How To Start Building A Personal Collection

(Even if Hermes isn't in the budget!)

Whenever I do a Q+A on Instagram, a question I get asked all the time is “how can I start building a personal collection?” Or “how can I start collecting investment pieces if Hermes isn’t in the budget?”

So, today I’m going to give you some advice on how to start building your collection.

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I know I always recommend Hermes in terms of investment, long-term value, craftsmanship, etc. But that doesn’t mean that other brands aren’t great, or that a bag you love from another designer brand won’t do!

I most certainly did not start my collection with Hermes. I received my first designer bag from my aunt for my Bat Mitzvah in 2003. It was a Louis Vuitton Speedy 25 in the classic monogram. At the time, I was completely enamored with LV and the speedy bag, thanks to Jessica Simpson and Newlyweds. I’ve talked about this in depth many times before, so I’ll spare you the rest of the story. I was beyond thrilled to have my very own speedy bag. To this day, it’s one of my most cherished possessions. I still use it, and it’s still in excellent condition. Louis Vuitton is still one of my all-time favorite brands. It’s timeless, and the monogram canvas will literally last a lifetime. It’s worth the investment, and, in my opinion, it’s much nicer quality than a Goyard canvas bag. (Hot take, I know!) Unlike the Goyard canvas, LV won’t rip or fade. I can tell you based on experience! Louis Vuitton is a true gem.

Once I received my first designer bag, I was hooked! My aunt was a major fashionista. She lived in NYC and would attend all the top fashion shows at New York Fashion Week (back when New York Fashion Week was a big deal)! Her favorite was always Chloe! Over the years, she gave me some really special pieces, and things that I added to my collection. I always loved looking in her closet, and trying on her shoes, bags, and clothes! Her collection was insane. She had some pieces that really stood out to me, that she wore all the time, that I’d obsess about for years and years after. She absolutely loved Dior, and she had so many pieces from the Dior cherry blossom collection. Most notably, the saddle bag. Every time I saw her wear it, I was so envious! I loved that bag and never stopped thinking about it. I knew I wanted to own it one day. About 8 years ago, I decided to buy one for myself. I found the deal of a lifetime and scored one for $125.

I bought that saddle bag because I loved it, because I’d seen my aunt wear it for years, and it held meaning to me. Because I always dreamed of owning it. I didn’t buy it because it was a popular item. In fact, it was completely “out of style” when I bought it. At the time that I bought it, not many people knew about vintage sourcing or even cared about vintage or second-hand designer items. Only in the last few years has this really taken off. I was able to get that bag for so cheap, because no one wanted them anymore, and they weren’t in style or trending. I bought it because I had always wanted it and dreamed of having it one day.

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This is the best way to go about starting to build your collection. Maybe there is a bag that you saw your favorite character in a TV show wear when you were a kid, and you still think about it! Or maybe it was a dress or a sweater! Maybe your mom or grandma always wore a certain piece of jewelry or watch, and you’d love to have that same thing now. Start with something you love that you’ve always loved and dreamed of owning, or something that has personal meaning to you. It doesn’t matter if it’s in style, or if it’s “exclusive”. What matters is that YOU love it, and that you will be happy to own it for years to come. I wouldn’t get stuck so much on the brand or if the brand is good enough. Your tastes may change and develop over time and that’s normal. Start with something you love now that’s meaningful, and go from there.

Once you start collecting, you’ll see that it’s very addicting! There will always be something else you see that you can’t stop thinking about. Or something else that you want to challenge yourself to find. Your collection should be personal to you and your style. I know it’s hard not to get influenced by what’s trending on social media, and we are all victims of this. But try to ask yourself if you really love something before you buy it. Are you buying it because you’ve seen everyone else wearing it? Or are you buying it because you really love it? In my experience, the things that I bought because they were trending didn’t end up lasting in my collection. You’ll probably get sick of it after a year, try to sell it, and quickly realize that no one wants it anymore!

The best way to avoid this is to take your time. Building a real collection will and should take years! You shouldn’t rush to have as much as possible. Collecting things overtime is the best way to do it.

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The great thing about buying a luxury item is that if in five years it doesn’t feel like your style anymore, you can sell it and buy something else that suits you better! You may not always get what you paid for it, but you can at least get something! Over the last two decades, I’ve collected and sold so many things. I ended up selling my beloved Dior saddle bag, because I felt that it wasn’t really my style anymore. Sometimes I still feel sad about it, but I like knowing that it went to someone who will cherish it like I did. I’ve sold a lot of bags that I never thought I would! If I haven’t used something in a couple of years, I’ll consider selling it. There are certain things I will hold onto for the rest of my life, like my speedy 25. But ultimately, if something is just sitting in my closet, I’d rather it go to someone who will use it. Nice things are meant to be used!

I don’t always recommend selling things. There are some things I’ve sold over the years that are painful to think about, that I wish I never sold! But that’s life. You live and learn. If you feel the urge to sell something, I’d recommend thinking about it for a couple of weeks, or even a month, before doing so. If you still feel like you want to sell it, then go for it and get something else that you love instead! You may regret it one day, but life is short!

Happy collecting!

Xo.