I have recently come across a similar scenario at the Steinmart here in San Antonio. I’ve actually visited and gotten some information out of the sweet ladies who run this section of the department store. Not sure how much I buy into the whole story but it’s fun to go in and check out the bags. I was told by the ladies (2 separate shifts, one a manager, one just an employee of LXR&Co.) that these bags gently used and were used as commercial ad pieces or displays, etc. Again.. not sure how accurate this is but that is what I was told. I do agree that they seem a bit over priced but a lot of the pieces I’ve seen that are no longer on production have been in very good condition.
Louis Vuitton at Dillard's
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Agree! I wouldn't hesitate to buy a secondhand bag IF I could trust it was the real deal. And there is currently no way to do so. The possibility of getting a fake is way too high. The bags at my Dillards look to be in mint condition—and they certainly look real to my admittedly novice eye—but why should we assume that What Goes Around is any more reliable than any other consignment/secondhand shop? I've heard of fakes being sold on Gilt, which is adamant that they source from only the most trusted vendors.
So it seems only logical that the only way to mitigate this and to capitalize on the secondhand/sustainability trend is for the luxury brands to contract directly with certain stores—even vendors like the Real Real—and/or to offer buyback/resell services directly themselves.
The latter would certainly impact vendors like The Real Real, etc., but given that Chanel is currently suing them for selling fakes, it would also likely save them the headache. And if they were an approved vendor, then no harm, no foul.
I saw a display at the Dillards by my parents house with Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Hermes the first time back in 2017. I was wondering what on earth was going on. When this Dillards opened - it replaced a Macy’s - I was shocked at what my parents were telling me about the brands the store had. The Macys had been a low end Macy’s. They didn’t even sell Dooney and Bourke handbags there, or Brahmin. This Dillards has Dooney, Coach, Coach 1941, Michael Kors, Bed Stu, Alex and Ani, Free People and many more. And all those brands do very well at this Dillards which is shocking, given its in Salt Lake City suburbia. When my mother called to tell me they had Louis Vuitton and she had seen this cute little Louis Vuitton snow globe with little trunks in it I thought she was joking.
All the bags but one were in great condition, oddly with very evenly tanned vachetta on the Speedys and Neverfulls. The canvas did seem older. I asked where they got the stuff that they had, I was told it was consignment from Hollywood filmmaking studios, and that the bags had been props. The bags didn’t seem obscenely priced, but they are priced closer to retail. There was a wide variety of product: inclusion hair ties, pochette accessories, pochette metis, a vachetta strap, some bag charms, a heart shaped coin purse, several Speedys, Keepalls, a Noe, and other random Louis Vuitton items.
Last time I visited the same Dillards they had completely new stock. I have my mother keep tabs on the store, since I don’t live nearby and she and my father claim to have seen a wide variety of things, including random Hermes things (I was told a game set of some kind), Hermes scarves, an Hermes belt, a Birkin, a Kelly, a Lindy, a few Prada items, some Gucci, and a never ending horde of Louis Vuitton. My parents are saying the items sell very well there. I find it surprising. I used to live in the area and people used to tease me for my Dooney & Bourke handbags, claiming I was spending too much! And the preowned designer stuff seems to sell? I still find it odd! The Birkin supposedly sold out in an hour.
There is no LV store in Utah. The nearest stores are Las Vegas and Denver. Which might be why the priced just below retail pre-owned designer items are selling so well.
All the bags but one were in great condition, oddly with very evenly tanned vachetta on the Speedys and Neverfulls. The canvas did seem older. I asked where they got the stuff that they had, I was told it was consignment from Hollywood filmmaking studios, and that the bags had been props. The bags didn’t seem obscenely priced, but they are priced closer to retail. There was a wide variety of product: inclusion hair ties, pochette accessories, pochette metis, a vachetta strap, some bag charms, a heart shaped coin purse, several Speedys, Keepalls, a Noe, and other random Louis Vuitton items.
Last time I visited the same Dillards they had completely new stock. I have my mother keep tabs on the store, since I don’t live nearby and she and my father claim to have seen a wide variety of things, including random Hermes things (I was told a game set of some kind), Hermes scarves, an Hermes belt, a Birkin, a Kelly, a Lindy, a few Prada items, some Gucci, and a never ending horde of Louis Vuitton. My parents are saying the items sell very well there. I find it surprising. I used to live in the area and people used to tease me for my Dooney & Bourke handbags, claiming I was spending too much! And the preowned designer stuff seems to sell? I still find it odd! The Birkin supposedly sold out in an hour.
There is no LV store in Utah. The nearest stores are Las Vegas and Denver. Which might be why the priced just below retail pre-owned designer items are selling so well.
Dillard's gets all of their bags from "What Goes Around Comes Around" based in NYC in Soho and on Madison Avenue, with stores in Beverly Hills, Miami and the Hamptons also. ALL of their bags are guaranteed authentic by WGACA and go through a multi-tier authentication process. WGACA curates bags worldwide, and yes, they do get bags from photo shoots and runway shows but more often from auctions, like in Japan, where they are notorious for "hoarding" their bags and they are either in brand new condition or almost immaculate. They have other resources for obtaining bags also, as well as buying from individuals. Although the department is called "Luxury Designer Vintage Handbags" the dates can roughly range from 1990 to 2018. It is a legitimate business where the vintage resell market is currently at $24 billion per year and projected to increase to $51 billion by 2023, so expect to see a lot more of this thriving business in the future.
i've shopped at wgaca in soho a couple of years ago and found some really nice LV bags. fwiw.
It's really awesome sometimes. They have hard to find vintage pieces in pristine condition! But I hardly go to Dillard's, so my wallet and DH are very happy.
I saw them at my Dillard’s last weekend! I should’ve taken a picture, but the sales associate was giving me and my very loved Speedy some serious stink eye. I didn’t get a look at pricing, but the vachetta on every bag had a perfect even patina which I thought was odd. Glad I’m not the only one to notice! I’ll have to try and check prices when I go back. I’m super curious.
So I know this an old post but I am barely catching on to the the fact that Dillard’s sells “vintage” Louis Vuitton. And I spotted a fake at a Dillard’s in Oklahoma. The sales associate said “look at this one it’s brand new the handles are still wrapped in paper”
At first I didn’t like these stores when they first opened. Now I’m glad they are around. With all the quality issues that LV has been having with their bags. I now appreciate these stores now. My opinion is it’s a good place to find older much better quality bags and can have all the leather redone on them.
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I got my Westminster, which I hadn’t known at the time has been discontinued, at Dillard’s in 2018 
I think maybe they sell well because a lot of people who want an LV bag, may be too intimidated to go into an LV boutique. Assuming they even have an LV nearby. I’ve seen these at my local Dillard’s too, and the prices aren’t great. I wonder if the people who buy these even know most of the styles are discontinued.