Fashionphile is an ultra-luxury re-commerce company that started in 1999. I think it’s longstanding tenure as a company helps prove that their business is high quality! It definitely made me feel more comfortable than other sites that have popped up over recent years. They’re also the official re-commerce site for Neiman Marcus – giving them even more credibility!
But you’re probably wondering what my experience has been and just all the little tidbits about the company and their products! So, I’ll be discussing all these things below!
What I’ve Purchased
I’ve made 6 or so purchases on Fashionphile over the last few years, and I haven’t been disappointed in any of them! I’m not going to go into the details of all my purchases, but I’ll speak to a few and the variety available.
Saint Laurent Small Sac de Jour
My first purchase was the Saint Laurent Small Sac de Jour in Grey Grained Calfskin Supple Leather. This was my first truly “luxury” purchase, and I wanted it to be a classic. With the supple leather, it felt a little younger and edgy and less business-y than other versions.
For roughly a third of the current price on Saint Laurent, I bought a pre-loved bag that included the authenticity card, clochette, lock, keys, insert pouch, and strap – so basically everything but the original dust bag – in great condition (minus the removable strap – it had a little fraying which I knew before purchasing)!
LOUIS VUITTON Monogram Monceau 28
Another perk of buying pre-loved is the ability to buy vintage! Everyone talks about how prices have increased, while quality has decreased, even on expensive designer goods. The Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis really had its moment a couple of years ago. And it really didn’t spark anything from me.
But I stumbled upon the vintage Monogram Monceau 28, and I knew it would be the perfect monogram bag for me as I’m not really the biggest fan of the monogram print. Vintage though? Yes! The style is just so classic. It holds a lot! It’s also pretty rugged since it’s the classic luggage canvas monogram. I have no problem tossing it around.
With this bag being nearly 30 years old, it didn’t come with all the bells and whistles like a strap or dust bag. However, I bought a leather strap off Etsy, and I’m perfectly happy with that. The only other downside is that it has a bit of a grandma scent. I think that’s to be expected though for a bag that isn’t leather and is 30 years old!
Chloé Drew Shoulder Bag
This bag isn’t in production anymore, but I still think it’s beautiful. I think it’s the perfect bag to wear for a fancy evening out, cocktail party, or wedding! With the gold hardware (on mine), it’s like jewelry and really adds to an outfit!
The Chloé Drew is an affordable option on the resale market – I’ve bought multiple Chloés’ because they’re so high quality for the resale price. And a bonus about buying pre-loved is that you’re able to find some rare color patterns! I purchased a bicolor in sage and black and get compliments all the time. It’s definitely harder to find than solid color Drews. Mine came in great condition and came with the original Chloé dust bag!
What Can You Find on The Site?
Fashionphile has a huge list of designers and items. The entire list can be found here! But, in general, they sell handbags, shoes, jewelry and watches, and accessories like sunglasses, belts, scarves, and phone cases!
They carry designers from Telfar to Louis Vuitton to Hermes to Burberry to Cartier to Saint Laurent to Chanel. The list goes on and on. If it’s luxury, they sell it!
Is It Legit? Are The Items Authentic?
Fashionphile has each bag checked by two authenticators that are specialized in specific brand names. On top of that, and what brings me the most peace of mind, they have a lifetime authenticity guarantee so if something is later determined to be inauthentic, they will refund you 100% at any point in time.
Are The Prices Good?
I think the prices are fair based on the condition and how popular or coveted a certain item is at the time. I’ve heard that there are some cases where a bag is sold out new or discontinued and in high demand that the bag will be priced over retail – think Telfar, Hermes Birkin, or certain Louis Vuitton’s. In that case, it might be better to try to buy new, if at all possible.
If you’re trying to avoid the immediate depreciation of buying new, pre-loved is a great option. You’re also able to see how bags hold up in value over time if you care about resell value!
They also have a system for dropping prices. I believe it’s roughly every 30 days, but they reduce to 5, 10, 20, and 30% before they’re sent to Last Call if they’re still not sold. In Last Call, they’re supposed to be reduced by 1% each day until they sale.
Some weird things about pricing:
If someone purchases an item when it’s on discount, and then they return it, it goes back to its full listing price. This can be frustrating when you’re watching an item for a specific discount.
If the item never sells, I think they pull the item off the website, and then eventually relist for that full price again.
How I Shop
I personally am not looking for super trendy bags that are selling at top price on Fashionphile. I look for great bags at great prices – deals! I shop for what I like and catches my eye – and if it’s from 2013, that’s absolutely fine! Because if you’re looking for classic-looking bags, age doesn’t really matter if it’s been taken care of.
I do a lot of filtering when I’m browsing Fashionphile. I’ve realized that even though I find a lot of bags cool and pretty, I’m not willing to spend the money on all brands or styles. So, I filter to brands I like – Louis Vuitton, Chloé, Saint Laurent, Prada, Loewe, etc. Then, I filter on price – I typically have a budget in mind, so I’ll make that my Max price. I also filter on condition – I choose Very Good, Excellent, New, and Giftable. I skip the Good and Fair, because they typically have too much wear and tear for me.
A deal hack is to sort by Oldest to Newest, because in general, the oldest listings will be the most discounted! And if you’re searching for a specific bag or find a bag you like, always pull up all the listings by searching the bag name. Then, you can compare what each bag includes (some might be missing a strap, and another might have an authenticity card that’s important to you), what condition they’re in, and other specific details on wear and tear.
For example, my Chloé Medium Owen bag – mine was the cheapest one listed after discounts, and it had the authenticity card and the strap in Very Good condition. The one that was $100 more didn’t seem to be any better based on photos and description, I’d even say worse because it had a stain inside on the lining. And another that was listed for probably $2-300 more didn’t even have the strap, but it was listed as Excellent. So do your research to get the best deals and the most original perks possible!
Shipping And Delivery? What Comes in The Box?
Items are shipped quickly from their Flagship stores – typically next day if it’s a business day. They come in discrete brown boxes and require a signature upon delivery!
Inside the box, the items are wrapped in plain newspaper wrapping, and then come in a Fashionphile-branded dust bag within that. If an item has an original dust bag or authenticity card, that’s typically inside the bag. The bags can also be stuffed with bubble wrap to help hold their shape.
And how could I forget the confetti? There are little circles of pink and grey confetti in the box which is fun but also a little messy in my opinion. Lastly, every box comes with a Fashionphile nail file – I suppose it’s a play on their name, and it’s always nice to have extras of those!
Can You Return?
Yes! And that’s one of the main reasons I choose Fashionphile over other resell sites (I think Yoogi’s Closet also accepts returns and has a good reputation for authenticity just fyi!). While I think they used to allow returns for 30 days, they’ve decrease time to return down to 15 days. But that still gives you 2 weeks to decide if you like something or not.
The bag must still have the Fashionphile authenticity card attached to return! I always wait to cut mine off and use the bag until after the return date just in case I change mind! Also, don’t forget to include dust bags, authenticity cards, straps, etc. that came with the bag!
**I’ve loved every single bag I’ve received, so I haven’t ever returned. But I’m glad it’s an option! They really do a great job of photos and showcasing the blemishes (if the item has any), so you aren’t surprised when you receive it.**
Unfortunately, return shipping isn’t free. It currently costs $14.99, and it’s deducted from your refund amount. And if you return too often, like “purchasing 10 items or more within a 6-month period and maintaining a 70% or greater return rate”, then you’ll get charged a 10% restocking fee.
If you happen to miss the return date, you can still get some money back by submitting it to the Refresh program (buyback program).
Refresh Program (Buyback)
If you’re ready to sell a bag you’ve bought and used from Fashionphile within a year of purchase, you can use their Refresh Program. The Refresh Program buys back bags for up to a certain % based on time since purchase and overall condition.
Since Fashionphile keeps track of your purchases, they make it easy in your account to go in and select “sell back” where you’ll receive a quote! More information on how you can receive your funds is below in the Selling to Fashionphile section.
They just reduced their percentages on September 12th, 2023 by about 10% across the board, which is clearly unfortunate. Their current rates are: “0-3 months, 65% of your purchase price; 4-6 months, 60% of your purchase price; 7-12 months, 55% of your purchase price.”
Exclusions include shoes and sunglasses, and items with excessive wear and tear – fair enough. But also, items purchased under $400. For this one, I’m unclear if it includes bags that were purchased on sale like when a bag has become 20% off based on time on website. I have purchased 1 bag that was under $400 after an additional 10% was taken off – this was a discount from the overall website, not the specific bag. In this case, it did count for the Refresh program even though I technically purchased it for less than $400!
Selling to Fashionphile
I’ve yet to sell anything to Fashionphile – as I like to keep my bags (hopefully forever, assuming I’ve made decent picks)! But Fashionphile buys bags outright which is nice. Rather than making you wait to be paid until they’ve sold the bag, they give you your payment upfront.
They have multiple ways to sell to them – like submitting photos and info for an online quote in 3-5 days, scheduling a virtual call with quote in real-time or shortly after, in-person visit to the store, or “white glove service” only available in Manhattan and Florida where they literally come to your door.
If you like their quote, you receive free and insured shipping, and once your back arrives at Fashionphile and is authenticated, you can be paid by store credit, Neiman Marcus gift card, Direct Deposit/ACH, check, PayPal, or wire transfer. AND if you opt for store credit or a Neiman Marcus gift card, you receive an additional 10%. I think this is a great option if you’re looking to refresh your wardrobe and purchase new bags, shoes, or clothes!
Reserve aka Layaway
Have your eye on a bag but can’t buy right away? You can utilize Fashionphile’s Reserve program aka a layaway program. It allows you to make payments over 60 days for 0% interest. A 25% down payment is required to secure your layaway purchase, and a 10% restocking fee is applied if you cancel the order, return the item after receiving, or fail to pay in full in 60 days! Lastly, you can’t reserve a bag until it’s been available for 5 days on the website.
Can You Shop in Person?
Yes! Fashionphile has 2 Flagship stores – 1 in San Diego (Carslbad) and 1 in New York City (Chelsea). While appointments are recommended, walk-ins are welcome!
Farewell Thoughts
Let me know if you have any thoughts or questions about shopping on Fashionphile – in the comments or over on Instagram! If you liked this guide to shopping on Fashionphile, I’d love for you to share this post!
