Is carrying a beat-up Hermès bag the pinnacle of luxury? As many Olsen twin photos do, a 2010 snapshot of Mary-Kate carrying an Hermès Kelly that is, literally, busting at the seams rapidly circulated social media and convinced us we, too, must do the same. (What could be more luxurious than treating one of the most elusive, expensive handbags in the world as if it were no more than a market tote?) But if MK deposited this bag at most resale platforms, it likely would not have been accepted.
Though The RealReal would need to assess structural integrity in person, this bag's condition would probably be classified as “fair.” For a handbag, this means it “shows signs of heavy wear such as worn corners, significant scratches or interior wear." Prior to the beginning of 2022, The RealReal, whose standards are often more lax than most resale platforms, only accepted items a step above fair, otherwise known as “good”—showing less significant signs of wear—through "pristine."
“We realized there was an opportunity just below good and before rejecting something,” says senior fashion lead Noelle Sciacca. So they began to sprinkle in a few of such bags on their site sans announcement to test the theory. This wasn’t a trick; there’s no guise about what the consumer is receiving. Experts behind the scenes make sure to document every scratch, stain, and scuff both in photos and descriptions. And the handbags sold. According to The RealReal’s annual Luxury Consignment Report, 2022 proved that items in “Fair Condition” are more in demand than ever.
Photo: Getty Images
At least in the case of TheRealReal, this discourse remains in the space of the ultra luxury: Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermès, and Prada comprise 60% of the fair condition market. (Their top "fair" seller is not a Birkin nor a Kelly, but a Louis Vuitton Multipli-Cité Tote with an average selling price of $545). A bag from Chanel or Hermès can retail secondhand close to or, in some cases, higher than its original price. In other words, the quality is there to support longevity.
Fair condition handbags are essentially the gateway drug of purses. The report notes, “The average price for a fair condition piece is 33% less than those at higher condition levels.” This shopper is not one with a collection of pristine handbags, but someone potentially looking for their first luxury bag. “One of my coworkers always wanted a Prada bag,” reiterates Sciacca. “When ‘Fair Condition’ became available, she could finally afford it."
Price is not the only factor at play—namely celebrity influence greatly helps. Aside from the Olsen twins, Sciacca directs me towards the case of Julia Fox, who took to Tiktok to display her own Birkin’s rare signs of wear. “She was actually attacked by a machete,” Fox says in the video. The “she” refers to a grey Birkin with visible slashes on its edges. Moments like this, Sciacca notes, are “making that younger generation feel like it's okay to have something that's worn.”
For every Tiktoker that handles their Birkin with gloved hands, there’s one championing a more carefree approach. “It’s such a missed opportunity to use the same Birkin day-in and day-out and get that beautiful slouchy look,” Tiktoker @prettycritical notes in a recent video. “A lived-in Birkin is so chic because it suggests that a Birkin is not something that is so special that you have to keep it pristine. Instead, it’s an everyday luxury.”
Photo: Courtesy of Estelle Chemouny
Though she deals in seasonal “it-bags,” founder and buying director of Paris-based Paradise Garage Store Estelle Chemouny’s most worn handbag is a beat-up cocoa brown Kelly (of which, we feel confident Mary-Kate would approve). This she purchased at auction in Paris for about 700 euros. Apparently, no one else wanted it. “That bag has a vibe,” she says of the “destroyed” silhouette. “It makes everything look cooler.” We're guessing the revival of early 2000's grunge and "Indie Sleaze" (the aforementioned Olsen twin photo is from 2010) is doing nothing to hurt this trend).
Tiktoker Alex Pardoe of @birkintrash has made his name documenting his own extensive Hermès collection, one of which he purchased at a significantly reduced price because the handles were essentially destroyed. (Easy fix: he simply covered them in silk scarves). In one Tiktok, text laid over a video of a new Birkin states: “Peeling the stickers off the hardware so I can beat this Birkin up like Jane Birkin intended.” And it’s true. In the 1980’s, Birkin told then CEO of Hermès Jean-Louis Dumas (they were seated together on a flight) she needed something much bigger than the Kelly to hold all of her belongings and the Birkin bag was born. She famously stuffed hers full of everything a woman could possibly need, then hung her watch, baubles, bangles and beads off the straps and fastenings. “They wear really well,” she said in a CBS interview. I love things that wear really well.”
“When I buy vintage, first I think, if it is still in one piece after 40 or 50 years, it can last many more," Chemouny reiterates Birkin's case. Is there irony in the idea that we are simply reporting that luxury handbags are now being used for their intended purpose? Of course. But if the trend backs into a more sustainable method of consumption, promoting the continued use of one bag versus multiples of new alternatives, we guess that’s a win. As Sciacca notes, “The demand was what helped us open the opportunity to make luxury even more accessible." Now, how long do you think it will take for a brand to turn this idea on its head and purposely distress their new luxury bags Golden-Goose style? Here’s looking at you, Balenciaga.
Shop the Story:
Want more stories like this?
A 2023 Take On Grunge
The Bride Wore An $82 Vintage Dress
Suits That Don't Feel (Or Look) Like Suits