag “holds value,” they usually mean one of three things:

1. High retention: you can resell for a large percentage of what you paid.
2. Liquidity: it sells quickly without heavy discounting.
3. True appreciation: it resells for more than you paid (rare, and often spec-dependent).

Most headlines focus on (3). Real life is mostly (1) and (2). A bag that retains 80% but sells fast can be a better “investment” than a bag that theoretically retains 95% but sits for months.

One more reality check: resale is not free money. You deal with platform fees, shipping/insurance, and sometimes a long timeline. This won’t work if you need the cash fast or you’ll feel resentful about the admin. (That’s not a moral failing, it’s just logistics.)

The decision framework: 5 factors that predict resale strength

1) Supply is constrained (for real, not “marketing limited”)

A model holds value when it stays hard to get for years, not weeks. That’s why Hermès quota-bag culture has mattered historically, even as premiums ebb and flow.

2) Demand is consistent across generations

If the bag is still desired by multiple age groups, it’s safer. That’s why heritage silhouettes (Speedy, Flap, Baguette) keep resurfacing.

3) The “default spec” is iconic

Color + leather + hardware choices matter more than people want to admit. The pieces that resell best tend to be the specs everyone recognizes instantly.

4) Authentication is straightforward

If authentication is difficult, resale markets get conservative, and buyers demand discounts.

5) The bag works in real life

Crossbody or shoulder-friendly, durable material, and a shape that fits modern essentials helps. Platforms have noted crossbody demand in resale shopping behavior.

The bags that tend to hold value best

This is not a “buy these and you’ll profit” list. It’s the short list of styles that repeatedly show up in resale reporting and platform data.

Tier 1: The “closest thing to a handbag blue-chip”

Hermès icons

• Birkin and Kelly are repeatedly cited as consistent value performers and demand anchors.
• Rebag’s 2025 Clair Report coverage puts Hermès at ~138% average retention in 2025, leading brands in that dataset.
• The RealReal has also pointed to Kelly resale fetching above MSRP in its own reporting.

What usually wins within this tier: classic colors, popular sizes, and “default” leathers/hardware.
What can underperform: unusual colorways, heavily worn corners/handles, missing paperwork, or specs that are too niche.

Trade-off (no neat solution): the very thing that supports value (scarcity + gatekeeping) can make acquisition frustrating and sometimes more expensive than you planned.

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Tier 2: High-retention brands, but more “market mood” sensitive

Goyard totes and classics
Rebag’s 2025 reporting coverage places Goyard around ~132% retention on average in 2025.
Goyard demand has also shown up strongly in resale search behavior in Fashionphile’s 2025 resale coverage.

Chanel Classic Flap / 2.55 family
Rebag’s 2024 Clair Report press coverage described Chanel entering “unicorn” retention territory (above 85%), citing ~92% retention in that period.
At the same time, broader reporting suggests the scarcity premium environment has softened recently, which can affect even top icons.

What usually wins: black or beige, classic hardware, classic sizes, classic leathers.
What can lose value: trendy seasonal colors, unusual materials, and anything that feels like a “moment.”

Tier 3: Strong “useful icons” with high liquidity

Louis Vuitton legacy models (Speedy, Neverfull, Pochette-style icons)
The RealReal has described Louis Vuitton bags typically retaining a meaningful percentage of retail, with classics and certain collaborations doing better.
Business Insider (Oct 2025) highlighted Louis Vuitton Speedy resale prices up since 2021 using The RealReal data.
Fashionphile’s 2025 resale coverage also put Speedy at the top of most-shopped bags.

Why LV can work as a “value buy”: you can actually carry it without babying it, and there’s a huge buyer pool.
The catch: because the supply is high, your best odds are with the most classic, most recognizable prints and shapes. Weird sizes can sit.

“Risers” and “culture bags” that can perform, but aren’t guaranteed

Here are bags that have shown up in platform trend reporting as gaining momentum, but you should treat them as higher variance:

• Fendi Baguette: The RealReal’s 2025 report page calls out Baguettes as steadily increasing in value.
• Chloé Paddington: cited by The RealReal as suddenly spiking.
• The Row bags: Rebag’s 2025 coverage put The Row around ~97% retention on average, which is impressive for a comparatively newer “it-but-not-trendy” brand.

These can be great buys if you actually love the bag. Just don’t assume yesterday’s “spike” is tomorrow’s floor.

Which bags don’t hold value (and why)

Here’s the part people skip because it’s less fun.

1) The “too trendy, too fast” bag

If a bag’s popularity is driven mainly by a single season, TikTok, or a celebrity moment, resale is a timing game. Miss the peak and you’re discounting.

2) Novelty shapes and fragile finishes

Odd shapes, micro-bags that don’t fit anything, white suede, delicate embellishment, and “statement hardware” can look incredible, but resale buyers get picky because wear shows quickly.

3) Personalization and hard-to-reverse alterations

Monogramming, painted initials, added studs, shortened straps. Even if it’s beautiful, it shrinks the buyer pool.

4) “Diffusion” and outlet-heavy lines (brand-dependent)

This isn’t about snobbery. It’s about supply. If something is constantly discounted, the resale market anchors to the discounted price.

5) Anything that’s annoying to authenticate

If buyers worry about authenticity, they demand a discount or avoid the model entirely.

6) The wrong spec of a good bag

A bag can be a “classic” and still underperform if you choose:

• a rare color nobody wants
• a size that’s awkward
• a material that shows damage fast
• a hardware finish that looks dated quickly

This is where most “why didn’t my bag hold value?” stories live.

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A realistic “buying rules” checklist if you care about resale

Rule 1: Buy the boring spec

I usually tell people to stop chasing uniqueness when they’re trying to protect resale. One good default beats five quirky choices.

• Neutral colors (black, beige, tan, deep brown)
• Standard hardware
• Standard sizes
• No personalization

Rule 2: Condition matters more than you think

Platforms are explicitly seeing more “fair condition” shopping, which suggests buyers are getting comfortable with visible wear, but condition still impacts price and speed.
If you want maximum resale later, protect corners, handles, and base structure.

Rule 3: Keep the boring stuff

Dust bag, box, receipts/cards (where applicable). This is not glamorous, but it helps buyer confidence.

Rule 4: Assume resale premiums can shrink

Recent reporting suggests scarcity premiums have cooled versus peak post-pandemic levels.
So if the math only works when the bag appreciates, the plan is fragile.

Rule 5: Buy pre-owned if you’re “investment minded”

Buying pre-owned can reduce your depreciation risk because someone else already took the first hit.

This is optional. Skip it if you know you’ll feel weird about secondhand. Some people love the hunt, some don’t.

“Investment” math people forget to do

Even if a bag retains value well, your real outcome depends on:

• How long you hold it (short holds are more fee-sensitive)
• How you sell (instant buyout vs consignment vs peer-to-peer)
• How much time you spend (photos, listing, negotiation, shipping)
• Your local taxes and cross-border friction (especially relevant in Europe)

That’s why I frame this as “value retention” rather than “investment.” If you get years of use and later recoup a large portion, that’s a win even without profit.

If you want a simple “what should I buy?” guide

If your #1 goal is maximum retention

• Hermès icons (if you can access them at a sane price).
• Goyard classics, especially in the most recognizable specs.
• Chanel classic family, bought thoughtfully with an eye on condition and spec.

If your goal is “best odds + actually usable”

• Louis Vuitton heritage styles like Speedy and similar high-liquidity icons.
• A classic shoulder/crossbody silhouette from a heritage house you’ll carry weekly.

If your goal is “I want something fun, but I don’t want to lose too much”

• Buy pre-owned.
• Buy classic colors.
• Avoid spikes. If The RealReal calls something “suddenly spiked,” that’s your cue to be careful, not your cue to chase.

Red flags that should make you pause

• You’re buying it mainly because someone said it “holds value.”
• You’re stretching your budget and counting on resale to bail you out.
• The bag is delicate and your life is not delicate.
• The bag is trendy and you’re already a little unsure.
• You’re planning to personalize it.

Also: if you’re traveling with very expensive bags, pay attention to real-world risk. There’s been reporting on a rise in high-value handbag theft activity in places like Paris, driven by resale demand.

FAQ

Do any bags truly “beat the market”?

Some have shown long-term appreciation in certain analyses and platform reporting, but outcomes depend heavily on model, spec, and timing. Treat big claims as directional, not guaranteed.

Is 2026 a bad time to buy because resale premiums softened?

Not automatically. Softer premiums can actually be good if you’re buying for use and want a more rational entry price. But it does mean you shouldn’t assume easy appreciation.

What’s safer: a classic from a top brand, or a new “it bag”?

Classic, almost always, if resale is the goal. “It bags” can pop, but they can also fall fast.

Are collaborations a smart “investment”?

Sometimes. Rebag and other resale commentary has highlighted the resale pull of big collaborations, but this is a timing-heavy category.

What’s the single biggest factor you can control?

Spec selection: classic color, popular size, durable material, no personalization. That alone changes your resale odds dramatically.