JUST ONE CAREFUL LADY OWNER...

In the pre-loved world, bags are

doing big business

Any stigma about buying second-hand

has gone, says Charlotte Staerck, co-founder of Handbag Clinic, a retail and repair business that has seen sales

leap by 400 per cent in the past 18 months. ‘People are thinking more sustainably and have rewired their tastes from “must have now” to “will love for ever”.’ Lyst, the global fashion search

platform, says that searches for second-hand pieces have increased 45 per cent since November, with handbags in the top three search categories. Searches for preowned classic Chanel double-flap bags have seen a 75 per cent increase over the past few months – perhaps driven by the fact Chanel does not sell bags through its own

website and that bricks-and-mortar luxury stores have been shuttered during

lockdown. To make sure you don’t get fooled by a fake, stick to reputable resale sites that guarantee the real deal. Try Handbag Clinic, Vestiaire Collective, Hardly Ever Worn It, Bagista and Farfetch. Auction site eBay has also got its eBay Authenticate service where items are inspected and verified by specialists to

give the buyer piece of mind. However, if you can’t imagine committing to just one bag, try a designer rental site.

MyWardrobeHQ has a well-curated selection where you can hire bags by the day (a Givenchy clutch, for example, is

€23). And newcomer Cocoon is a handbag version of Netflix – allowing you to borrow bags for a €110 monthly

subscription fee.