Fashion influencer reveals designer handbags have gained $25K in value

A fashion influencer has revealed that her designer handbags have gained so much value in a matter of years that they’re now worth a staggering $25,000 more than when she first bought them.

Luisa Elias Beckmann, 26, from Barcelona, Spain, known as Je Suis Lou online, left many people on the web stunned after she posted a video detailing how much she paid for the oldest bags in her enormous collection of designer purses – and how much they would cost today.

According to the social media star, the purses, which come from brands like Chanel and Louis Vuitton, have skyrocketed in price over the last few years – and some are now worth thousands of dollars more.

She calculated the total amount of money that she’d earn if she decided to resell the seven bags that she’s had the longest – and it added up to more than $25,000. 

‘I went back to check the year, date, and price that I paid for [my oldest] seven bags,’ Lou – who has racked up more than 105,000 followers on Instagram, where she often totes her expensive handbags – explained in the YouTube video.

‘Then I found out how much they would be worth right now and how much money I saved by buying them a few years ago. I saved over 23,000 euros [which equates to $25,000].’

The first one that Lou showcased was the Louis Vuitton Speedy Bandouliere 25, which she bought in 2017 for 740 euros, which is around $815. 

Now, it’s currently on sale for $1,820 on the brand’s website, which means it has gone up over $1,000 in price over five years. 

The second oldest bag in her collection was the Chanel Quilted Caviar Classic Double Flap Medium, which she got in black with gold hardware.

She said she purchased it in Madrid back in 2018 for 4,480 euros, which is just under $5,000. 

While the price for the bag is not displayed on Chanel’s website anymore, Lou estimated that it costs well over $10,000 today. A used version on a resale site is listed at $9,500.

‘I was always obsessed with the classic flap look so it was a dream to finally get that bag,’ she recalled in the YouTube video. 

‘But when I bought it for 4,400 euros, I was sick to my stomach to spend that amount of money.

‘I love the bags I have, I love Chanel, but it just puts a bad taste in my mouth knowing how much the prices have increased and they are not justifying it whatsoever. It’s really putting me off from buying from the brand altogether.’

The third oldest bag that Lou owns is the Louis Vuitton Keepall 45 Macassar, which she said she bought in 2018 for around 1,700 euros, or $1,900. It’s now priced at $2,440.

Lou said the purse is still one of her favorites and that she ‘uses it a lot’ because it can hold so much.

‘I fit my boots, clothes, towel, everything I need for a day trip. I use it for traveling, I use it for a lot. I think this bag is worth it,’ she gushed.

Next up was the Chanel Quilted Caviar Classic Double Flap Jumbo in black with silver hardware, which she said she bought pre-owned in 2018 for $4,995.

‘Now, when you click on the website, it says “call to enquire the price” or something like that,’ she dished. 

‘Anything that’s above $10,000, they don’t tell you the price. So it’s definitely above $10,000. That’s an insane price.’ A resale site offers the pricey purse for $8,950. 

Lou admitted that she ‘doesn’t really use’ that one ‘a lot’ because it’s a little too big for day-to-day use, but that she ‘refuses to let it go.’

‘Eventually, I’m gonna have kids or my life is gonna change and I’m gonna need a bigger bag so I do see this as an investment,’ she explained. 

‘It’s super comfortable and I don’t find it to be that heavy. It’s really cute and goes really well with my style, so I don’t think I would ever let it go.’

The next purse that she bought was the Chanel Quilted Caviar Classic Mini Square in pink. She got it in Italy in the summer of 2019 for 2,680 euros, which is just under $3,000. 

While Chanel doesn’t sell that version anymore, Lou said it costs around $5,000 on resale sites. One site is even selling the bag for a whopping $12,500.

She also showcased the Chanel Quilted Lambskin Classic Double Flap Medium in gray with silver hardware, which she purchased around the same time for 5,150 euros, or $5,700. 

Chanel doesn’t list the cost of this one on its site, but Lou theorized that the purse is now worth roughly $10,600. It’s priced at $9,495 on a resale site.

‘I believe that in the short amount of time [it went up that much], it’s in no way justified,’ she said of the price increase. 

Last but not least, Lou revealed that she bought the Chanel Quilted Lambskin Classic Double Flap Medium in light blue for $5,700 in Paris in December of 2019. It has also risen to over $10,000 in price since then. 

She explained that while she knows she can earn a lot of money if she decides to resell the bags, she has no plans to ‘let them go’ any time soon.

‘I love the bags I’m showing you, the fact that they’re the one’s that I’ve had the longest means I’m sticking with them,’ she added. 

In the end, Lou explained that while buying designer handbags could be a great ‘investment,’ she was left frustrated by how much their value has changed over the years.

‘I do believe if you take very good care of your bags and you sell them a few years afterwards, you can make your money back and more,’ she concluded.

‘Some of my bags doubled in price in a few years. 

‘It hasn’t even been that long and the prices changed a lot. 

‘I would love to understand the reasoning behind [the brands increasing their prices] besides just, “Because we can, we’re gonna do it.” 

‘Even with offer and demand, inflation, material cost, and all of that, it’s still too much. I don’t think it’s justifiable.’