This does not only make their handbags extremely rare, but also qualifies them as an investment vehicle.

Sekrè is the registered trademark of the German-Swiss startup Mystery Bag International GmbH. The company specialises in the manufacture of exclusive luxury handbags that also serve as sustainable value investments. Instead of applying extravagant designs and eye-catching embellishments, the company’s style stands for pure understatement.

A piece of an original handwriting of a world-famous person who has made history is worked into each handbag, well concealed from prying eyes.

Current editions include letters by Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Brigitte Bardot, Charles Lindbergh, Giacomo Casanova, Charles Dickens, as well as emperors and kings.

Such rare artifacts do not only add a special historical value to the bags, they also make them extremely desirable.

Sekrè acquires these artifacts with the assistance of international experts at auctions, from foundations or other collections. The price of some very exclusive objects items can even come close to a real estate value. For this reason, a very careful authenticity check is carried out before every purchase. The originals are scanned by computer and cut into small fragments, then numbered and sealed one by one. The whole process is supervised by a notary and recorded in a notarial deed.

Each bag, handmade in an elaborate process, comes with a certificate of authenticity, a photo of the complete original artifact and background information on its author. Since such rare and unique artifacts cannot be reproduced, each edition is limited to a small number of handbags only. This, of course, excludes re-editions – no matter how great the demand.

The very first edition of Mystery Bags with a letter by Queen Victoria written in 1855 was sold out after only a few days.

The Mystery Bag concept primarily addresses women who are looking for tangible assets with a high utility and image value, in addition to money investments. Contrary to immovable assets, luxury handbags can be quickly turned into cash if need be. The return on investment may even be higher in such cases.

Depending on the artifact, Mystery Bags range between 2,000 and 5,000 Euros. This is a reasonable amount which is affordable for a large number of female investors. In recent years, the demand for luxury handbags as financial investments has increased sharply worldwide. Nearly all major auction houses are reporting growing sales and rising bids in this category. Investment funds are also taking a growing interest in this market segment. Whether a luxury bag will increase in value is determined primarily by its rarity.

The Sekrè edition “Aviator No.1” with an original handwriting of Charles Lindbergh, for example, is very rare indeed, since it is limited to 30 bags worldwide. The benchmark for this market segment is the French premium brand Hermès, whose handbags can easily earn a quarter of a million dollars at auctions. It is yet to be seen whether Sekrè will also be able to reach this level. In any case, Mystery Bag’s innovative business model is systematically targeted towards this goal.