Max Brownawell's journey in the world of luxury handbags and auctions began over a decade ago. With a rich background as a Senior Specialist at renowned auction houses, Max has established himself as a leading authority in the handbag auction market. His contributions to the field have not only elevated the profile of luxury handbag auctions but have also enriched the broader conversation around luxury goods and collectibles.
At Christie’s as the Head of Department for Handbags in New York, Max has infused the department with his innovative vision and deep market knowledge. He is committed to expanding Christie's reach in the luxury handbag market, developing strategic partnerships, and curating auctions that resonate with modern collectors and connoisseurs. Max's forward-thinking approach aims to further Christie's legacy as the premier destination for luxury handbag auctions.
Living in New York City, Max's diverse experiences have shaped his holistic understanding of the luxury market. He is a frequent speaker on the evolution of the luxury handbag space, and his insights are sought after by top-tier publications in the fashion and financial sectors.
At Christie’s, Max Brownawell continues to redefine what it means to be at the forefront of the luxury handbag and auction industry, bringing fresh perspectives and unparalleled expertise to collectors worldwide.
Rachel Koffsky Parker began her career at Christie’s in 2014 as a Specialist in the Handbags & Accessories department. In 2017, Rachel relocated to London to bring the Handbags & Accessories department to King Street. In her role as Associate Director, Head of Sale, EMEA, Rachel presided over the first 100% white-glove live Handbags auction in 2019, and the launch of King Street online auctions, which also achieved 100% sold in its premiere season. In 2021, Rachel was named VP, International Senior Specialist, and was instrumental in bringing to market the first single-owner collections of Handbags to appear at auction, both in Paris and in Milan. Rachel is also responsible for the strategic partnership initiatives at Christie’s including the 2020 Marnifesto auction of runway pieces created by Marni, sold to benefit Alliance of Artists Communities and the Christie’s x Gucci Vault partnership.
In 2022, Rachel was appointed SVP, International Head of Department, Handbags & Accessories. She currently oversees international strategy, in addition to advising clients on their Handbag collections. She is an expert in designer handbags and accessories, with extensive experience in Hermès, Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Fendi and more. Rachel is also an auctioneer at Christie’s and has been at the podium/ on the rostrum in New York, London and Geneva.
Rachel is from Connecticut and holds degrees in History of Art and Mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. She frequently lectures internationally on the topic of the Handbag & Luxury markets, and has been featured or quoted in publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, the BBC, FT How to Spend It, Barron’s, and more.
Kiara is the Associate Specialist of Handbags & Accessories. She assists with authentication, cataloging, marketing and client relations. She brings extensive luxury authentication and appraisal experience. Kiara has spent her career working primarily with handbags and small leather goods, starting as an intern at Marc Jacobs followed by working within the luxury resale space where she developed deep knowledge of Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and more. She studied Fashion Merchandising and Marketing in college, however handbags have been lifelong passion and she continues to research and study them today.
Based in Hong Kong, Winsy Tsang is Senior Vice President and Head of Handbags & Accessories at Christie’s Asia Pacific. Winsy’s primary responsibilities include business getting, client advisory and market analysis to facilitate the growth of this rapidly expanding category in the region.
Under Winsy’s leadership, Christie’s has led the auction market for handbags and accessories in Asia, and the category has become one of the primary gateways for new and younger buyers. In 2022, Christie’s handbags and accessories sales in Hong Kong achieved a total of US$18 million, the highest annual sale total for the category globally. In 2021, an Hermès Himalaya Niloticus Diamond Kelly 28 sold in Hong Kong for US$515,416, becoming the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction globally.
Prior to joining Christie’s, Winsy was in charge of Merchandising at Louis Vuitton, overseeing its Leather Goods and Accessories business in North Asia. She has over 15 years of valuable experience in the luxury handbag field as a product specialist and buyer, and applies these skills to the curation of market enhancing sales at Christie’s.
Winsy holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Finance from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.
Jerry acquires his professional knowledge to luxury with his working experiences. Prior to joining Christie’s Hong Kong in 2019, Jerry worked in Hermès Taipei, allowing him to gain an in-depth understanding to the styles, materials and trends of luxury handbags. As the specialist of the department, Jerry assists the overall operation of the team. With Jerry’s creativity and attention to detail, Jerry is in charge of marketing and cataloguing for the department.
Jerry holds a master’s degree in hospitality management from Florida International University.
Vanessa brings with her a wealth of Luxury and Fashion retail experience. Prior to joining Christie’s Hong Kong, Vanessa started her career in Designer Bridal Room which offers luxury culture bridal brands like Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Karl Lagerfeld and Valentino. Vanessa has mastered diverse materials and fashion trends. Vanessa then joined other luxury brands at Louis Vuitton and Hermès in retail operations, demonstrating her passion in handbags. Gaining an in-depth understanding of luxury handbags and accessories from work experiences, Vanessa assists the department on inspection and authentication, cataloguing, consignment valuation and client relations. Having an eye for aesthetics and luxury fashion, Vanessa is also in charge of exhibitions and visual merchandising.
Lucile Andreani is the Head of Department for Handbags & Accessories at Christie’s, based in Paris. With over a decade of experience and an exceptional track record of market leadership, Lucile has been instrumental in defining and expanding the global handbag auction market at Christie’s. Her vision and expertise have shaped the category’s evolution, from achieving record-breaking results to curating landmark single-owner sales that set new benchmarks in luxury collecting.
Since joining Christie’s in 2013, Lucile has played a pivotal role in developing the department across Paris, London, and Hong Kong. She contributed to Europe’s first dedicated Handbags live auction in March 2015, launched the London sales in 2017, and established the King Street online auctions—cementing Christie’s position at the forefront of the luxury market.
Upon returning to Paris in 2022, Lucile led Most Collectible Bags: An Important European Private Collection, achieving 100% of lots sold and €2.3 million in total, a milestone moment for the category in Europe. That same year, she spearheaded Inside the Orange Box: A Lifetime of Collecting, which continued across Milan and Amsterdam to reach €5.9 million and 220% of the low estimate.
In 2024, Lucile curated the first-ever single-owner auction dedicated to Louis Vuitton trunks—Legendary Trunks: A European Private Collection—which achieved a world record price for the category. With its second part in 2025, the collection realized a total of €3.5 million. The dual sales Unlocking the Orange Dream in November 2024 and April 2025 further underscored the market’s strength, both selling 100% of lots for a combined total of €3 million. Most recently, the April 2025 Paris online auction achieved a record €4.4 million, the highest ever for the EMEA region.
As the driving force behind these landmark results, Lucile is a trusted advisor to collectors worldwide seeking to acquire or sell the most coveted handbags and trunks. She oversees sourcing, curation, and sales strategy across EMEA, bringing a rare blend of connoisseurship, market insight, and commercial acumen to every project.
Lucile holds a Master’s degree in the Art Market from La Sorbonne, and previously studied Law, Art History, and Economics. She is fluent in French and English, with conversational proficiency in German.
Eva-Yoko is an Associate Specialist at the Handbags Department at Christie’s Paris, joining the team in 2023.
She started her auction career in 2008, with over a decade of experience in the luxury handbags market, Eva-Yoko has specialized in organizing prestigious Luxury handbags auctions in Paris and Europe working with renowned international auction houses.
As an Associate Specialist she is involved in various aspects of the business including handbags valuations, obtaining consignments, client relation, authentication, cataloguing and ensuring that each items is accurately represented and reaches its maximum potential at auction.
She is fluent in speaking French, Polish, English and Spanish, and is conversational in Japanese and Portuguese.
