Thousands of fashionistas lined the streets, camped out on pavements, and even flew in from Dublin to join hopefuls seeking bargains at a flash sale for designer handbags in central London. Despite hours-long waits, shoppers politely queued for their turn inside Sellier in Knightsbridge, Kensington, on Saturday morning.
Sellier's Pre-Loved Luxury
Founded in 2019, Sellier has established itself as a purveyor of pre-loved luxury bags, selling for thousands of pounds yet at a fraction of their original cost. Shoppers were given strict 10-minute time slots, and only one bag per person could be purchased.
Early Birds and Rare Finds
The first customer arrived at 1am to beat the queue of up to 2,000 people. Within moments, she selected a Chanel Vintage Classic Flap Bag in black quilted lambskin leather. 'Honestly, so amazing,' she told staff in a video later posted to Instagram. 'I'm not kidding, this bag has been on my list for so long.' As she emerged, the crowd broke into cheers and applause.
Another shopper bought a rare Chanel flower denim bag at a 'steal' for less than £2,500. Sellier founder Hanushka Toni said: 'This was a super collectible bag, reselling for £5,500 to £6,000. I'm so glad you got your dream bag.'
Dedicated Shoppers
Many queued for eight hours or more, including husbands and boyfriends seeking gifts. One man arrived at 5am, joking he was 'late,' and purchased a Chanel bag. Another woke up at 3am to buy a pink Hermes bag for his mother, looking pleased as punch.
A woman flew from Dublin the night before to get a Chanel 2.55 reissue 227 in bronze, released in 2005 by Karl Lagerfeld to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original. 'I'm so happy with it, I'm delighted,' she said. 'I really wanted a reissue today. This is exactly what I wanted. I was here since 6am, so it was worth the wait.'
Popularity of Pre-Loved Bags
Over 500 designer bags sold out within hours, with some customers saving upwards of £10,000. Pre-loved bags have gained popularity, with Selfridges and John Lewis launching their own vintage collections. They are typically indistinguishable from new bags and sell at a fraction of the full price.
However, some second-hand pieces can sell for more. To buy a new Birkin, Hermes requires shoppers to prove brand loyalty before spending £10,000. This exclusivity means pre-loved Birkins can sell for up to £30,000. The most coveted pre-loved bags include the Hermes Birkin, Hermes Kelly, and classic Chanel quilted flap bags, with prices reaching £200,000 on the resale market.
