A designer handbag is one of the biggest fashion purchases you can make. They cost as much as the rent on my Brooklyn apartment (and sometimes more), so they’re not called “investment bags” for nothing. Luckily, Vivrelle makes these expensive items more affordable through monthly memberships, so you can carry a designer bag for a fraction of the retail price.
With a selection of vintage and current bags, Vivrelle offers options for every type of shopper. There are classics like the Chanel Flap Bag or the Dior Saddle Bag as well as trendy pieces that are currently super popular. For example, Vivrelle co-founder and CEO Blake Geffen points to the popularity of bolder, more colourful bags. “Over the last few seasons, understated luxury and muted colours like brown, black and grey have been the focus, so I’m really pleased to see these bright pops of colour back in the range,” she says.
To put these trends (and classics) to the test, four Underscored editors have spent the last three months testing Vivrelle memberships to find out if the designer rentals are worth it.
Vivrelle’s rental program lets you snag your dream bag even on a budget. You can choose between four membership levels, with the most basic starting at just $45 per month. Each level gives you access to designer handbags and jewelry from Gucci, Chanel, Bottega Veneta and more.
For style enthusiasts and practical shoppers alike, Vivrelle’s pages are fun to browse. You’ll discover bags from all the major fashion houses—Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Saint Laurent, Gucci, etc.—as well as designer and fine jewelry. You can filter your search by subscription tiers, and also enable an “in stock now” filter so you can make sure the bag you’ve got your eye on is actually ready to join your closet. All four testers were impressed with Vivrelle’s overall selection, and we were even more impressed with the quality of our bags.
We all opted for a Couture+ subscription, which is the highest tier – you get to choose one Classique item and one Couture item – and costs $309 per month. As a beauty and fashion editor who attends a lot of media events, it seemed worth the effort when I signed up. I chose a vintage Chanel vanity case and a trendy Balenciaga shoulder bag for my first month. When they arrived, they looked brand new. I was especially surprised by the vintage bag, which was absolutely pristine and scratch-free.
I’ve chosen to swap out both of my bags every month, but other editors who’ve tested the Couture+ membership have taken advantage of Vivrelle’s flexible rental options and kept their favorite styles longer (which is an option at every subscription level).
“I didn’t think I’d enjoy renting so much (and trust me, I’ve tried them all!), but I did enjoy looking through the different bags in the three categories and picking two to own for a whole month or more,” says one of them. “I ended up picking four bags during my three-month trial.” This editor was looking for a statement bag and an everyday bag and ended up finding two options she fell in love with. She chose a color-blocked Chanel bag—which she describes as “a real eye-catcher, perfect for jazzing up a more casual look for a night out with friends”—and the Celine Micro-Luggage Tote, which doubled as the perfect work bag and held her laptop, wallet, sunglasses, and a few other essentials.
Vivrelle also offers three additional membership levels: Couture ($219/month), which lets you rent one piece each from the Couture range, including handbags, jewelry, and limited edition pieces; Classique ($119/month), which lets you rent one piece per month from the Classique range, including designer bags and jewelry; and Premier ($45/month), which lets you rent one piece from a limited selection of bags and jewelry valued up to $1,000.
Fast and secure shipping and returns
Once you place your Vivrelle order, shipping is super fast. I received my package within two days each time. A signature is required for delivery, which I appreciated as I don’t have a doorman or a parcel room – I would be sick to have a four-figure purse stolen from my door.
Returning the rental items was also easy as a return label was included in the shipping box. If you misplace it, you can also go to your account at home and print a new one.
When it comes to luxury products, you also expect top-notch customer service, and Vivrelle delivered on that. They answered all inquiries quickly and attentively, and it was clear they wanted to ensure a positive experience. More than once, I selected bags that had minor scratches or marks, and each time, I was promptly contacted by Vivrelle customer service to alert me to the marks. They sent several detailed pictures to accurately show the extent of the blemishes—which, to be honest, were pretty minor. I was then given the choice of continuing the rental and receiving a $10 credit, or selecting a different item. Another editor experienced the same thing and was pleased with the efficient and transparent customer service. “They respond quickly and are always helpful,” she adds.
Our Vivrelle bags
Customer service will also help you purchase rental bags that you like so much you want to keep. Two editors inquired about this and one ended up going through with it. Both found it easy to email the membership team and request a quote on the bag’s retail price. The editor who ended up buying her dream bag even got a bargain. “I loved all the bags I rented (three total over three months) and ended up buying one because they were offering an extra 20% off for July 4th,” she says. “That was on top of the already discounted price that factored in your membership cost. I looked online to see what my bag was costing on other resale sites and this was by far the best deal.”
For those in the greater New York City area, Vivrelle has a showroom on East 32nd Street where you can schedule an appointment to view the selection in person. You can also pick up your rental items there instead of having them delivered.
Two editors visited the showroom and were amazed by the selection of rainbow-colored bags on the walls. You can even get a chance to grab a model before it hits the website. “Visiting the Vivrelle NYC showroom was heaven for me,” notes one editor. “When you pick up the bag in store, you can browse the store to see if anything has just arrived and you can exchange your selection.” The other editor raves, “The customer service in store was really top notch. Plus, it was just fun to look at, touch and feel each bag, and that ultimately helped me with my next purchase.”
Although Vivrelle has pages of handbags and jewelry to choose from, every editor found that the actual available selection was much more limited. “There were a lot of options, but everything moves quickly when you reserve online,” says one editor. I found it most helpful to always turn on the “Instantly Available” switch to avoid getting my hopes up.
We found that “hearting” items we add to our wishlist helps us remember our favorite styles, but that’s about it. You can opt to receive notifications when your wishlist items become available, but even then they’ll likely be out of stock by the time you log into your account. “I had email notifications turned on so I knew as soon as my favorites were available, but that didn’t help unless I was constantly checking my email,” says one editor.
If you want to unlock the higher subscription tiers and get access to the Couture Closet (like we did), you’ll have to shell out around $200 or more per month, which adds up. Vivrelle lets you pay three, six, or 12 months up front to get a better deal for each of the tiers. Still, a prepaid year of membership (with one month free) costs between $495 and $3,399.
Ultimately, each editor decided to downgrade their subscription or pause their membership. Personally, I would recommend the Classique subscription – due to the limited selection, I found that I only really liked one piece in the end and settled for another just to meet the quota for the Couture+ subscription. I would much rather save the money and find a piece that I really liked.
“Although I have really enjoyed my experience as a Vivrelle Couture member over the past few months, it is quite expensive and the limited selection of bags and accessories does not justify keeping it,” notes another editor. “That said, I would definitely renew my membership before my wedding this winter or when various events come up so I don’t have to spend a lot of money on full-price accessories and bags.”
In this case, freezing your membership is a good option if you know you’ll want to rent again within six months but don’t necessarily have the need or budget for it right now. “They have a long waiting list, so freezing keeps you a member and you can unfreeze it at any time,” adds one editor.
Bag lovers will appreciate the flexibility of Vivrelle’s membership levels and rental periods, as well as the amazing condition and quality of the accessories. Although we thought the prices for the Couture and Couture+ membership levels were too high, we fell in love with more than a few bags we rented and want to continue renting from Vivrelle in the more basic levels. Now that we know we’re getting excellent quality and customer service, renting a four-figure bag for under $150 a month seems absolutely worth it.
