As I studied the immaculate craftsmanship of this holy grail of handbags, I was told that 90% of Hermès bags are sold within three days, with the most expensive ever sold being an Hermès Kelly for a whopping £15,000—three times its RRP. No biggie. Indeed, Sellier is known as the number one reseller of Hermès in the UK, a thriving and lucrative market due to the scarcity of new models that are released every year. (The store manager told me about a client who was on the waiting list for seven years.)
And while Sellier is certainly regarded as a go-to for such rare pieces, it is also a gold mine for sought-after contemporary handbags from the likes of Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent and Prada. The brand has also recently set up a website in an attempt to expand its reach, and despite its prestigious reputation, the store manager is keen to impress on me the range of their clientele: from Gen Zers looking for a sub-£300 Simone Rocha tote to people investing in a long-awaited Chanel 2.55. In the first month, online turnover was just shy of £90K.
The vintage and second-hand industries have gone from strength to strength over the last year, but it’s not without its pitfalls, and unsurprisingly, counterfeits are aplenty within the preloved-bag market. I have always wanted to include a designer-bag specialist in my Second-Hand Shopper franchise, but when I did, I wanted to ensure that it was a brand that had all the right credentials, which, thankfully, Sellier does. I spoke with Toni over email about navigating the murky waters of authentication and the changes she has witnessed in the preloved world over the last decade. Scroll down to read the interview and to shop my exclusive Sellier bag edit.
What inspired you to set up a preloved fashion brand?
We have always been passionate about the idea of preloved luxury. However, we found ourselves increasingly frustrated by the experience of shopping preloved when so much of the market was filled with old, tired and undesirable pieces. We wanted Sellier to feel like a beautifully curated gallery where everyone, irrespective of their budget, could find something truly special. To this day, our pieces are carefully curated by us, meaning that they are in amazing condition, still relevant from a style point of view, the right price and, most important of all, authentic.
