When you think of luxury brands, there's one that immediately comes to mind as being the most prestigious of them all: Hermès. The legendary French fashion house epitomizes craftsmanship and heritage and remains

You may have heard that the elusive Birkin bag is a better investment than the stock market, but just how smart of an investment are we talking? I reached out to our friends at The RealReal—one of the premier luxury consignment destinations—to find out all the industry secrets when it comes to Hermès bag resale value. I learned that French heritage brands top the list when it comes to the luxury brands that earned consignors the most of their original investment back, with Hermès leading the pack. 

“We found that during the pandemic's economic uncertainty, shoppers were gravitating toward the safest bets in luxury: investment pieces, and handbags in particular. They're spending on high-value, timeless styles, like Hermès handbags, that have enduring resale value—knowing they can consign them in the future to recoup most of that investment or wear those classic pieces for decades to come," explains Sasha Skoda, head of women's at The RealReal. 

"Hermès is the ultimate example of a brand with timeless styles that transcend trends and ultimately commands stronger resale value and demand, especially its Birkin and Kelly handbags. Hermès resale value is up 28% compared to last year, and Birkins lead the pack with an average selling price up over $4000 USD year over year. Kelly and Birkin styles from the '80s and '90s can fetch close to the original retail price and more."

So as you can see, not only are you likely to get your money back selling an Hermès bag, you're actually likely to make money doing so. According to The RealReal, one of the top handbags to consign from Hermès is the Birkin 25. In 2020, they sold Birkin 25s at an average of 210% of their original retail price! If you're now sold on the investment and looking to browse for vintage Hermès bags, make sure you're doing so at a trusted pre-owned luxury re-seller. Sites like The RealReal, What Goes Around Comes Around, Vestiaire Collective, and LePrix are great for finding authenticated gems. Below are a few more tips to keep in mind when considering an Hermès bag purchase to maximize the return on your investment.