When did you start your bag collection?

#31
I started my luxury designer bag collection in 2018 with Maxmara Whitney bag that I got on sale, it was my first designer bag purchase, that year I got my first “big girl” job and wanted to treat myself… later that year I also got YSL tote as a birthday gift… flash forward to today when I have several luxury bags from Celine, Chloe and so on which I’m absolutely grateful for! I have no intention to part ways with any of my luxury designer bags for now as each has its own purpose and use.

Before starting luxury designer bag collection when I was studying at the uni, I had several Michael Kors, DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Furla and Coccinelle bags, all of which I’ve absolutely loved, and now they all have been rehomed by some family members except to one DKNY bag, one Furla bag and Marc Jacobs infamous tote bag that I usually use in summer. The Furla one is the only one that hasn’t been used as much in the past few years and I’m still debating whether part ways with it, since it has some sentimental value, it was the first bag I really wanted and bought myself after my first summer internship.

Now after playing with newest luxury designer bag styles, I’m getting more into vintage bags as I find them more unique, so look forward to adding one to my collection!
 
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#32
Mine started back in the summer of 2017, when I got tired of carrying cheap, faux leather bags from Asos and the likes and bought a bag by the Spanish brand Bimba & Lola. Bought it second-hand, for very little money. That bag was - and still is - absolutely wonderful, it had two exterior pockets, good-quality leather, and it was really well made. I passed it down to my mom about a year ago, and she loves it - although it's in pretty worn-out state now.

I had found this forum some time prior to that, but joined in 2018 and that's about when I became enticed with designer bags. God bless preloved market and the wonderful authenticators here on tPF. I love the Proenza Schouler PS1 bag, which is how I initially found this forum, and it still is my absolute favorite bag. Also love Prada, Miu Miu, Burberry, Givenchy, Coach (their SLGs are superb!!) and now - Balenciaga.
 
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#34
The bag bug bit me in highschool a little over 10 years ago, but I didn't start properly collecting until I had a stable job in 2018. I think I made the right decision since I don't even want to imagine the money I spent on peeling, cracking, and melting faux leather bags that had to be replaced every 3 months.

I mainly buy preloved since I'm not in a position to buy new, but I do really like the idea of giving older bags a second chance. My first buy was a horrifyingly impractical Gucci flat tote that will only fit a phone and a long wallet, and was mainly bought for the monogram. I've since passed the Gucci to my sister and moved on to larger bags. No preferences at the moment except for soft and smooshy leather.

All my bags are forever bags to me, and I generally try to find a new home for anything that I fell out of love with. I gave my friend a patent Mulberry because she really wanted a Bayswater but couldn't afford one, and I was planning to switch it out for one in the softer leather anyways. It makes me happy when other people can have the same appreciation I have for bags!
 
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#35
I always loved bags, already as a kid (got a small red leather crossbody bag with a golden bow from my mother) and started getting more interested in luxury bags after I finished university and started working 2004-2005.
My first designer bag was the Louis Vuitton Deauville, which I got preloved and which is still in a beautiful condition despite being from 1998!
Afterwards I dipped into LV, MJ (I looooved Marc Jacobs, still have all the bags from his premier line), Balenciaga, Loewe and Céline! Also love Mulberry and some smaller brands which have great leather pieces!
 
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#36
My love of handbags started when I was 16. I bought a bag almost identical to this lucite clutch made to look like a fashion magazine. I felt like a runway model when I carried it. LOL!254DDEA4-5941-453E-9590-1185BD03A8F4.jpeg

After, I got married, I had a love for bags but bought low end (sub contemporary) on sale. I couldn’t justify spending a lot of money on bags because we were building wealth, raising kids, …

Then, about 12 years ago, I realized that except for a very few Coach bags, I had a closet full of ratty junk and not one bag I really wanted to wear. That’s when my collecting was “born”. I started by trashing, donating and selling the junk. Then, I bought my first premier bag (a Prada) and swore it would be my last…. HA!! I joined tPF and the rest is history. :giggle:

Now all the junk is long gone and I’m enjoying my collection of beautiful and functional bags.
 
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#37
I have always loved bags since I was a little kid but didn’t start “collecting” until about 4 years ago.

When I was very little, maybe 4 or 5, I became obsessed with luggage. I would ask my parents to bring me to the luggage store and I would inspect all the different suitcases on display. They still talk about that and how they should have predicted my obsession with bags, as no one in my family has remotely any interest in designer goods or bags.

When I was a bit older, maybe 10, I would save up and spend my allowance on fake Chanel bags from eBay (yikes, I know!). I had a replica pink Cambon tote that I adored.

In high school, I saved up to buy contemporary brands like Coach or Kate Spade. College was mostly unbranded small crossbody bags I could wear to the bar and a Longchamp for class.

It took me awhile after college to build up the confidence to buy my first premier designer bag, a preloved Speedy 30 DE, for $700. Before then, I felt like I didn’t deserve designer bags, but I had this moment of realization that I was making my own money and it was totally reasonable to spend it on something I loved as long as I was hitting my savings goals.

I went through a phase of about 1.5 years where I would buy one bag at a time, use it a ton, then sell it and buy another. I felt like this was a guilt free way to enjoy designer bags.

That brings me to the current “collecting” stage. I bought a LOT of bags in 2020, for the reasons that are probably easy to predict (very low expenses meant extra “fun” money in my pocket, depressing time and looking for entertainment, etc.). I sold some too and became more thoughtful about buying bags that complemented each other.

I now have 21 premier designer bags from various brands. Some days it feels like too much but other days it feels like I still have gaps. The thing that’s been the hardest for me is not knowing when/if life will return to pre-pandemic “normal.” I have some bags that just work better in a city lifestyle with nice dinners or events on the weekend, or for traveling. Those just aren’t getting used right now. One of my 2022 goals was just to buy what works for me now instead of buying for my past or future lifestyle.

I also go back and forth on my perspective on my collection from “a collection should be thoughtful, with just enough bags and variety that all your bases are covered,” to “just buy what you love - these are all ridiculous purchases anyway so you might as well buy the thing you love even if you won’t use it as much or if you already have something similar.” Anyone in the same boat?
 
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#38
I think I've told this story somewhere on tPF before, but I don't remember how much I actually said. I was never interested in bags at all until I had a particularly terrifying conductor when I was in my twenties:

While I still had a couple of old Coach totes a well-meaning relative had given me before college for lugging my sheet music and textbooks around, I had nothing small enough to carry easily with my violin. I wasn't bothered by it, as I had a small storage space in my violin case for extra strings, rosin, etc., and I was able to stow a few essentials in it with my violin paraphernalia.

A reception was to be held after a performance, and attendance was mandatory. I had thrown my keys and wallet into an old pvc zippered pouch (I think it originally held hair ties) and then went to stash it inside my instrument case. My conductor caught sight of it before I managed to hide it away and proceeded to bag-shame me mercilessly for the next five or ten minutes. I was absolutely mortified. The next day, I ran out and bought a Fendi baguette.

Soon after this, I saw an article in some magazine about the effect handbags have on making a good first impression. I was flabbergasted to see that people notice bags before clothing, jewelry, shoes...they are as much a part of that first impression as someone's face!

I never looked back.
 
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#40
ItsPurseonal said:
I have always loved bags since I was a little kid but didn’t start “collecting” until about 4 years ago.

When I was very little, maybe 4 or 5, I became obsessed with luggage. I would ask my parents to bring me to the luggage store and I would inspect all the different suitcases on display. They still talk about that and how they should have predicted my obsession with bags, as no one in my family has remotely any interest in designer goods or bags.

When I was a bit older, maybe 10, I would save up and spend my allowance on fake Chanel bags from eBay (yikes, I know!). I had a replica pink Cambon tote that I adored.

In high school, I saved up to buy contemporary brands like Coach or Kate Spade. College was mostly unbranded small crossbody bags I could wear to the bar and a Longchamp for class.

It took me awhile after college to build up the confidence to buy my first premier designer bag, a preloved Speedy 30 DE, for $700. Before then, I felt like I didn’t deserve designer bags, but I had this moment of realization that I was making my own money and it was totally reasonable to spend it on something I loved as long as I was hitting my savings goals.

I went through a phase of about 1.5 years where I would buy one bag at a time, use it a ton, then sell it and buy another. I felt like this was a guilt free way to enjoy designer bags.

That brings me to the current “collecting” stage. I bought a LOT of bags in 2020, for the reasons that are probably easy to predict (very low expenses meant extra “fun” money in my pocket, depressing time and looking for entertainment, etc.). I sold some too and became more thoughtful about buying bags that complemented each other.

I now have 21 premier designer bags from various brands. Some days it feels like too much but other days it feels like I still have gaps. The thing that’s been the hardest for me is not knowing when/if life will return to pre-pandemic “normal.” I have some bags that just work better in a city lifestyle with nice dinners or events on the weekend, or for traveling. Those just aren’t getting used right now. One of my 2022 goals was just to buy what works for me now instead of buying for my past or future lifestyle.

I also go back and forth on my perspective on my collection from “a collection should be thoughtful, with just enough bags and variety that all your bases are covered,” to “just buy what you love - these are all ridiculous purchases anyway so you might as well buy the thing you love even if you won’t use it as much or if you already have something similar.” Anyone in the same boat?
Click to expand...

I think you always have an opportunity to wear what you like. A friend of mine is obsessed with shoes and never wears the same pair. On the other hand, another friend of mine buys a bag and wears her until the purse looks ratty. Freedom to do and buy whatever you enjoy, that is the reply, I should say.
 
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#41
ccbaggirl89 said:
I've always loved handbags since childhood but I started to seriously collect about 13 years ago; it coincided mainly with my first professional career position. My new job meant having a better/larger wardrobe and the higher earnings meant I could add more items in that I liked.
Click to expand...

Some jobs mean to invest on your image. A good branded handbag might be a "personal introduction card" at first sight.
 
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#42
LucyMadrid said:
I think you always have an opportunity to wear what you like. A friend of mine is obsessed with shoes and never wears the same pair. On the other hand, another friend of mine buys a bag and wears her until the purse looks ratty. Freedom to do and buy whatever you enjoy, that is the reply, I should say.
Click to expand...
Your friend buys 7+ pair of shoes a week? Wow!
 
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