Pre-owned designer fashion usually costs a fraction of retail, and on some pieces the saving tops 50%. You skip the waitlists, the status building and the boutique premium, and you can still carry Louis Vuitton, Dior, Hermes and Goyard at prices that make the resale market worth checking first.
Why is pre-owned luxury more affordable?
Designer luxury dominates the fashion industry: timeless, top quality and often an investment that can rise in value. Buying it new, though, is expensive and slow, with waiting lists and status games. Pre-owned is the accessible route, and the numbers show how big the gap can be.
A Louis Vuitton Capucines that retails for $7,058 brand new sells for $3,300 at Luxe Du Jour. A Lady Dior listed at $6,500 USD on Dior's own site in March 2024, over $7,000 with tax and roughly $9,500 CAD, trades pre-owned for about 70% less: you could buy three pre-owned Lady Diors for the price of one new one. The Capucines BB runs $7,650 USD before tax and over $8,200 after, while a used example in amazing condition listed for $2,900 USD.
Shopping pre-owned is a treasure hunt across every category, and saving hundreds to thousands on a piece you will carry for years feels like finding money.
Can you skip the Hermes waitlist?
The Birkin and Kelly are among the most sought-after bags in existence, and you cannot simply walk into Hermes and buy one. The house expects years of loyalty, a relationship with a sales associate and spending upwards of $15,000 on other categories before you might be offered a quota bag. That process is called status building, and it is why so many buyers turn to resale.
Luxe Du Jour is one of the biggest Hermes consignment operations in Canada, with over 300 Hermes items in stock at any time. Well-loved examples can sell under current retail, like a 1997 Birkin 30 in the classic gold on gold combination. Like-new pieces typically sell over retail, but they are available immediately, no boutique history required.
Goyard is a similar case: about 35 boutiques worldwide, no online shopping. Your options are a boutique trip or the resale market, where exclusivity can push prices near or even above retail, so grab Goyard under retail when you find it.
The LDJ edit
Shop the latest finds
What rare bags can you only find pre-owned?
Resale gives you access to pieces that stores no longer sell: discontinued styles, retired colours, vintage finds and limited or seasonal editions. A turquoise Louis Vuitton Alma BB sold in a flash because the colour is no longer produced and the price sat well under retail. A white multicolour Louis Vuitton wallet, discontinued for years, is exactly the kind of find that never returns to a boutique shelf. A limited edition Chanel denim backpack, with denim back in fashion, is another resale only icon.
Is buying pre-owned more sustainable?
Fashion has a huge environmental impact, and pre-owned is one of the simplest fixes: second-hand shopping reduces waste, minimizes the footprint of new production and gives quality items a second life instead of a landfill, supporting a circular economy.
How does Luxe Du Jour make it easy?
Shopping pre-owned here is personal. The sales team offers virtual viewings, extra photos and videos, special discounts and sourcing help for the exact bag you are chasing, by DM or at info@luxedujour.ca. Payment is flexible too: Affirm and Splitit let you spread the cost with 0% interest options available, and you receive the item immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Is pre-owned luxury cheaper than buying new?
Usually, yes. Pre-owned pieces typically cost a fraction of retail, and savings can reach or pass 50% depending on the brand. Certain rare pieces sell above retail, but availability still beats any waitlist.
Can you buy a Birkin or Kelly without boutique history?
Yes, on the resale market. Luxury consignment skips the years of relationship building and the $15,000-plus pre-spend, and a large Hermes consignment can carry 300 or more items at once.
Is buying pre-owned better for the environment?
Yes. Second-hand shopping reduces waste, lowers the carbon footprint of new production, extends each item's lifespan and keeps quality pieces out of landfills, supporting a circular rather than disposable wardrobe.
Learn how selling works in finding the right consignment partner, see which bags hold value in from closet to cash, or jump straight into the newest pre-owned arrivals.
The LDJ edit
