4 Handbags To Invest In Now, According To TheRealReal

We consider ourselves secondhand-bag savants, deftly charting a course through the reissues and resale investment pieces you should consider. But when TheRealReal’s epic 20-page 2025 Resale Report fell into our lap, we realized we were mere amateurs in the space. We also realized we should be shifting our attention to handbags and brands bubbling up on the charts — so we’re letting you in on some industry numbers to help further align your shopping.

The report was rife with data that, yes, is worthwhile, but we’re skipping over the big guns (it should be no surprise the most sought-after designs on the site from a single creative director were by Jonathan Anderson) and heading into the emerging categories. The Hermès Birkin, Balenciaga City, Fendi Baguette, and Paddington are all holding strong — the Paddington specifically saw a 236 percent increase in average sale price from 2022 to 2024 — along with Takashi Murakami’s Louis Vuitton creations, but the bags on the rise have our full attention. After Michael Rider reworked the infamous Celine Phantom tote at his debut show, searches were up 360 percent (further proof TheRealReal is Brat). The YSL Mombasa, created by Tom Ford in the early 2000s, is also on the rise, which makes sense given the dark-bohemian fantasy worn by Addison Rae and Charli XCX.

In that same vein, the Gucci Indy bag (as seen on Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl and on the desk of late-aughts girl boss) is right in line with the Chloé and Saint Laurent boho girls. The tassels and mirrored elements give it that edge. On the other side of the spectrum, Prada’s doctorly Bauletto bag is seeing a slight uptick in searches — go for classic colors or dig for a holy-grail piece like this one-off runway bag from Spring 2016.

The overarching theme of the report was that the old has never been more relevant — quite literally. A deep dive into the number of items sold in “fair” condition showed they were up 32 percent, and items like the Birkin and the City bag are not wanted in pristine shape; in fact, people want their Chanel classic flap shoulder bags a little worn in. (Remember, Jane Birkin’s original, beaten-down Hermès bag just sold for $10 million at auction.) In a time where anyone can be perfect (read: use a filter), it’s a little more alluring to show up with a bag that’s pre-loved — or show up with a bag on the cusp of It-Bag-dom.