I’ve purchased four bags from Fashionphile over the last year, so I figured that I’d hop on and do a quick review. I’m in no way affiliated with Fashionphile. This is just one shopping addict’s honest opinion.

First, a quick introduction to Fashionphile. They are a second-hand retailer that specializes in luxury goods. They have a few physical locations, but for the most part, it is an online business. They buy and sell “preloved” luxury goods, all of which come with an authenticity guarantee.

So is it legit? In my experience, yes. Like I mentioned above, I’ve purchased four handbags from Fashionphile.

Here’s a Chanel I purchased last year:

And here’s a Louis Vuitton I purchased just last week:

I also purchased, but returned, two other handbags. More on that later.

Here are the main benefits I see from shopping at Fashionphile:

– You can save thousands of dollars. For both the Chanel and the Louis Vuitton, I was able to save thousands of dollars from what I would have paid at the boutique. To be sure, the Chanel was a seasonal color/bag and the Louis Vuitton Brea isn’t currently sold at the boutiques, but still, the savings are undeniable. As an aside, I won’t buy a “preloved” handbag unless the savings are substantial, which is why my two preloved purchases have been from past seasons.

– They are honest about what the bag comes with. For example, for the Chanel, mine came with the original authenticity card and dust bag.

– They are honest about the condition of the bag. Based on the four handbags I purchased, it appears to me that Fashionphile is over-inclusive on the “wear and tear.” For example, they listed the Louis Vuitton Brea MM as “excellent” with some “wear and tear on the handles.” But, at least to me, the handbag looked brand spankin’ new. And for the Chanel, they listed it as “very good,” but I’d call the bag excellent. There was some minor wear on the corners, but otherwise, the bag was a beaut.

– They have an excellent return policy. As long as you don’t remove the tag, you can return any handbag within 30 days. I’ve returned two bags, a Prada and a Celine. For the Prada Galleria Tote, I returned it because I am an idiot who can’t properly tell whether a laptop is going to fit. And for the Celine Cabas Phantom Tote, I returned it because I couldn’t get over the perfume smell, which they fully disclosed on the website, mind you. It was just going to bug me, so I sent it back.

– They will buy back your handbags for roughly 2/3 of what you paid. While I haven’t yet used this service, it seems a good option for those who tend to cycle through handbags. This price guarantee is limited to bags you’ve purchased directly from Fashionphile.

My only beef with Fashionphile is the “buy” part of their business. This is obviously their profit margin. Now, I shouldn’t even really call this a con because they need to make their money somewhere. Even so, over the last year, I solicited bids from Fashionphile for two handbags (a Louis Vuitton Felicie and a Loewe Avenue), and I felt like they vastly undervalued the handbags. For both, I was able to sell them myself for hundreds of dollars more than what Fashionphile offered. To be sure, I had to go through that resale effort myself, thus proving that the extra money I made reflects Fashionphile’s profit.

As a final “con,” I’ll note that some folks complain that Fashionphile tends to mark up the really popular, current season bags. For example, if you look for a Louis Vuitton Pochette Métis or a Chanel Mini Rectangular Flap, you better believe you’ll be paying more than you would in the boutique. But because most folks can’t track these bags down in the boutique, Fashionphile is able to charge a premium. I won’t try to argue with supply and demand economics, but you’ll definitely find folks out there who will.

Overall, I have been extremely happy with Fashionphile. You definitely want to make sure you’re double checking authenticity, especially where you are concerned or it is a popular bag with a robust knock-off market. But if you’re willing to do some digging (a/k/a compulsive internet stalking), you can find great deals on some beautiful handbags.

Happy preloved shopping!

Bag review Chanel Fashion Louis Vuitton Review