Pre-owned Céline

The name on a Céline stamp changes with the person who ran the house, and that is the first thing to read on a used piece. Under Phoebe Philo the accent sat on the first e. Hedi Slimane took it off. That tells you which wardrobe the piece belongs to and which checks matter most.

Start with Philo’s lines. On a Luggage tote, a Trapeze, a Phantom or a Trio, put the weight on the hardware and the seams. Look at feet and zip pulls for plating rubbed through to the metal beneath, then follow the seam where the handle meets the body, since that seam carries the load. The Classic Box, the Cabas and the Belt bag survived the change of director, so a used one may be an early piece or a recent one. On those, read the stamp, then test the clasp, since a firm clasp says more than the front of the bag ever will.

Slimane brought back the Triomphe canvas and added the 16, the Ava and the Romy. On these, check the corners and the lining first. Turn the bag over and see whether the corner leather has rubbed to a lighter shade, then look inside for pulled threads and ink marks.

Michael Kors ran the house before either of them. His pieces carry very little branding on the outside, so on one of those the leather itself is what you read.

Kove groups its Céline catalogue by category rather than by line. Bags take in totes and shoulder bags. Clothing covers the tailoring and knitwear at the centre of the wardrobe. Accessories take in belts, wallets and small leather goods. Shoes cover boots, loafers and sandals. Hats come last. On every Kove page the condition is described piece by piece, marks of use included, and the published price is the final one.