For the most part, designer brands price their garments in the same range as each other, with a few being outliers such as Hermes and Brunello Cucinelli. But one thing is true- some brands depreciate in value at faster rates than others and different creative directors at different time periods also have a lot to do with how valuable your designer item is.
I find it fascinating when I first discovered this and have spent most of my own closet planning time abiding by this philosophy of "buying to sell later", which has greatly influenced what garments I invest in for myself.
In case you want to start planning your purchases in the same way, this is a complete guide on what brands will give you the most value over time in your closet and put the most money in your pocket when you're ready to sell it.
1. Issey Miyake- specifically Pleats Please
This brand is one of my personal favorites, maybe because of the amount of diffusion lines they have (Fete, ME, Pleats Please, Homme Plisse, etc.) and maybe because of the affordability without sacrificing style and originality. I have seen the most fixation on the Pleats Please line, which is gaining in popularity in the States and is among the most requested pieces from KO customers. The great things about Pleats Please is that is not only holds its value throughout the years, but also holds its quality, due to the unique polyester fabric they use to craft the pleats.
2. Chanel
I think this one is a no brainer for anyone who enjoys shopping for or browsing luxury designer items. Out of all of the luxury brands, Chanel strikes the perfect balance between something only a select few can buy and the resale power we only see from its more expensive counterpart, Hermes. Guaranteed, if you get Chanel for market rate or somehow below market rate, it will serve you in the future as Chanel ALWAYS increases its prices in boutiques, and rare Chanel pieces will always fetch top dollar if you are lucky enough to have some to sell!
3. Celine (Pheobe Philo era especially)
I touched on this in one of my last blog posts, but it remains true- Philo era Celine reigns supreme when it comes to resale. The current creative director at Celine, Hedi Slimane is doing a good job with creating pieces that can hold value over time, but it is not on the same level as his predecessor. Ready to wear is especially going for a lot so if happen to have one of those Chunky turtlenecks from the 2017 collection- its basically like having cloth gold.
4. Christian Dior
Now I am admittedly not a fan of the current Dior aesthetic (to me it seems way to safe, girly and commercial, which just isn't my style), but whatever MGC is putting in the Dior boutiques, the girls are buying. Current Dior does have good resale value with of course the iconic saddle bag and also surprisingly the book tote being some of the best pieces to invest in regarding the current collections. Of course my beloved Galliano era also sells for top dollar, which is always keep my eyes peeled for pieces for KO and also myself.
5. Hermes
The holy grail of luxury and an obvious horse to bet on when it comes to getting your moneys worth. We all know about how the Birkin and Kelly routinely appreciate in price as the years go by. Buying an Hermes bag is essentially like buying stock in Silicon Valley: one way or another, it's going to pay off.
Thanks for reading and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next drop this Saturday 12 noon EST ✨
-PW