The French luxury brand Louis Vuitton is well known for its range of bags. These pricey purchases certainly aren’t cheap but are they worthy investment pieces?
Some Louis Vuitton bags do appreciate in value. Even Louis Vuitton pieces that don’t appreciate in value will still likely achieve a resale price close to the original retail price.
A Louis Vuitton bag can be a good investment piece for the savvy shopper who wants a bag that will at least retain its value, if not appreciate in value. Lous Vuitton is known for never marking down its prices, so preowned bags are popular pieces that tend to offer good resale value.
Top picks for Louis Vuitton bags with the best resale value
While Louis Vuitton’s bags are luxurious creations that will fetch good resale prices, some pieces will appreciate more in value than others, making them prime picks for those seeking investment pieces. However, making a smart choice in your Louis Vuitton pieces and taking care of them will provide a good chance of the bags retaining a large part of their original value, even if they don’t appreciate in value.
One such piece is the Louis Vuitton Chantilly, which was launched in 1978 and received a makeover in 2018 for its 40th anniversary. The bag tends to hold around an 85% resale value, with Nicolas Ghesquière’s white and reverse-monogram version a particularly popular pick.
The Louis Vuitton Petite Boite Chapeau bag is another good choice for those who want a bag with good resale value. Inspired by Louis Vuitton’s hatbox, it was first released in 2018 and tends to hold a resale value of 87%.
One of Louis Vuitton’s most iconic bags is the Neverfull, which offers a resale value of around 91%. A monogram Louis Vuitton Neverfull in great condition and/or with its original tags may even achieve a resale value of around 96%.
However, limited-edition Neverfull bags are where great value gains can be made. For instance, a Monogram Jungle Neverfull can achieve twice its retail price in resale value.
Limited-edition pieces from Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with Yayoi Kusama such as Infinity Dots and Waves Neverfull bags can achieve over $1,000 above their retail price. Regardless of whether the bag is a limited-edition release or not, the Neverfull is one of the brand’s most successful bags of all time and shows no signs of decreasing in popularity since its 2007 launch.
Louis Vuitton’s New Wave bag was first released in 2018, with its success leading to a range of subsequent styles. The New Wave bags tend to hold resale values of 80% to 95%, with the original New Wave bag maintaining the highest resale value.
Louis Vuitton’s Bumbag is a great investment piece as it can achieve a resale value of around 119%. The bag comes in various versions that sell out quickly and are in high demand, contributing to the high resale price. As long as Louis Vuitton continues to release the bag in very limited numbers, it should achieve resale prices several hundred dollars over the retail price.
Keeping Louis Vuitton bags in good condition
Louis Vuitton started out making trunks and bags that could hold up to the demands of travel. Their bags are still made to be long-lasting with top-notch craftsmanship and materials but that doesn’t mean you want to treat these luxury items with disregard.
In order to maximize the appreciation in value, it’s important to ensure a Louis Vuitton bag is kept in good condition. The better condition a bag is in, the more it will be worth.
Louis Vuitton bags should not be used in the rain and should not be stored in damp or humid environments. If the bag gets wet it’s important to wipe the moisture away as quickly as possible with a clean cloth to help prevent damage to the materials.
It’s also important to keep Louis Vuitton bags out of direct sunlight as well as to keep them away from direct sources of heat such as near a radiator or drying them with a hairdryer if they get wet, as these will also potentially damage the materials and shape of the bag.
Make sure to keep the bag away from grease, as well as perfumes or cosmetics as these can stain the bag or leave odors in the materials. It’s a good idea to carry cosmetics, perfumes, and other liquids in separate plastic bags or toiletry bags within a Louis Vuitton bag in order to reduce the risk of damage from accidental leaks or cosmetic lids coming loose and marking the bag.
The easiest way to protect your Louis Vuitton bag is to store it in its dust bag when not in use. Additionally, if the bag is not structured, you can stuff it to help maintain its silhouette and avoid creasing.