Last time, we suggested that if you’ve got some pressing borrowing requirements, it might be worth sifting through your attic (or anywhere else you stash possessions to protect yourself against visible clutter) in search of a luxury handbag. That’s because if you have one of these sought-after items, you could be eligible for a secured asset loan from peer-to-peer lender Unbolted.
Our expert valuation partners would determine its value on a secondary market, typically an auction, and our investors could then release up to 70 per cent of that value directly into your account through our online platform. We look after your asset for the duration of the loan, returning it to you when the borrowing term ends and you settle (usually six months). No intrusive searches, no digital footprints leaving tracks of a creditworthiness rating and no reports if you can’t settle are involved – the worst that can happen at Unbolted is that your asset is sold at auction.
But have you got one of those gorgeous handbags we discussed last time?
That old handbag you acquired in your deceased aunt’s will might be worth a small fortune. Take a good look at the label: if it turns out to be a vintage Hermès, Chanel or Louis Vuitton, you’re probably sitting on a fortune. These are the most sought-after vintage bags out there – a vintage Chanel 2.55 bag might only have cost £200 in 1985, but one made in that year recently went for auction in the £700-£1,000 range at Kerry Taylor.
Early 20th-century couturiers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga and Elsa Schiaparelli are also highly prized internationally. Bags bearing these names are exceedingly rare, but to fetch a nice price, they have to be in good condition with no alterations and retain the original label. The value will rise considerably if the bag’s provenance demonstrates that it was once owned by a stellar celebrity such as Audrey Hepburn.
As for what to invest in now, the key pieces recommended by The Telegraph’s Senior Fashion News & Features Editor, Ellie Pithers, are the following:
The Mansur Gavriel Bucket bag is a solid choice. Fanny Moizant of designer retail site Vestiaire Collective explains that people pay for timeless designs, good quality and rarity, and Mansur Gavriel is a rising new brand that exudes each of these characteristics in spades. The bags come in simple but deeply pleasing shapes, and because of the tiny product runs, their rarity adds value enormously. As Moizant puts it: “People are desperate for them because they are so hard to get hold of.” Taking just one example, their leather-lined bucket bags retail for £395, but they’ve been snatched up on the Vestiaire Collective site for £585.
Céline Trapeze or Trio bags are also preserving their value superbly, as luxury brands without retail outlets (including these two) usually do. Moizant says: “Céline and Chanel don't have their own E-commerce sites, so they are always good investments.” Already, a nearly new Céline Trapeze bag bought recently for £1,300 will fetch a higher price on the Vestiaire Collective site.
