We recently caught up with Miranda Gillespie from Luxe.It.Fwd, who kindly gave us an exclusive interview:

Tell us about your website Luxe.It.Fwd

Luxe.It.Fwd is Australia’s premier online destination for buying and selling authentic pre-owned luxury handbags, jewellery and shoes. We sell only the most exclusive and premium condition items from designers such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, and Gucci, to name a few. We offer a luxury buying experience from start to finish coupled with a complete guarantee of authenticity, so our buyers can shop second-hand luxury with complete peace of mind.

How did you get interested in selling authentic pre-owned luxury handbags and accessories online?

I was actually looking to buy a second-hand Chanel bag online a couple of years back but found there were really limited options in Australia. There were limited online stores offering the complete package of great bags, great prices, great service and (importantly!) a guarantee of authenticity. As a result, I set about creating a luxury store that buyers like me would want to shop at!

Describe how you decide what products to accept?

Our focus is very much on curating a collection of absolute luxury and for that reason we only take on bags from top-tier luxury brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Gucci etc. For this reason, we don’t take on any low-tier luxury brands (Coach, Michael Kors etc.) or high street brands as it would detract from what we are about. We also only take on bags and accessories that are in good condition or better – and some of our bags are even in virtually as-new condition!

How do check whether a handbag is authentic or a replica?

Ensuring authenticity is the most important aspect of our business. We engage specialist authenticators who rigorously inspect all of our bags and other products to ensure they are authentic prior to listing them for sale. We accordingly provide our buyers with a complete guarantee of authenticity on all of our items, which is our key distinguishing feature from the risk of buying from other online places like eBay or Gumtree.

What’s the biggest challenge working in fashion?

Our biggest challenge is ensuring we’re getting enough incoming bags and accessories to meet the demand of our buyers on popular items. All of our items are sourced from our customers around Australia who no longer reach for their luxury bags/accessories, so they sell them with us.

Bags such as the Louis Vuitton Speedy or Chanel Classic Flap bag are incredibly popular and we always need to ensure that we are getting enough of them from our sellers.

What’s been the highlight of your career so far?

Before starting Luxe.It.Fwd I worked as a commercial lawyer for almost 10 years. However, I’ve always been obsessed with online shopping and fashion, so there was a part of me that was always going to be incomplete unless I played in that space. So being able to work every day in my passion field of e-commerce and fashion is an absolute career highlight.

What do you love most about what you do?

Our customers are really excited when they make a purchase because they’re buying a very expensive luxury item that they’ve been dreaming of and it’s a big deal, and we’re equally excited for them. So I really love sending off the bags/accessories to their new homes and hearing from our customers how much they love their purchase and how excited they are.

Who or what inspires you?

There is a massive culture of entrepreneurism in Australia and around the world over the last couple of years and I take a lot of inspiration from all the great stories of founders putting themselves out there to failure and exposing their vulnerabilities to pursue their dream careers.

Is there one bag you are lusting after or simply could never part with?

The ULTIMATE bag on my wish-list is the Hermes Kelly bag we currently have at Luxe.It.Fwd. It’s really hard to come by and the Kelly style is THE ultimate in handbag luxury, which is why it has the $12k price tag to match!

What are the must-have bags or accessories for 2018?

Our most popular demand for bags is Louis Vuitton Neverfulls and Speedys and Chanel flap styles. For shoes, patent Louboutins with their iconic red sole is king.

What’s next for you?

We’re in a big growth phase at the moment and keeping on pushing with that, including selling more internationally in addition to our primary market in Australia.

About Luxe.It.Fwd

Luxe.It.Fwd brings authentic accessible luxury to your doorstep, without compromise on the high-end boutique experience.

Our e-closet comprises only the most exclusive and premium condition pre-owned handbags from Louis Vuitton, Celine, Saint Laurent (YSL), Chanel, Givenchy, Hermes and Dior, with rigorous authenticity verifications having been undertaken on every item in our collection by Luxe.It.Fwd’s highly experienced specialist authenticators. This, coupled with the luxury buying experience from start to finish, makes Luxe.It.Fwd the premier online destination for pre-owned handbags in Australia.

Head to the Luxe.It.Fwd website to purchase your next luxury handbag or accessory.