Let me introduce myself properly, because if you're going to trust someone with your vintage designer bag money, you should know who she is.

I'm a photographer by trade, corporate and commercial. Before that, I wanted to be a fashion designer. Shoes first, then clothes. But somewhere along the way I picked up a camera and never put it down. The obsession with design never left. I just found a different way in.

I started working in luxury when I was still in high school. Not fetching coffee. Actually handling the goods. And I stayed. Over a decade in luxury consignment, surrounded by the best bags ever made, learning the houses, the hardware, the stitching, the smell of real leather versus the stuff that just wishes it was.

Here's the thing: I could spot a fake before I owned a single designer bag myself. In high school, I studied fashion magazines religiously, especially Italian Vogue. I'd go to Barnes & Noble every month and buy the new issues. I loved the fashion, and I loved the photography spreads. All that looking trained my eye before I ever touched the real thing. The proportions would be off, or the hardware would catch the light wrong, or the leather wouldn't move the way it should.

Working in consignment only sharpened it. I got to see and touch designer pieces from across the decades, tens of thousands of items, probably more. I taught myself constantly, deep-diving brands and bags, always keen to learn more. If someone had a question, I spent the time getting to the bottom of it. That habit never left.

These days people message me all the time asking if a bag is real, and I can usually tell them quickly, even from just a photo.

So how did this become a business?

I started selling luxury back in 2020. Then I took a break. Then I started selling online again. And then I saw an ad looking for pop-up vendors, and that part was on a whim.

I brought three racks of clothing and a little stand of designer bags. Got everything set up and priced, and just... went. First day out was a success, and I've been hooked ever since.

And I fell in love. Not with the selling. With the people. I love markets. I love watching someone's face when they find the bag. I love the conversations, the stories people tell about the pieces they're drawn to, seeing what resonates in person in a way you can't get from a screen.

I've been doing markets ever since. But I kept hearing the same thing: "I wish I could shop with you online." So here we are.

What I actually care about

I love designers. Not the logos. The houses. The history. The art of it. Céline Vipiana's equestrian codes. Tom Ford's razor-sharp Gucci. Phoebe Philo rebuilding Celine from the inside out. These aren't just brands to me, they're decades of creative decisions, and every vintage bag carries that story.

I appreciate good design the way some people appreciate good wine. And being a photographer only sharpened it. I'm trained to notice what most people walk past. The way light hits a clasp. The exact shade of edge paint. Whether the proportions sing or just... don't.

That's what I bring to every bag I sell. Not just "is it real" (though yes, everything is professionally authenticated. That's non-negotiable.). But is it good? Is it special? Does it deserve a place in someone's rotation?

Most of what I find is one of one. When it's gone, it's gone. I don't do mass-produced, I don't do "inspired by," and I definitely don't do fakes.

Why I'm telling you this

Because buying vintage luxury online requires trust, and trust requires knowing who's on the other end. I'm not a warehouse. I'm not a dropshipper. I'm a person who has spent her entire adult life around beautiful things and wants to put them in the hands of people who'll love them.

So that's me. The (designer) bag lady.

Stick around — I've got stories about these bags, and I'm just getting started.

P.S. Yes, the bags are real. I checked. Twice.

Sources and further reading

This is a personal story, no sources needed. But if you want to know more about how I authenticate what I sell, check out authenticity guarantee