Vintage and second-hand are not the same thing

In listings, the two words are used as synonyms. They are not, and the difference is reflected in the price.

"Second-hand" means one thing only

A second-hand item has simply been owned by someone before. It doesn't say anything about age: a bag bought last year and resold today is second-hand, just like one from the nineties.

In this market, the price is determined by the condition, the model, and current demand. A recent piece in excellent condition is worth more than a worn recent piece, and that's all there is to it.

"Vintage" adds time

Vintage describes an item that has a certain age and belongs to a specific phase in the brand's history: a line that has gone out of production, a material no longer used, a construction different from the current one.

Here, the reasoning changes. A sign of wear on a twenty-five-year-old bag does not carry the same weight as the same sign on a model from last year, because it is part of what you are buying. What matters is that the piece is intact and consistent: no hidden alterations, no parts replaced without being disclosed.

Why the distinction matters when you buy

If you are looking for a recent model at a lower price than new, you are in the second-hand market, and the only thing you need to check is the actual condition of the item.

If you are looking for a piece that is no longer available, you are in the vintage market, and scarcity factors into the price: it can cost more than a modern equivalent, and that is not an anomaly.

The problem arises when the two categories are mixed: a recent item presented as vintage to justify a price, or a period piece valued only on wear without considering what it is.

Pre-owned and pre-loved

These are commercial terms, not categories. They mean second-hand, with a softer tone. They do not imply any additional verification and say nothing about the conditions: what matters remains the description that accompanies them.

How we handle it

On each product card, we indicate the production year when ascertainable, and the relevant decade. These two pieces of information serve precisely this purpose: to understand whether what you are looking at is a recent item put back into circulation or an item with a history behind it.

When the year cannot be determined with certainty, we do not write it. A randomly assigned date shifts the price and helps no one.