From side hustle to style sensation: Meet the Cork woman building a pre-loved luxury empire

Cork woman Caitriona McGettigan turned her love for fashion and passion for sustainability into a pre-loved luxury empire

Luxury Exchange founder, Caitriona McGettigan: “I like really knowing about every bag we have in stock so that I can properly advise on that.”

Cork woman Caitriona McGettigan always loved fashion. When she worked in Brown Thomas, customers would regularly come in to refresh their designer wardrobe, but feel guilty about the barely worn pieces hanging up at home.

“I remember thinking ‘I’d love to buy that, because it’s only been worn once’ and ‘I would love these dresses’ but I wasn’t in a position to be buying them new,” says McGettigan.

This sparked an idea, and in 2020 she began to source lightly worn designer clothing and bags from customers and colleagues, and sell them on her Instagram page.

At first, it was something she did in addition to her day job, but it soon grew into more than a side hustle.

“It became like a monster in front of me, where I was so busy because I had this full-time job, and then I was going home, and I had this super busy business,” she says.

In 2022, she quit her job and launched Luxury Exchange alongside her partner, Cillian Moloney. They sell pre-loved designer handbags on their website, and clothing through Instagram live.

Cork native and Luxury Exchange founder, Caitriona McGettigan

Last year, the business recorded €1m in turnover through its online operations, and recently sold over 150 pieces in four days at a pop-up in Dublin City.

McGettigan believes the increase in demand for pre-loved luxury fashion reflects customers’ desire for style, value, and to shop more consciously. “They’re getting that thrill of changing out the wardrobe, but more sustainably, both environmentally and financially.”

With the recent arrival of Vinted to Ireland, the interest in circular fashion is on the rise. McGettigan sees this as a good thing for the whole industry: “It’s great for everybody, that it’s becoming more popular.”

Unlike peer-to-peer sites, Luxury Exchange is not for the thrifty. Bags start at €299 and go up to €6,999, and customers can expect a shopping experience worthy of the price tag.

“If you were shopping on Depop or Vinted, you’d have to look through a lot of stuff that you mightn’t like. Whereas our pieces are very curated, so everything that comes in is really good,” she says. “Everything is packed nicely and we follow up with all of our customers.”

Luxury Exchange handbags

Shoppers are drawn to vintage designer pieces in particular, because it’s a chance to get something unique.

“You can come to us and you will get value, but you’ll also get something that you’re not going to see anyone else wearing, even if you’re in the likes of London or New York, it’s going to be something really special, because it might be a seasonal piece from 1998.”

McGettigan prides herself on her knowledge of the bags they have in stock, and in recommending the right piece based on a customer’s individual lifestyle and needs: “I like really knowing about every bag we have in stock so that I can properly advise on that.”

For anyone looking to invest in a new piece, McGettigan shares some of her favourite current styles.

Luxury Exchange handbag

• All-round summer bag: “The Louis Vuitton canvas is such a good material for the summer,” she says. “It’s got a plastic coating, so it’s scratch-resistant, it’s somewhat water resistant. You wouldn’t be dumping it in water, but if it got a splash by the pool, you wouldn’t need to be concerned. I always recommend this to people because it’s light, it’s comfortable, and even ones that we can stock for under €500, they’re in perfect condition, and you’ll have forever out of them.” 
• Pop of colour: “Some models of bags just come in particularly nice colours. Chanel does really great colours, but the Lady Dior comes in such vibrant pinks. I’m obsessed with them. You’re getting something classic, but with this really fun twist. If you’re going to a wedding or something, you can carry it top handle and it looks very dressy, but then with the cross-body strap on, they’re great casual bags.”
• Mini-bags: “Mini bags are set to be a standout trend this summer — and the smaller, the better. Not sure how to style them? Think of them as a bag-meets-jewellery accessory,” says McGettigan. “Wear one alongside a larger tote or clip it on as a playful charm. The key is to go bold with bright, fun colours. Chanel’s versions are my personal favourite.”
• Under the radar gem: “There’s another bag that I love, and I feel like it goes really under the radar, and it’s the Hermes Herbag. It’s another really light bag, because that’s a key thing in the summer, if they’re carrying it all day or it’s warm, that they don’t have something that’s already heavy on before they even fill it. And the Herbag is really nice. You can get it in really nice, neutral colours.”
• Luxury under €500: “I really think that the Louis Vuitton Saint Cloud is very good. That’s a bag that we typically sell for €499 and that would be a cross-body Louis Vuitton bag.”
• Timeless classic: “Looking for a bag that you want to have forever, that’s just going to be a staple in your wardrobe, I’d have to recommend the Chanel Classic Flap. That’s just an icon, that bag.”