My First Vestiaire Collective Purchase

It’s a New Year and I kicked it off by pulling the trigger on a dream purchase of mine: a 2011 Prada Spazzolato Crystal bag. This bag is extremely hard to find. I was watching one on Poshmark but it sold (!) and the only other one I could find was on Vestiaire Collective, a site I was new to, so I thought I’d share my shopping experience.

What is Vestiaire Collective?

Vestiaire Collective is similar to other resale sites like The Real Real and Poshmark in that you can search for fashion brands and designers to score pre-loved (or sometimes brand new) items for a deal. Like Poshmark, you can make offers on items you like, follow sellers, and heart items you are eyeing.

One of the big differences between Vestiaire and other resale sites is that it features international sellers. Because of this, you can find rare pieces.

The bag I had my heart set on was $320 (a HUGE deal) but was located in France. Unsure of what to do, I decided to make an offer on the bag for a lower price AND use the 20% welcome coupon Vestiaire offered. The combined savings justified the purchase for me.

After the seller accepted my offer, the real fun began. Vestiaire does something really cool in that they verify EVERY purchase. In comparison, Poshmark only authenticates items over $500. After Vestiaire receives the item, they then send the buyer a full report.

The Report

The report is extremely detailed. In my case, they determined this bag was authentic (yay!) but was not accurately described by the seller. As you can see, she listed the condition as “Very Good,” but Vestiaire disagreed and shared pictures to explain.

After viewing the report, they give you the option to accept the purchase or cancel it for a full refund. Another option they give is to accept the purchase and then if you want to return it once you’ve seen it up close, you can do so for store credit. Note: if an item was deemed inauthentic or grossly misrepresented they would cancel the purchase for you.

I admit, I was a bit torn after receiving my report. I expected a bag in better condition, but the outside looked better than the inside, and that’s what is more visible. I also considered the insane deal I was getting on the bag, and knew I could still see a leather specialist to determine if conditioning could help. And who knows, it’s possible a similar version could pop up for sale in the future. My curiosity got the better of me and I bought my Prada bag.

The Verdict

I love this bag! Vestiaire delivered it to me in less than a week and the combined total for shipping, taxes, and duties was only $50, not bad for an item coming from Europe!

Is the bag in the best shape? No. But is it worth $250? Yeah, I think so. The size, shape, color, structure, and embellishments are the reasons I wanted the bag anyway, so it works as a functional accessory. Similar bags typically sell for $1,000 or more, and if the lining is intact and they come with the dust bag and straps, then those bags are definitely worth the higher price point. I just cannot bring myself to spend that kind of money on a purse.

The Look

I’ve been wearing this bag on repeat these past few weeks. It’s big enough to store gloves, hats, and scarves when braving the cold. Here’s what I wore it with for this post:

Shoes: Zara (old); Skirt: J Crew; Shirt: The Market at Ridglea; Necklaces: handmade; Earrings: Vintage

What’s that item you’ve been looking everywhere for? Would you try Vestiaire Collective? Let me know!