The Rare Bag
Women looking at their handbags as an asset and not just a frivolous accessory
Head of London department of Christie’s International Handbags and Accessories, Rachel Koffsky reports to Vogue Paris that the market has changed dramatically in the past 10 years. “Out of the recession, we’ve seen women looking at their handbags as an asset and not just a frivolous accessory,” she observes. “We’re seeing this female collector emerge. They’re starting to look at these pieces in the same way that perhaps men were traditionally looking at watch collections. There’s an awareness in terms of what a collectible handbag means and the value of these pieces on the primary and secondary market.”
The rarity is absolutely an important factor in bags, as is the condition (graded from one, for new, through to six, for damaged) according to Koffsky. Then there’s the model, age, materials, label, size (there’s been a significant trend for small bags at auction lately) and, more subjectively speaking, how keen a bidder you have in the room on the day. “For a collector who’s been looking for this [said] bag for 10 years, they’ll pay any amount for it,” says Koffsky. The room usually ranges from the first-time buyer, who will walk away wearing the piece she just bought, to the seasoned top buyer, who will treat it like art displayed in specially curated gallery-esque closets.
“There’s a life cycle to a bag when it comes to limited editions,” says Koffsky. Expect a huge premium on the market to begin with, then give it a year to 18 months and it may experience a dip before it comes back. It might be a celebrity or important influencer that creates the renewed interest. Season to season, the market is prone to fluctuate.
Grace Kelly Cinematic Career
NOT EVEN ALFRED HITCHCOCK COULD LURE HER BACK TO HOLLYWOOD
In 1956 Grace Kelly , the muse of Alfred Hitchcock became the Princess of Monaco. That marked the end of her film career. Royal couple Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly made fairytale memories which still exist today. Kelly met Prince Rainier III of Monaco at a photo shoot in 1955 when she was leading the American delegation to the Cannes Film Festival, and the two instantly hit it off. After she returned to the States, the actress and the prince corresponded until later that year when he came to the U.S. on a diplomatic tour. After spending three days with Kelly and her family, Prince Rainier proposed, and Kelly accepted.
With only five years of cinematic experience she stole the hearts of many. In 1955 Grace Kelly achieved an Oscar for Best Actress, several Golden Globe nominations and the title of Hollywood icon.
Alfred Hitchcock never gave up on trying to get Kelly to star in another one of his films. Hitchcock allegedly planned to use 1962's Marnieas Kelly's big comeback to the silver screen, and the princess agreed to take the part. In March 1962, Monaco's palace spokesman announced that Princess Grace would play the role and then give up acting altogether.
