From Balenciaga to Louis Vuitton: Second-hand designer bags are the ultimate It buy now

Y2K is back – and second-hand designer bags are the ultimate collectible – fuelling the global resale boom. Find out why they are worth chasing

By Elise Wong - 25 Sep 2025

louis vuitton white murakami judy bag gold y2k vintage shopping — Credit: Her World Singapore

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Y2K – short for “the year 2000”, borrowed from 90’s tech jargon – conjures a very particular aesthetic.

Think low-rise bootcut jeans grazing rhinestone-studded belts, animal-print spaghetti-strap camisoles, slick glossed lips, and a Fendi Baguette swinging just-so on the crook of an arm jingling with bangles.

Throw in oversized hoops, a chunky headband, ballet flats, and the look could be straight from a Gossip Girl rerun – except it is now just as likely to appear in an Orchard Road froyo queue, or on your Tiktok “For You” page.

The comeback isn’t random. Fashion has always run on nostalgia cycles – James Laver famously argued in the 1930s that styles resurface every 20 years. By that metric, the 2000s reboot is right on cue.

And the zeitgeist is everywhere: Tiktok reels set to pop-punk anthems, Juicy Couture tracksuit throwbacks on Instagram, and Pinterest boards bursting with “Y2K inspo.” Far from a slow burn, it’s a full-blown cultural fever – Google searches for “Y2K” peaked in August 2024 (Singapore included), while #Y2K now anchors more than 4.4 million Tiktok clips.

Deadstock is desirable

The sharpest edge of this revival? Handbags.

Discontinued models – or “deadstock” – have gone from dust-gatherers to status symbols, so coveted that luxury houses are now reissuing archival silhouettes.

At first glance, the appeal seems obvious. The Dior Saddle, the Fendi Baguette, the Gucci Jackie – they all conjure a shorthand for early-2000s celebrity glamour, now resurfacing on Tiktok moodboards and in The Devil Wears Prada reboots. Social media, unsurprisingly, has done much of the heavy lifting.

But desire runs deeper. Tiktok creator chronicallytofu (@chronicallytofu) calls Y2K “a chase for a sense of hope” – a nod to a time when technology symbolised possibility, rather than the artificial intelligence-induced anxiety of today.

Media studies professor Dr Jessica Maddox (@drjess21) notes that today’s mix of political uncertainty, tech upheaval, and global unrest echoes the late ’90s and early 2000s. In that sense, Y2K designs act as a time capsule – a reminder of “a time when things were simpler.”

Nostalgia, however, doesn’t fully explain the deadstock allure. These bags offer something clothes rarely do: endurance.

Luxury handbags stand out as status markers – unlike apparel, they hold value thanks to universal fit, durability, and rising investment appeal.

Compact silhouettes, recognisable branding, and versatile styling make them collectible, functional, and legible symbols of style literacy.

“Certain iconic handbags, like the Hermes Birkin and Kelly, have generated returns surpassing traditional investment tools,” says Tresor Anne Tan, director of Carousell Luxury.

Of course, not every bag will see positive returns: resale value depends on brand, style, purchase price, condition, and market fluctuations.

Still, some pieces have become veritable icons in both style and value.

The Louis Vuitton monogram pochette, once under $450 twenty years ago, now sells for $500–700, with mint-condition pieces fetching even more. Rarer icons – a vintage Fendi Baguette or a Dior Saddle – retain value exceptionally well, with resale prices about 25 per cent higher than a decade ago, Tresor adds.

Y2K bags are fuelling the global resale market

This culture of exclusivity is also fuelled by sustainability and sharper economic sensibilities.

Younger buyers are turning thrifting and resale into an aspirational pursuit: the chance to uncover rare pieces, flex style-savvy, and own what others cannot.

Certainly, the appetite is global. According to a 2025 report by Research and Markets, the second-hand luxury market was valued at over US$34.39 billion ($44.19 billion) in 2023, and is expected to reach US$60.55 billion ($77.82 billion) by 2029 – a 76 per cent increase – with online resale driving much of the growth.

Of course, high fashion isn’t just watching from the sidelines.

Brands are reissuing archival silhouettes alongside digital-first campaigns, starring the very 2000s icons who made them famous – like Kate Moss for Balenciaga.

Meanwhile, celebrities and influencers from Bella Hadid to new-gen K-pop idols KATSEYE have been spotted styling these pieces, proving their relevance as alive and kicking in today’s fashion conversation.

In Singapore, this obsession with early-2000s style has created fertile ground for the pre-loved luxury market.

Platforms like Carousell Luxury allow shoppers to traverse borders and decades with a swipe – browsing, haggling, and authenticating such ‘vintage’ pieces from the comfort of one’s bed.

After acquiring luxury bag reseller LuxLexicon in 2024, the platform has expanded its footprint in the pre-loved market.

“Luxury is among our top categories by active users and listings created,” says Tresor, noting that around 90 per cent of these listings are bags, with small leather goods and accessories making up the rest.

The company has seen its audience broaden over the last two years. “We’ve noticed our client base widening,” says Tresor, “from teens buying their first designer bag to [professionals, managers, executives, and technicians] in their late ‘50s.”

Younger shoppers, she notes, tend to gravitate towards Y2K styles, reflecting current resale and social media trends.

“So a big part of [what we do] is really how we can make luxury resale more relevant for everyone in the community,” she adds.

Making second-hand first choice

Still, digital convenience is only part of the story.

Scrolling makes treasure hunting easy, but curated resale stores like 2nd Street and local thrift boutiques show the value of seeing and touching pieces in person – a modern spin on Singapore’s mall culture.

Carousell Luxury’s first offline store at The Centrepoint brings this to life, letting shoppers browse hundreds of verified handbags online before trying them in-store, from the Prada Re-Nylon Multi Pochette ($1,350) to the Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Pochette ($1,600).

“Being able to touch and try a bag on in-person reaffirms their decision – sometimes clients think they want a specific item, but our advisors can guide them on what might be more suited for them,” says Tresor.

About 1,000 items are available across women’s and men’s fashion at any given time in-store.

Whether it’s a first-time buyer or a seasoned collector, the in-person experience makes all the difference.

Prices start from around $800. While most offerings are still bags available in retail, certain hard-to-find pieces have attracted a cult following – like the Dior Newspaper Print Release Saddle Leather handbag, which was never officially allocated to Singapore upon release.

The strategy seems to be paying off. Foot traffic is buzzing – in 2024, Carousell Luxury sold 60 per cent of consignment items within a month, and since the soft-opening in August, that window has shrunk to just two to four weeks. “Some items even sell within hours,” Tresor notes.

For sellers, the experience is unexpectedly effortless.

Walk into The Centrepoint store and a Carousell Luxury merchandiser will appraise your bag on the spot, often within 20 minutes. Some simply snap a photo and get a preliminary quote over WhatsApp from home.

High-demand pieces can fetch a substantial portion of their original price – 75 to 90 per cent of the selling price – and every transaction is underpinned by the team’s painstaking verification, so sellers never have to worry about authenticity or logistics.

It is a rare sense of ease in a market where selling designer bags can often feel intimidating or opaque.

Each item is verified against a proprietary guide of over 500 styles, and buyers are backed by a Money-Back Guarantee should an item be deemed inauthentic.

For shoppers, that means every bag they try on or take home carries the confidence of authenticity. Wishlist and concierge services add a personal touch: staff can source specific models and track rare releases, should a customer have a wishlist.

“Even though a lot of our items are significantly cheaper than retail, they are still quite an investment. We [aim to] supplement a buyer’s journey – the decision-making process – by having different channels that they can make a more informed decision.”

Tresor emphasises that the open-concept space and approachable staff make luxury resale less intimidating.

“We want our buyers to feel very welcomed,” she shares. “It’s a very different vibe from going to a boutique or another store to shop.”

The ultimate goal? To make second-hand luxury shopping an easy first choice.

“They may not be ready to buy now, but they can go home, do research, and compare prices,” she adds. “Offering key brands in one room is great for someone who may not know what they want, but just wants to take a look. We find it circular – it complements a buyer’s journey on how they make a decision.”

“Hopefully, one day when they’re ready to buy and sell, they can come back. We bring that community together,” she says.