Everything You Need to Know About Buying Pre-Owned Louis Vuitton Bags - Your Guide to Finding the Perfect LV Bag!

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With over 100 years of making luxury goods, Louis Vuitton is probably the most common - and most desirable - brand you’ll be seeing in the second-hand market nowadays. Their first bags were introduced in 1930, having the still-produced Keepall as their very first release, an alternative to the heavy and inconvenient trunks.

Rare Louis Vuitton Antique Trunk available on ZenPlus

Said that, there is a chance to find Louis Vuitton bags with more than 90 years, but based on my experience with pre-loved goods, most of the vintage ones are from the early 80s, and you can expect an impressive - and hard to find - craftsmanship on those pieces.

A lot has changed since then, new materials and techniques came along, as well as fashion trends. The vintage boom is back in fashion - finally - and the urge to get a vintage LV piece has exploded, but without the right eyes you might end up with a cracked sticky bag at home with no idea what to do next. I would recommend you try to spot those flaws before the item arrives at your place or keep in mind some items might require repairs (and extra love).

Buying online can be tricky, and for second-hand goods it can be even harder to predict what you’re getting, either because it has been used before, the seller doesn’t have enough images of the item or doubts about the item's authenticity. However, there are a few tips you can keep in mind when buying pre-loved Louis Vuitton bags on the internet to help you get exactly what you want.

Is Buying Second-Hand for Me?

Buying second-hand items will help you save money and also contribute to a more sustainable way of consumption. There are thousands of options available on platforms like ZenPlus, Vestiaire Collective, Fashionphile and many more, offering authentic items for a small piece of the retail price. 

Navigating through those resell platforms might be overwhelming, so don’t be disappointed if it’s hard to find the perfect item at first. Treat this as an adventure into the luxury world. Before adventuring into the pre-loved luxury market, here are a few questions for you to start with:

• What’s my price range?

If you’re willing to spend $800-$1000 on a bag, aiming to find a Hermes Kelly or a Louis Vuitton Capucines for that price range is nearly impossible, even in poor condition. Compare prices on different platforms for the bags in your wishlist to have an idea of how much they are in the resell market, then you can narrow it down to the more realistic options. 

It’s also good to understand some rare pieces can maintain their retail value or even cost more than they were once sold at the store.

• What are the brands I’m interested in?

There are hundreds of brands to choose from but having a list with no more than 5 brands will make your decision a lot easier. Do you want to know about how the brands are listed in the luxury world? Check out The Ultimate Tier List for Designer Brands article on ZenPlus blogs.

• Is that brand eligible for my budget?

Depending on your budget, getting a bag from certain brands might be difficult, for example, Chanel and Hermes bags are usually over $1000 unless the condition of the item is lower, with missing parts, stains or modifications. If you’re not picky about the condition or other small details, you will be able to find insane deals out there.

• What is the condition I am looking for?

There are people out there willing to pay less for a broken item so they can repair it, if that’s not your case, double-check the photos and the description for the item you’re interested in. You will be paying more for bags in higher grades, but also for your peace of mind. 

Don't forget to take notes on the important points you read here today and begin your journey for the perfect bag. Below, you'll learn about the most common flaws found in used Louis Vuitton bags plus the materials they commonly offer.

Stickiness & Peeling

Louis Vuitton Bag with Peeling and Deterioration

Not all materials age well, especially when exposed to heat and humidity for years. Some vintage Louis Vuitton bags had their interior made out of a certain faux leather that doesn’t react well to moisture, resulting in a sticky - stinky for most cases- and unpleasant material.

When checking bags online, look out for residue on the hardware, small spots and any sign of texture changes, those are signals the bag has been affected and will need repair. Of course, that is not the end of the world if the structure of the bag remains in good shape because you can get those parts cleaned or even replaced by Louis Vuitton depending on the type of damage.

A few modern pieces can have the same sticky issue on a completely different spot... The glazed ends, in particular the handles. The issue can also happen at any part that has a glazed finish to it and the only way around this is by removing the old glaze and getting it redone, for some special circunstances, Louis Vuitton will accept to repair the item for free.

 Speedy Empreinte strap with damaged glaze

Another type of peeling you will be seeing is on varnished leather pieces and when it occurs, repainting the item might be the only solution to “fix” it. If you’re not willing to do so, paying more for a piece in better condition is highly recommended.

Peeling on varnished leather from abrasion

Cracked Canvas

A common issue - but not much talked about - you can find on pre-loved Louis Vuitton bags is cracks on the coated canvas items. One piece of information people don’t know is once there’s a crack on the canvas, Louis Vuitton will not accept the item for an in-house repair. Over time, mostly due to heavy usage or bad maintenance, the Louis Vuitton iconic canvas can start cracking and unfortunately, there is not much to do about it but to keep using the item or replace it.

The places to look for cracks are the zipper area, corners and all the stress points the item might have. On bags, those cracks are usually easier to spot, but check out the wallets as well because those tend to end up with more cracking marks. 

Dry Vachetta & Water Marks

(Image Source: crssim on Reddit)

Vachetta is the non-treated cow leather Louis Vuitton uses on most of their iconic pieces, a beautiful material but without the right care it tends to get dry and crack, so double-check them before purchasing. The places you should keep your eyes on are handles, straps, corner piping and stress points near rivets and d-rings.

First Image: Heavy dryness due to usage and lack of maintenance. Second image: Exposed piping due to heavy dryness.

Louis Vuitton Alma from 1999 well maintained, with no cracks or heavy signs of usage

Louis Vuitton Speedy from 1987 with signs of dryness and darkening from usage

The beauty of Louis Vuitton's vachetta is its tanning process over the years since it has no treatment or coating on it. However, you will end up with water marks and stains all over it if no precautions are taken. There is a way around it by utilizing the products - or calling a professional - to even out those marks, you only need to make sure the stains are not from oils, common around the handles because of the oil our skin produces. To avoid darkening the handles, wrapping a light scarf around it is the best way to keep the color bright and even.

Wrapping idea to keep handles of your bag clean (Image Source: cutepos on Reddit)

Repairs & Missing Parts

Whenever you need an item repaired, sending it to a local repair shop might be easier and cheaper. But there is a downside in doing so, once you send your bag to a third-party repair place, Louis Vuitton won’t accept the same item for an in-house repair ever again, the same rule as the cracked canvas mentioned before. 

Louis Vuitton Chelsea Bag with a broken rivet and cracks on the canvas

Before buying an LV piece online, watch out for missing zippers, rivets, eyelets, leather parts, and repaired glazing around the corners, or on the piping. If the photos are not clear enough, ask the seller for more photos just to be sure you’re not getting a customized item. 

Color Transfer

(Image Source: quarancutie on Reddit)

If you’re a fan of varnished leather or light-colored items, this one's for you. Light colors can easily get dirty and on top of that, the probability of it getting stained by a different material - denim and dark wool are common ones - is high. If you manage to clean your bag right after you notice the color transfer the chances of you being able to remove are high, but once you let it sit there… The damage might be permanent. Before purchasing, check if the color of the item is even and has no deep stains.

The Right Material for You

 Limited Edition Louis Vuitton Capucines (Image: PIOTR STOKLOSA)

Louis Vuitton is always innovating their products, utilizing different materials and techniques to express the Maison’s identity in the best way possible. With a wide range of options, it might be hard for a first-time buyer to make a decision that goes further than just choosing by how the item looks. 

Leather is probably the most common material in the luxury industry, for Louis Vuitton that’s not the case yet. There are rumors the brand is planning to change that in the future by lowering the amount of coated canvas goods and taking them out of the physical stores.

Their most iconic monogram pieces are made of coated canvas, a very resistant waterproof material that requires low maintenance depending on the chosen color. Believe me, there are a lot of people out there who think the Louis Vuitton monogram canvas is leather… It is not. Again, there are different materials available for different needs and purposes, you get to choose what suits you better.

Coated Canvas

If you're a fan of Louis Vuitton’s monogram classic logos, this is the best choice for you but there are plenty of reasons this is a good fit for most people. This material is waterproof, easy to maintain plus the fact it is very light compared to certain types of leather. One downside that always comes to mind is that the light-colored canvas can change color over time if exposed to sunlight for long periods, and absorb color from other materials, as mentioned in the color transfer section.

Leather 

Smooth and textured leathers commonly offered by Louis Vuitton 

Wide range of colors and types of exotic leather 

Some people might think leather is the easiest material to choose from but it’s also the one that gets damaged the most if not well maintained. Louis Vuitton has an incredible selection when it comes to leather with all the different textures, finishes, colors, and types, they have to offer. 

Easy maintenance? Epi or Taiga textured leather.

Louis Vuitton logo lover? Mahina or Empreinte are the ones to go for.

Want to stand out? Any exotic leather will do the job! Crocodile or lizard leather for easy aftercare, python or ostrich if you don’t mind taking some extra care.

Looking for a smooth and delicate finish? Lambskin will fulfill your needs, but make sure to take care of it.

Canvas, Jacquard and Denim

If you’re not a fan of the plasticky look the coated canvas has, this is the section for you. Not as common as the previous materials, there are fewer options for bags made out of fabric since most of them are from special collections and are not produced anymore. You might expect them to be lower in price, but that’s not always the case due to their scarcity.

Vinyl and Others

Louis Vuitton has the power to come up with unique materials every season, you will find the brand’s signature monogram is almost any material you can think of. If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind piece, adventuring into their limited edition collections might be the best for you. Keep in mind those pieces are delicate, maybe not a good call for an everyday bag.

Finding the perfect Louis Vuitton bag on ZenPlus

In Japan, Louis Vuitton is by far the most popular luxury brand among locals. That’s not surprising news for the country where you can find the two - and the only ones outside France - cafes produced by LV. 

The luxury industry is a huge deal in the country, but so is the second-hand market. You would be surprised by the insane amount of shops you can find around Japan and the good news is, you can buy from almost 40 of them on ZenPlus without having to travel all the way here. Thousands of authentic pre-loved luxury items from Japan, carefully packed and shipped to wherever you are located!

If you think everything mentioned before is too much work, buying a new one directly from the store might be the best choice for you, but take into account it'll come with a higher price tag.  

About the Writer

Amanda Ayabe is a fashion graduate based in Osaka, passionate about the luxury industry and hand crafted goods. She worked for 3 years as a live seller and buyer, sharing her knowledge and passion for designer bags to customers in various locations around the globe. Loves specialty coffee, long talks, traveling and photography.