but a beautiful, practical satchel, or an extremely

breaking designer handbags save the luxury fashion industry

In the midst of a pandemic and the UK's second lockdown, expertly (home) manicured fingers are high quality designer replica handbags wholesale reaching for Birkins and Bottegas. It seems that life indoors has only Fake Louis Vuitton Replica Bags augmented wealthy buyers' desire to spend many thousands of pounds on handbags, even if, for now, they may only be schlepped from kitchen to living room and back again.

Moda Operandi announced in its biannual Runway Report yesterday that its average unit value for new handbags is up 67% this season compared to last autumn. The replica louis vuitton bags from china luxury e tailer's average sale price for handbags is now $1,560 (1,180) compared to $900 (680) at the same time last year.

"At first it was surprising," says cheap replica handbags Lisa replica louis vuitton handbags Aiken, Buying and Fashion Director at Moda Operandi. "We saw this uptick in designer handbags early summer and I thought, 'Where is she wearing this handbag, to 1:1 replica handbags the grocery store?' And the answer is yes. Consumers are spending more on higher investment pieces they'll wear and be seen in every day."

The report reveals that the trend toward easygoing wardrobing (silk tracksuits and cashmere jumpers) is being complemented by luxury consumers' continued desire to acquire higher value designer pieces. "We saw this manifested through an uptick in spend for long lasting 'forever' pieces," wrote CEO Ganesh Srivats in the report's foreword.

Bottega Veneta Nappa leather chain cassette bag, 2,860, Moda Operandi

Case in point: Bottega Veneta's chain cassette bag was one of Moda Operandi's best selling handbags. Highly coveted despite or perhaps because of its $3,800 (2,860) price tag, the handbag is made in Nappa leather using the Italian house's iconic intrecciato technique.

Even aaa replica designer handbags more optimistically, sales have also increased for 'highly emotional pieces', proving that unplanned purchases are still happening. Olympia Le Tan's Ruth Bader Ginsburg Clutch was another popular seller. Exclusive to Moda Operandi, this $1,250 (941) clutch bag featured a hand embroidered felt and silk portrait of the legendary Supreme Court Justice with the phrase, 'Fight For the Things You Care About'. It sold out within hours of her passing this September, despite being on the site for over six months.

Aiken expects the success to continue. "Research we conducted with Harris Poll suggested that women prefer to invest in quality pieces rather than quantity in their wardrobe. We anticipate this preference will continue to manifest in our clients' shopping behaviors in the year ahead."

While these revelations spell positive news for the future of luxury fashion and accessories brands, even larger cheques are being cut at auction and they're only getting bigger. On Monday 17 November, the Christie's Handbags and Accessories online auction made 2,605,250 over 198 lots.

cheap louis vuitton bags from china The top sales were predictable: two rare Herms matte white Himalaya niloticus crocodile Birkins, which each sold for 137,500, skyrocketing above their estimates of 60,000 to 80,000.

"Himalaya Birkin Bags are iconic pieces that are considered the pinnacle of the handbag collecting world," says Rachel Koffsky, Head of Handbags and Accessories Sales, at Christie's London. "The extremely delicate dying process can only be rendered with the utmost care, skill and craftsmanship. This rarity is represented in the prices which collectors pay to acquire such items."

In the same auction, an alligator skin Herms Sellier Kelly 28 with brushed palladium hardware sold for 62,500 (estimate: 35,000 40,000) and a rare Louis Vuitton Zinc Explorer Trunk, dated from the 1890s, realised 43,750.

These tens and even hundreds of thousands aren't spent on a whim. This summer, Art Market Research (AMR) found that certain bags by Herms, Chanel and Louis Vuitton have soared in value by an average of 83% over the last decade. A rare designer handbag can be a more secure investment than, say, Old Masters paintings, which comparatively have seen just 4% growth.

But Koffsky always recommends that her clients bid and buy for the love of handbags and not just the promise of pound signs. aaa replica designer handbags "While a handbag purchased at auction is also an investment, these functional objects are replica louis vuitton bags created to be worn. With proper storage and appropriate use, they will stand the test of time and can be passed down to future generations, or sold."

Koffsky believes that key motivators in the purchase of such extraordinarily expensive pieces are joy especially mid pandemic.

"Covid and the resulting lockdown have had an impact on every industry. But a beautiful, practical satchel, or an extremely special bright clutch may bring a Perfect Quality Louis Vuitton Replica collector joy in this uncertain time. In addition, bidding at auction provides entertainment and excitement during the days at home, in particular as many shops are closed and clients hope to acquire gifts for loved ones over the holidays."

The most expensive Herms handbag ever auctioned was a crocodile Himalayan Birkin with white gold and diamond hardware which fetched 298,800 at Poly Auction in Hong Kong in 2016. And this summer, a similar crocodile Herms Birkin sold for 230,000 at Christie's.

But records are made to be broken, so keep an eye out for the New York edition of Christie's Handbags and Accessories sale, running from 24 November to 10 December. Thirty seven Birkins will go under the hammer, including a rare matte Himalayan crocodile, 18kt gold and diamond edition which is estimated to sell for $200,000 $250,000 (150,000 190,000), but could achieve far more.

"Handbags have been a powerful symbol for a century," says Koffsky. "They are frequently a metaphor for the wearer herself offering both an exterior representation and a hidden interior."

Between the second lockdown and the impending abolition of VAT free shopping in 2021, the luxury retail industry is fighting fires left and right. But high quality replica handbags china the continued rise of the designer bag is both cause for celebration and a hopeful forecast for the future. When bars, restaurants and hotels open again, you may spot more than a few leather masterpieces on designer clad arms nearby.