Let me start by saying I am probably the person my friends would deem most unlikely to buy anything “pre-loved.” I love my Louis Vuitton bags, but I’ve never bought one that anyone else owned before me.. So, the fact that I sit here in awe of my new vintage 1995 Louis Vuitton Montsouris GM is a miracle in itself. It happened purely because I found the right bag and most importantly, the right company to go through.
I’ve always loved the Montsouris GM. Louis Vuitton sold this bag in the 90s and early 2000s– and being born in 1990, I was just a little girl. They discontinued it sometime in the early 2000s. As I got older and saw people with this bag, I always admired it. Even just a few years ago, I saw someone carrying this bag at Disney World and admired how perfect and practical it was– just the right size, and the best casual, classy look.
I heard rumors that Louis Vuitton would be releasing a NEW Montsouris backpack in 2020 and I remember thinking that when this happened, I’d be one of the first to make the purchase. Then, in 2020, it happened–the re-design— and it wasn’t what I expected. No GM size (the largest style), just a smaller, less classic looking Montsouris in sizes BB and PM. I was heartbroken.
Over the last year, I started looking at pre-loved Montsouris GM bags. I knew what I wanted and if I was going to get that exact style, it would have to be a vintage “pre-loved” one. As I scanned website after website, from Mercari to eBay, some of them looked like they’d been through a war and others looked too good to be true. I found one on Tradesy that I thought was perfect, but when I made the purchase, almost a month passed and the bag still hadn’t arrived. Though the seller claimed to have taken it to the post office, that tracking number she sent showed that USPS is awaiting the package (and STILL does)… I have to say that Tradesy was great; they did back the purchase and immediately refunded me; however, I can’t say the same about “Preloved Vuitton” with her glowing biography and large amount of sales. She re-listed the bag on Tradesy about an hour after the transaction was cancelled. I guess she didn’t actually ship it… #fail.
I was devastated. My thoughtful husband knew how badly I wanted it and was buying me my DREAM bag for my birthday and I was more than excited to receive it and start using it. The only problem was my first attempt at finding that dream bag was a flop and I didn’t know where I’d ever find one as nice as the one I thought I had. I was determined, to say the least. I had had my heart set on this backpack for so long and I was going to find the perfect one. BUT HOW?! Well, I spent HOURS researching, searching, on repeat. Everything truly works out for a reason because I found the perfect bag from the perfect company.
Why did my research lead me to Vestiaire?
Let me begin by saying this is NOT an ad or collab. This is not a paid post and I’m not a partner of the company. I am truly just a thankful consumer who is extremely satisfied with my purchase. I’ve never felt confident enough to buy a pre-owned bag until I found them.
On their website, though I found numerous bags in great shape, I found the one! I found the Montsouris GM that was barely used, if at all, in pristine condition and seemingly perfect though it’s 26 years old– just 5 years younger than me! Was it too good to be true? Was it authentic? Was it going to arrive looking like the photos and matching the description?
Vestiaire Collective started up way back in 2009 and is located in Paris with hubs all over the world. When you buy a luxury item from the site, that item does not ship directly to you from the seller; it ships to one of Vestiaire’s hubs and their teams of authenticators, who make sure your bag is the real deal and “as described” before shipping it to you. Satisfaction, basically, guaranteed. GENIUS, in my opinion! And they keep you informed all along the way as far as when the seller ships, when they receive it, when it’s going through authentication, if it passes inspection, and when it’s on its way to you! And all of that happens SO quickly. I was truly impressed! Excitedly watching my dream bag complete the Vestiaire Collective process made my sadness over the Tradesy experience a thing of the past! I didn’t want to tell our followers about it, though, until I made sure it was perfect, that the experience was truly all it seemed to be…
And it was. All of my boxes were checked!
Today, my bag arrived and I’m given the opportunity to inspect it myself before I make a final decision. If I’m not happy, I can return it.
Spoiler alert: I’m SUPER happy! 🙂
I learned a lot about date codes through this process and what they mean! For bags manufactured from 1990-2006 (like my new one), there are 2 letters followed by 4 digits. The 2 letters represent where the bag was made. The first and third numbers represent the month and the second and forth numbers represent the year. So, my new bag was made in France (MI is a France code) in July of 1995!
For newer bags, manufactured from 2007 to present, there are still 2 letters followed by 4 digits, but they represent something a little different. The first 2 letters still represent where the bag was made, but the first and third now represent the week of the year and the second and fourth still represent the year.
Obviously, keep in mind that, like anything, you will get what you pay for. Though, there are some inexpensive bags on the website, they may not be in as great of condition. So, be sure to read descriptions, take note of the condition and look at the photos very closely. I chose a bag that had a lot of photos provided and an extensive description. Bags in “like new/pristine” condition can still cost a pretty penny (comparable to new), especially for discontinued ones. Do your research and know what the bag cost when it was new and if it’s still available at Louis Vuitton currently. Do your homework.
Since I am currently a (happy) Vestiaire customer, you can use my link for $15 off your first purchase. Would I recommend Vestiaire? Yes, yes, a million times yes.
Thank you to my wonderful husband for the most amazing birthday gift! I couldn’t be happier with it and know I will get so much use out of it! I am happy to report that my search for the perfect Montsouris GM is complete.♡
xo,
Ash
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