Name: Jessica Koh
Age: 43
Occupation: Financial and estate planner
Owns: 50+ designer bags
Bags consigned with Style Theory: 19 to date
Consignor since: Mar 2019
Why do you love designer bags? Which are your favourite brands?
I started off with $30 bags, but they would break around the edges. Designer bags have good quality and even better after-sales service and repair services! They’re collectibles, and they have the best workmanship and materials, which makes them more sustainable in the long run.
I love Hermès for its solid leather, workmanship, and practical sizes. And I do love the classic Chanel flap bags for their comfortable and convenient crossbody style.
What’s on your checklist when deciding to buy a designer bag?
The style must catch my eye! I also consider how often I’ll actually use a particular bag.
Most of the designer bags in my collection are preloved, and I only purchase them from trusted platforms with a good track record.
My biggest tip to a newbie: for your first designer bag, go for something classic that won’t be out of trend quickly. Go for neutrals and materials that are easy to take care of. Size-wise, choose something that can fit your lifestyle needs.
Some of the most fuss-free bag materials I’ve had are the Chanel Caviar leather and the Louis Vuitton Epi leather. One salesman even told me that the Epi leather is so hardy, it could even be used in war, haha!
Has COVID-19 changed the way you think about designer bags?
Yes and no. Designer bags will continue to be my hobby and investment. Most of my bags are under-utilised at the moment, so consigning makes sense. In the future, there might be more online meetings and less offline meetings for me, so smaller-sized bags might be the way to go. The best approach would be to buy the classics and rent the trendy ones!
You’re one of our biggest consignors, with 19 bags on our platform! Tell us a little backstory on your favourite ones.
The LV Epi Noe bucket bag was my first designer bag. I’ve continued to collect them in various colours, many of which are still in my home collection!
I really like my Chanel Reissue 227 too, because the black hardware is very rare.
I bought my Chloé through Style Theory’s Purchase-for-Consignment programme, which has been doing quite well on the platform so far!
Why did you decide to let them go?
I ran out of closet space, and I didn’t use these bags as much! I still love them though, especially with all the research that went into it — and consigning means I can get them my bags back anytime!
Some of the bags in my collection were bought because I was curious and wanted to try them out. When I’ve had enough fun, or when the curiosity or spark wears off, then I’ll know it’s time to consign.
You’ve been a consignor Style Theory Bags for more than a year now. Why did you choose to consign with us over other consignment platforms, or selling your bag?
My bags are collectibles and I still want them in my collection — some of them are not available for sale or are hard to get in the future. If I sell it I won’t own that bag anymore, so consigning was the best option for me.
I was already familiar with the Style Theory brand and knew that they rented clothes, so it felt like an established brand I could trust. After chatting with the consignment account managers, I was pretty impressed by their attention to detail, how they maintained bags in between rentals, and the way they cared for and stored bags. There were minor blemishes that Style Theory Bags spotted that I didn’t even know existed! That gave me peace of mind.
What were your main concerns before consigning your bags? How did that go?
Damages and care of the bag. I wondered if the bag would come back in the same or original condition. I would say that Style Theory has good stewardship of the bags on their platform, especially with the quality control checks they do between rentals. I saw my Chanel Timeless Wallet on Chain at a consignment drive, and it actually looked better than when I first consigned it!
I never really had the fear that I wouldn’t get the same bag back, but it’s a bonus to see RFID and security tags on each bag.
Tell us about the process of consigning your bag with Style Theory Bags!
I was impressed with the quality control and appreciate the account manager’s timely updates and payments. The starting process was very easy too — all I had to do was take a photo of my bags, send it over on WhatsApp, and you guys came over to pick my bags up!
Any tips for potential consignors?
Consign popular brands and models! Enjoy the fun of collecting payouts, but don’t take the amount too seriously. Your payout is a good indication of the popularity of your bag!
Curious to see how much a Chanel yields in consignment payouts? Read more about Jessica’s consignment story with AsiaOne here.
Inspired by Jessica’s consignment journey with Style Theory Bags? Join the renting revolution with her and give your bags a new lease of life!
Not yet convinced? Read more about the top 7 myths and misconceptions about consignment to better understand our consignment process.
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