Now that Vaccinated Travel Lanes to France, the UK, Spain and Italy are up and running, those shopping sprees that you’ve been saving up for can finally commence! Here’s where and how to get luxury bags in Europe for less.
When you think of investments of passion, what comes up? Does your mind immediately race to an original Leonardo da Vinci, dream up a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, lust over a customised bottle of Isabella’s Islay, or simply settle on your ideal luxury handbag? Well, if you’re reading this it’s pretty clear what you’re privy to, or looking to find out about — the ins and outs of getting luxury bags for less.
Whether you’re in the market for one to lug around your stuff or simply planning to keep it in pristine condition for future buyers, this guide’s for you. Just remember that in addition to the actual nett price of the bag, you’ll have to consider the total cost of a trip to Europe — this includes flights, hotels and of course daily expenditure. Lucky for you, we’ve already planned all that out with our comprehensive cost guides to the various VTLs below 👇🏻
💜 Complete VTL Checklist:
#1: Everything to Know About Quarantine-Free Travel to Germany and Brunei From Singapore
#2: Singapore Vaccinated Travel Lane Updates: What You Need to Know
#3: Vaccinated Travel Lane: Cost of VTL Travel From Singapore
#4: VTL Flight Promos Singapore — SIA, Scoot, & More
#5: VTL Hotel Promos Singapore — Klook, Agoda, Booking.com, & More
#6: Guide to VTL South Korea: Dining, Attractions and more
#7: VTL UK: Guide To Dining, Attractions & More In The United Kingdom
#8: Thailand Quarantine-Free Travel: Entry Schemes, Flights & Travel Insurance Cost
#9: Best COVID-19 Travel Insurance: Policies For VTL Travel
#10: VTL France: Guide To Dining, Attractions & More in Paris
#11: Australia VTL: What to Expect, Quarantine-Free Flights & Travel Insurance Cost
#12: Australia VTL: Guide To Dining, Attractions and More in Melbourne
#13: VTL Malaysia: Guide to Dining, Attractions, and More in KL
🛍 Luxury Bags in Europe vs Singapore: How Much Cheaper?
We’ll be delving into why going to the source ensures a cheaper price tag later — but first, how much cheaper? We did some digging and pulled out three popular luxury bags and their prices (keep in mind that this is before VAT tax refunds).
💜 BONUS: The sales period in Paris runs twice a year, as imposed by the government. Summer sales usually start on the last Wednesday of June, and winter sales mostly begin on the second Wednesday in January. Unfortunately, iconic evergreen bags like the Hermes Birken bag will never go on sale — but if you’re looking for hot new luxury bags, mark those dates down!
💡 Disclaimer: There are a ton of gorgeous luxury bags, but, for the purpose of this comparison, we’ll just be looking at France for now!
| Bag Brand | Total Cost in France | Total Cost in Singapore |
| Brand: Hermés Bag: Birkin 30 with Togo leather | from €7,900 (~S$12,253.70) Book your appointment request here. | From S$21,000 🚨 You can’t simply walk into an Hermés store to buy a Birkin Bag. → Plus it has been said that waitlists have stopped since 5 years ago. → There are, however, resellers that hold these treasured purses. |
| Brand: Louis Vuitton Bag: Speedy 30 Monogram Canvas | from €860 (~S$1333.60) | From S$1520 |
| Brand: Gucci Bag: Supreme GG Small Dionysus Bag | from €1,690 | From S$3,060 |
🛍 How Well Do You Know Your Luxury Bags?
As a rule of thumb, when identifying the best deals in Europe, simply check to see where that specific brand you’re eyeing is from. For example, if it’s made in Europe, it’ll definitely cost less there than, say, at Marina Bay Sands. That’s because, in Singapore, you’ll have to pay for the additional import tax, duty tax and transportation costs.
To help you out, we’ve sought out some popular luxury brands and their countries of origin. That should give us an idea of where to start!
| Brands | Country of Origin | City |
| Chanel | France | Paris |
| Louis Vuitton | France | Paris |
| Hermès | France | Paris |
| Dior | France | Paris |
| CELINE (aka Céline) | France | Paris |
| Yves Saint Laurent | France | Paris |
| Prada | Italy | Milan |
| Salvatore Ferragamo | Italy | Florence |
| Bottega Veneta | Italy | Vicenza |
| Gucci | Italy | Florence |
| Burberry | UK | Basingstoke |
🛍 Where To Shop For Luxury Bags in Europe
Now that we know we’re mainly focusing on France, the UK and Italy, we’ve rounded up the best outlet malls in the region known for their discounted prices on luxury bags.
| Where to Shop | |
| France | 🛍 La Vallée Village Pros: → Feels approachable, and about 35 min via the RER C from Paris Stocks: → Balmain, CELINE, Chloé, Isabel Marant, Loewe, Longchamp, Zadig & Voltaire 🛍 Le Bon Marche Pros: → High-end department store that’s often described as calm, clean & gorgeous. → If you sign up for their rewards card (La Carte 24 Sèvres) and spend €500, you are entitled to a ‘privilege day’ where you get an additional 10% cashback on all your shopping purchases! → Double that discount by making sure you submit a VAT tax refund for every purchase! Stocks: → CELINE, Chloé, Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Hermès, YSL, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, etc 🛍 Avenue Montaigne Pros: → That luxe Champs Elysee experience minus the pushing, shoving and hectic crowd. Stocks: → Givenchy, CELINE, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Versace, Dior, Marni, Fendi, etc 🛍 Galeries Lafayette Pros: → It’s really quite gorgeous with a grand dome stretching across the eight-story department store → Tourists and locals flock over to the Louis Vuitton and Chanel stores here, so come at the opening hour to beat the crowd! Stocks: → Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Amélie Pichard, YSL, Valentino, etc |
| Italy | 🛍 Designer Outlet Serravalle Pros: → Picturesque surroundings, plus plenty of cafes and restaurants Stocks: → Furla, Gucci, Balenciaga, Salvatore Ferragamo, Bottega Veneta, etc |
| UK | 🛍 Bichester Village Pros: → Communication isn’t an issue here, so call in to ask about when their latest drop came in to help you plan your trip over Stocks: → You’re here for the Burberry outlet store |
🛍 How To Claim VAT Tax Refunds
In order to save some extra cash, claiming VAT tax refunds is a must. If you’re new to shopping in Europe, here’s all you need to know about claiming VAT tax refunds — especially when shopping for big-ticket items.
You’ll need to:
✅ Spend more than €100.01 in the same store, the same day
✅ Be older than 16 years of age
✅ In France for no longer than 6 months
✅ Have your passport with you at the time of the purchase
✅ Bring tax refund paperwork and envelope to the airport’s tax refund kiosk for a scan and drop off
🚨 We recommend taking pictures of all the paperwork as proof
💡 A Note about the VAT Tax Refund paperwork:
In the paperwork, you can choose to get the VAT tax refund immediately in cash or refunded to your credit card.
1️⃣ Cash:
→ 10.8% of your purchases
→ But, you need to depart from the EU within 21 days of getting your VAT tax refund in cash
2️⃣ Credit Card:
→ 12% cashback
→ But, may take up to three months!
Save On Your Dream Luxury Bag With YouTrip
Now that you’re well-informed, we hope that you are able to get the best deal on your dream luxury bags in Europe. When shopping, just don’t forget to make full use of our Wholesale Exchange Rates!
These are real-time exchange rates that are close to rates published on Google, X.E.com and other financial sites. You can lock in the live rates when you find one you’re happy with and keep them in your currency wallet to shop in Euro whenever you want and skip those extra currency charges and pesky bank fees while you’re at it!
If you don’t have a YouTrip card yet, use <5BLOG5> during your sign-up to enjoy a free S$5 in your account! For more great tips and guides like this, join our Telegram(@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below!
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*All currency conversion rates are accurate to the nearest 10 cents on 11 Nov 2021 SGT 12.30 PM. Bank card prices are calculated based on 3.25% foreign currency transaction fee.
