LONDON, 6TH JUNE 2023: In response to growing consumer demand, leading UK-based luxury handbag restoration and preowned designer resale retailer, The Handbag Clinic, has launched The Inner Circle; a unique 360° luxury care plan enabling luxury investors to effortlessly maintain the value and condition of their items and enjoy their wardrobes even more sustainably, all year round. From rainwater damage and accidental stains, to getting a lambskin leather shoe heel stuck in a grate – members of The Inner Circle can now fully capitalise on their ‘wears per spend’ knowing they have full cover in place to protect their most treasured items against life’s inevitable hazards.
Through the launch of The Inner Circle, The Handbag Clinic aims to open up the best kept secret of fashion insiders for its growing community of 360,000+ sustainable shoppers. From a coveted new luxury purchase to a special gift from a loved one or a hardworking pair of shoes, investors in luxury can now extend the life of their irreplaceable items and shop with increased confidence knowing there is an aftercare programme in place that far exceeds standard warranties. Research1 has shown that by extending the life of an item by just nine months can reduce its carbon waste and water footprint by between 20 – 30%.
The new monthly membership programme offers priority access, expediated lead times, free shipping and VIP discounts for services including cleaning, repair, protection and restoration for all leather luxuries including handbags, shoes, accessories and leather clothing. From as little as £7.99 per month, members can choose from a range of four specialist care plans to suit their needs. From Essentials, which offers reassurance to those who want to treasure their favourite handbag, an upfront protection against staining treatment and a tailored cleaning and maintenance plan, right through to Elite, which covers up to 10 x items with protection against staining, direct access to specialists to support withy year-round cleaning and maintenance needs, free shipping, complementary Care Kits for at home maintenance, VIP discounts and exclusive event invitations, priced at £59.99 per month.
The Handbag Clinic’s CEO and Co-Founder, Charlotte Staerck, said: “Investing in luxury is a promise of longevity and we’re excited that, with the launch of The Inner Circle, we can help keep that promise. Luxury items are crafted from delicate and absorbent materials, which look beautiful but are highly disposed to wear and tear. Accidental stains are some of the most common problems we treat in the Clinic; dye transfer from jeans, liquid damage in restaurants and bars, hair dye from a visit to the salon, rainwater stains or a pen lid spillage – it can be devastating given the sentimental or monetary value invested. Life happens but that shouldn’t mean we have to save our most treasured items for best. There’s nothing more sustainable than prolonging and preserving the items we already have in our wardrobes. It’s time to resurrect those vintage Manolo’s, dust off your one-of-a-kind Baguette – add them into your everyday staples and leave the caring to us.”
The booming resale market2, set to double by 2027 reaching £278 billion, has given rise to a growing cohort of collectors, who use repair and restoration services to keep their luxury-buys in pristine condition, protecting, cleaning and restoring them to ensure the highest possible resale price in the lucrative resale space. New research3 reveals that one fifth (20%) of UK consumers plan to resell an item through a resale platform within the next 12 months, with some 11% planning to have an item professionally repaired during 2023.
For this, more seasoned investors in luxury, The Inner Circle also offers annual checks to ensure the value of items is maintained, should they wish to sell the item on. Luxury traders can check their items in to The Handbag Clinic for minor restorative treatments such as scratches, scuffs or marks which would otherwise devalue the item. As part of the Elite package, this also offers access to The Handbag Clinic’s bespoke concierge service. Elite members can book a consultation with one of The Handbag Clinic’s experts for an in-home service to audit, authenticate and value items they wish to sell on through the Clinic’s resale service.
The Handbag Clinic’s CEO and Co-Founder, Charlotte Staerck, added: “Because there have been around three annual price hikes in recent years, Chanel is one of the most popular brands within the resale space. The chief factor that devalues these handbags is their condition so, it’s essential get upfront protection and regular maintenance treatments if you want to preserve the value of the bag. Scratches, scuffs and imperfections all impact the price and it can be the difference between selling it for 85% of its original value to 40%. As the UK’s only fully circular business model, buying, restoring, authenticating and reselling – we are in a unique position to understand this relationship. It’s a little like owning a car; the more you use it, the more it depreciates. But usage should be considered added value for the wearer. Now, through The Inner Circle, you can wear and love them for years.”
As an authority and market leader in innovation, The Handbag Clinic is the trusted go-to aftercare service, for 13 of fashion’s biggest luxury brands. It is proud to be making progressive strides towards a more collaborative and sustainable industry. Recent collaborations include a partnership with Selfridges for their Stock Market in-store experience, Fenwick, which houses in-store concessions for The Handbag Clinic in its Newcastle, York and Colchester department stores, as well as luxury vintage marketplace, Open For Vintage who partnered with The Handbag Clinic as its official repair and restoration service.
The Handbag Clinic, which restores over 700 bags each month, is the best kept secret of fashion insiders, influencers and celebrity clients including Claudia Schiffer, Poppy Delevingne, Storm Keating, Heidi Range and Frankie Bridge, who use its services to continually update their look whilst being kind to the planet. Restoring items to preserve them before selling on, or selling on gifted items they no longer use for others to enjoy.
The Handbag Clinic is the longest-established luxury restoration and preowned retailers in the UK and the UK’s first and only fully circular business model. The Handbag Clinic’s integrated offering of ‘Buy, Sell, Restore, Authenticate’ uniquely combines restoration with authentication and resale to deliver a seamless one-stop-shop for conscious luxury connoisseurs and collectors. With a mission to preserve the past whilst mindfully reinventing for the future, The Handbag Clinic is a proud gatekeeper of sustainable luxury. It stocks a hand-picked collection of authentic pre-owned luxury handbags, luggage and accessories from the world’s most coveted brands including Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton and restores 700+ bags and shoes, including luxury trainers, each month.
To join The Inner Circle and find out more about its range of specialist care plans, please visit: www.handbagclinic.co.uk/inner-circle