While the archival revival boom has been exciting for nostalgia lovers, it’s also driven up the cost of many designer vintage gems on the resale market. Still, the secondary market is full of bags of yesteryear, some more well-known and others that fly completely under the radar.
If you’re looking for an It-bag from a bygone era, you can expect to pay a premium. Still, some of the coolest designer vintage bags are incredibly slept on, meaning you can still snag one for a fraction of the cost of a luxury bag on the primary market.
Why Vintage Ferragamo Is Worth a Second Look
One of the most highly underrated brands for vintage finds? Ferragamo, and here’s why.
Few brands boast the quality and craftsmanship that Ferragamo does. The brand, which began making bags in the 1960s, first started as a leather shoe company in the 1920s. Since its inception, it has expanded its business to include a wide range of products, from accessories and handbags to ready-to-wear and beyond.
Beloved still today for its quality and artisanal craftsmanship, Ferragamo’s vintage offerings ooze heritage but still feel relevant to wear right now, as its core DNA and important brand signifiers have remained.
Vintage Ferragamo Is the Quiet Luxury Find of the Moment
If you’ve spent any time in downtown New York City recently, it’s likely you’ve passed a vintage Ferragamo bag IRL without even noticing. The bags are often identifiable by a Gancini motif, which was first used in the 1970s. Created by Fiamma Ferragamo, it was inspired by the iron gates of the Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence, the city where Salvatore Ferragamo was founded.
I often can spot a vintage Ferragamo bag by these logos, and lately they’ve been popping up on the arms of the uber-stylish. I’ve spotted vintage Ferragamo around the Lower East Side and Chinatown more and more, and it’s not hard to prove why.
Quality, craft, and history aside, vintage Ferragamo boasts a chic, under-the-radar elegance. The bonus? There are so many deals to be had on the resale market! We did a little digging to bring you some of our favorites. The bonus? They’re all under $500! Let’s take a look!
Our Favorite Vintage Ferragamo Finds Under $500
Sure, Jan.
I still want a Fiamma in purple. I saw Reese Witherspoon carrying one years ago.
I have a Fiamma in herringbone that has a very unique look and I enjoy carrying it. However, I have had serious problems with more recent Ferragamo purchases, most notably their zippers. I bought a leather backpack from them and the zipper was almost impossible to close. It was sent for repairs in Italy that took nearly two months. When I finally got it back, the zipper issue had only slightly improved. (In Milan, my husband tried a Ferragamo messenger bag with a zipper so inflexible that it actually cut him and we left the store with his hand still bleeding. So Ferragamo is off my bag list.)