Old Bags Luncheon™ Expands Its Global Fundraising Vision With New Focus on London and Dubai

Palm Beach and Greenwich, Connecticut, have largely been the epicenters for extravagant luncheons, where tables fill quickly, and philanthropy arrives dressed in couture clothing. Old Bags Luncheon™ took shape inside that environment nearly three decades ago, though founder Eileen Cornacchia insists the concept was always more than a spectacle. 

“Fundraising doesn’t require a solemn expression to create serious results. I believe the most sustainable way to do good for the world is to make the act of giving as rewarding and fulfilling as possible for everyone involved,” she says. 

Driven by that philosophy, Old Bags Luncheon™ transformed into one of the more distinctive fundraising events across charitable circles today. Built around the auctioning of luxury handbags, whether they’re vintage, designer, gently used, or new, the company has developed a format that Cornacchia notes consistently generates substantial funding for nonprofit organizations while creating an experience attendees actively want to revisit. 

Today, Old Bags Luncheon™ formally operates as an internationally trademarked fundraising brand with events and licensing activity extending through the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Cornacchia highlights that expansion into Japan is nearing completion, with interest continuing to emerge in new markets. She adds that the attention has recently shifted toward the United Kingdom and the GCC,  where the company is actively exploring opportunities with established charities capable of housing large-scale events. 

Cornacchia says, “When you look at cities like London and Dubai, you see two cities that love philanthropy just as much as they love luxury. For our luncheons, that is the perfect mix. The opportunity to drive real charitable impact in markets that appreciate a beautiful event is exactly why we seek to come there.” Dubai and the broader GCC area, she adds, present a strong market because of their proliferating international population and large English-speaking community.

Operationally, the structure of Old Bags Luncheon™ follows a structured approach. Cornacchia notes that participating charities can license the Old Bags Luncheon™ trademark and receive a detailed framework covering logistics, event pacing, auction planning, donor engagement, sponsorship structure, and productive strategy. For the first year, Cornacchia remains personally involved throughout the process, conducting calls and consultations with organizers to maintain consistency across markets. 

Cornacchia highlights the brand’s scalability, noting that it’s become one of the company’s defining strengths. Most expansions, she adds, have emerged organically through attendees who experienced the event firsthand and recognized its potential within their own communities. 

“Almost every event that I signed on to in every country came from somebody who had been to one,” she says. Guests attended a luncheon in Palm Beach or Saratoga, then returned home believing the format could support their own local causes. 

Palm Beach remains the company’s cultural anchor. Next year marks the event’s 28th year there, a level of longevity Cornacchia believes reflects the area’s donor enthusiasm and the structure’s durability. Celebrity involvement has elevated visibility over time, including keynote appearances from Martha Stewart and Priscilla Presley. 

Cornacchia emphasizes the importance of emotional tone within fundraising spaces. Charitable events, in her view, should leave attendees energized, not emotionally depleted. Organizers are actively encouraged to avoid presentations that shift the experience into guilt or sadness. “Leave them with a good taste in their mouths,” she says. “Not with a sad story.”

From her perspective, that approach has also made the model commercially attractive to organizations seeking sustainable donor retention. Events, she highlights, often sell out rapidly, with children’s charities, women’s organizations, hospitals, and research institutions remaining central to the company’s outreach strategy. 

Cornacchia notes that the ideal partner or buyer must already possess significant community presence and donor infrastructure. “It should be a charity that already has a footprint. Large mailing lists, established supporters, and recognizable institutional trust allow the format to scale efficiently within a market,” she says. 

Her plans ahead include broader licensing and acquisition opportunities. Interested organizations can purchase regional trademark rights, international rights, or potentially acquire the business outright. Cornacchia says long-term stewardship has become increasingly important to her. “I welcome organizations to contact me personally to discuss the viability of their charity’s ability to host an event. Direct contact is always valuable,” she says. “Expansion and future acquisition, however, remain the priority.” 

Luxury handbags certainly provide a stunning visual centerpiece to each event, but Old Bags Luncheon™ ultimately trades in a far more enduring belief that generosity can still gather a room together; and that, ultimately, is the message Cornacchia aims to spread across the world.