Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.
While there's no guarantee on which fashion items will never depreciate in monetary value (although Chanel and Hermès are extraordinarily safe bets), there's another sense of "value" that shouldn't be overlooked: the emotional satisfaction of investing in a high-quality piece that you'll lovingly own for a very long time.
LA is full of top-notch designers turning out seriously well-made pieces, and there's no need to look outside our hometown for amazing investment items that will turn your closet into a work of art. Although we've included some things that are expensive af, don't be scared to dip your wallet into the shallow end of these designers's wading pools before committing to their signature pieces.
The hallmarks of any investment item are style, quality, rarity, and popularity, and the picks in this gallery definitely hit some or all of these marks. Scroll through for a peek at what we're coveting for our closets forever.