Gucci has just launched “Gucci Collector: Presented by Christie’s” which is the first Gucci-certified online destination for appraising vintage Gucci products – quite the welcome addition given how many faux Gucci bags there are on the market that claim to be authentic, collectible vintage finds.
The project is a micro-site that lives on reputed auction house Christie’s website (https://www.christies.com/
Following the assessment, Christie’s will let the owner know via email or telephone an estimated value for the item, and whether the piece is qualified to be in an upcoming Christie’s auction, if desired. Frost and her team are also looking for pieces that might work for the upcoming Gucci Museum in Florence which is slated to open in 2011.
This is a very exciting opportunity for both collectors, enthusiasts, as well as those who are simply curious about whether or not the vintage Gucci item they’ve purchased is indeed authentic. I applaud Gucci for taking control of the secondary market in a way the benefits both them and us as the consumer. Hopefully Louis Vuitton and similar brands will soon follow suit with like-minded partnerships in the near future.