Office administrator Pauline Wellington, 41, became addicted to buying designer totes after spending £2,400 on a brown suede Prada bag at the age of 26.
Now the fashionista, from New Cross, London, has amassed a collection worth £40,000 and turned her purse-pinching hobby into a surprisingly lucrative business idea.
At the height of her obsession, Pauline would spend her hard-earned wages on four extravagant bags a month from high-end designers such as Tom Ford, Jimmy Choo and Burberry.
'I still remember the buzz I felt when I bought my first designer bag on London's exclusive Bond Street,' she said.
'It was the same excitement as seeing a handsome man!'
Pauline became so hooked on adding more and more gems to her closet that her sister Lisa and her mother would tell her off.
To appease her family and to make more room in her wardrobe for new satchels, clutches and purses, Pauline decided to have a clear out - and devised a dynamic money-spinner in the process.
'I sold my first Prada handbag on eBay and that's how I got the concept for my website,' she said.
Trend-conscious Pauline wanted to help women everywhere get the designer look and 'feel special' without having to fork out hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Inspired by online auction sites, entrepreneurial Pauline launched TheHandbagRental.com, which offers style seekers the opportunity to rent designer bags from members willing to loan their expensive accessories at a fraction of the price.
'It seemed like such an obvious idea,' she said.
'I have owned over 1,000 designer bags during my lifetime. Each one was sentimental and the thought of never seeing the bag again was upsetting.
'But I wanted the bags to be loved and appreciated.'
Pauline launched the website in April 2013 and has so far earned over £10,000 from it.
It operates similarly to sites such as eBay where users can sign up to be either a renter or a seller.
The 'borrow' charge is £27.50 per week for handbags that retail between £100 to £1,000.
The price goes up to £49.50 for handbags with a purchase price of £3,001 or higher.
Current brands on the website include: Moschino, Victoria Beckham, Mulberry, Burberry, Dior, Kate Spade, Charlotte Olympia, Dolce and Gabanna, Kenzo, Givenchy and Chanel.
'Touch wood there has been no disasters yet,' Pauline added.
'The service comes with optional insurance if anyone has any concerns.'
Although she's keen to get the country renting more couture bags, Pauline offers advice to those who are saving up to buy their first one.
'Once you've got it join the site! You can make money off your own purchases which will eventually go towards buying more bags.'
DailyMail
It's terrible when you get hooked on designer stuff.
ReplyDeleteSerious addiction!
DeleteAnd she looks so razz????
ReplyDelete