Gucci Is Now Selling Secondhand Bags

Five years ago, a luxury brand selling secondhand items was unthinkable. Back then, doing so could have tarnished the prestige and exclusivity that took years and thousands of marketing dollars to build. But now, it seems like the industry is slowly warming up to the idea.

Get your Gucci secondhand bag at The RealReal

Just recently, Gucci announced that they will be dipping their toes in the secondhand market via a partnership with luxury online marketplace The RealReal, which ships internationally including to countries in Southeast Asia such as Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. The surprising move is made in response to the growing secondhand market and commitment to sustainability. It was also seen as a way to showcase the longevity of their products. In one perspective, this could also mean a decrease in counterfeit Gucci items. If the fake one costs just as much as a pre-loved Gucci bag, the latter would be a much more attractive choice.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by therealreal (@therealreal) on Oct 5, 2020 at 3:06am PDT

It's not just Gucci secondhand bags that you can buy from The RealReal; gently used clothing, shoes and accessories will also be consigned. This business model called "circular economy" aims to produce sales while lessening production — and consequently environmental impact — at the same time.

"The growing popularity of the resale market is very interesting to us and it can be incorporated into a comprehensive approach to circularity that touches every area of the business, and beyond to end-of-life for products," said Marco Bizzarri, President of Gucci according to WWD.

Consignee perks

Although Gucci joining the secondhand market is significant, they're not the first luxury brand to do this. It was Stella McCartney, who consigned with The RealReal in 2017. It wasn't until 2019 that another big player joined the club. Burberry, after facing a huge backlash when it was revealed that they were purposely destroying unsold goods to preserve branding, quickly pivoted by rolling out sustainable programs which included a partnership with the same online luxury store.

But it's not just buyers who get perks, consignees are also in for a treat. For example, if you consign any Burberry item, you'll receive a personal styling appointment and British High Tea at a Burberry store. Nice! For Stella McCartney items, you'll get USD100 credit that you can use at Stella McCartney boutiques. As for Gucci, there's no announcement yet on shopping perks but for every consignment, a donation will be made to One Tree Planted in support of global reforestation. Sounds like just as good a good perk to us!

Gucci bag picks

From classic style handbags to cutesy clutches, there are many Gucci secondhand bags you can find at The RealReal. A few that caught our eye include this Vintage GG Plus Crossbody Bag with some minor scuffing priced at USD525. It's a perfect bag for everyday use with its compact body and resilient build.

Another piece that we like is this classy Sylvie Bag, which retails for USD1,325. It's approximately half of its original price and is in good condition with only a few signs of slight wear.

For special occasions, we're eyeing this GG Marmont Mini Matelassé in Navy Velvet, available at USD1,015.75. Its sophisticated look will go well with any gown or cocktail dress.