Making money while shopping rather than spending it sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? Figuratively speaking, it is actually possible. You just need to know how to pick ’em – and have a bit of patience to boot.
Chanel
Gucci
Bottega Veneta
The Italian brand might not have earned itself a place in the category of «timeless classics» like Chanel or Hermés yet, but it’s guaranteed to tick the box of «pop culture hype». And that’s exactly why the sale value of Bottega Veneta pieces is currently 115%. The «Jodie» (starting at about CHF 2000), «Cassette» (starting at about CHF 3100) and «Pouch» (starting at about CHF 2500) bags are of particular interest for strategic shoppers like you and me.
Hermés
Supreme
Disclaimer: all the information about increase in value and repurchase prices comes without any guarantee. The data is based on trends and evaluations that are constantly subject to change. So if you really want to use fashion as investment, please always make sure you know all the facts and that your information is up to date.
Tell me, where do you squirrel away your hard-earned cash? Under your mattress? In a piggy bank? Or in the traditional way in your bank account? The possibilities are endless. The type I like the best are the ones that are most likely to give me more back than I originally put in. Also known as investments. But I’m not dealing in property or art (yet). Just the thought of it brings me out in a sweat. No, I’m talking about investing in brands. And I don’t even mean on the stock exchange, just when I’m shopping. I can practically feel some of you rolling your eyes at me in derision right now. Stick with me a moment. And let me tell you a brief retail fairytale:
Once upon a time, there was a girl (me) who went to a shop on Zurich’s Bahnhofstrasse one cold December day with a boy blessed with good taste. This is where they were meant to be looking carefully at bags, trying them out and, in the best case scenario, finding one and buying it. What stopped them? The juicy price tag. He would rather think about it for a bit, the boy confessed. «Don’t wait too long,» the salesperson advised, as next year the bag would keep gaining in value and end up even more expensive. Slightly dejected and without our haul, we left. The end.
The point I’m making? No, not that the boy saved a load of money that day. In fact that there are labels and specific pieces worth investing in. Because if you can sit on your hands for a bit after you’ve bought it, you (usually) make a killing when you go to sell – or in the worst case, you don’t make a loss. The proof of this is in what are known as resale reports (for example, by Lyst(in German) or TheRealReal that observe and evaluate online searches, trends and buying decisions. So if you now feel tempted to shift your savings from the mattress to the wardrobe, here are five valuable investment tips.
If you want to play it safe and buy a bag that’s timeless and never out of fashion, invest in Chanel’s «2.55» bag. Designed by Gabrielle «Coco» Chanel personally – in February 1955, hence the name – this quilted bag with chain handle is still an absolute classic today. If you wake up one day and decide you’ve had enough of the bag, which is hard to imagine, you can resell it at the original price at the bare minimum. Incidentally, after the designer Karl Lagerfeld died in 2019, the demand for Chanel bags increased by 20%.
Influencer Pernille Teisbaek takes a white «2.55» for a walk. Source: Instagram @pernilleteisbaek
Since designer Alessandro Michele took over the reins of creative management in 2015, the Italian luxury brand has been more popular than ever. The hype created by the film «House of Gucci» and praise from the likes of Jared Leto, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Dakota Johnson do the rest. If you can bring yourself to spend the money, invest in a «Marmont»- (starting at about CHF 1500) or a «Dionysius» bag (starting at about CHF 2000). Based on current forecasts, you won’t make a loss.
Designer Jeanette Madsen with the «Cassette» by Bottega Veneta. Source: Instagram @jeanettemadsen
It’s almost impossible to get hold of one of the legendary Hermés bags in what’s called a natural way, in other words, in one of their own stores. Waiting lists that last years have turned the «Kelly» and «Birkin» bags into highly sought-after status symbols. You’re lucky if you’ve ever just dangled one on your arm. Most notably because at the moment you could resell the bag for around 120% of the original price (depending on the model, they start at about CHF 8000).
This is where things start getting farcical. In the last few years, buying and selling Supreme pieces has turned into its very own business model. Collabs with other brands such as Louis Vuitton, Nike or Rimowa in particular have sky-rocketed resale prices beyond any fathomable limits. According to Lyst, T-shirts that Supreme launched in 2004 for its 20th birthday and originally cost just shy of 40 USD each, have resold for about 760 USD. That’s an increase of – drum roll, please – 1900%!
