Luxury is often seen as superfluous, something you don’t really need. Nevertheless, for decades, we have been fascinated and buy all kinds of luxury items, such as a Chanel or Hermès bag. A lot has changed in the past year, but our fascination for luxury has remained, even increased. A handbag from your favourite luxury and fashion brand seemed to be a smart investment for many during the repeating lockdowns and perhaps a reminder of the pre-corona times. Apart from the mainly aesthetic aspect, each bag has its own story linked to an inspiring person or a pioneering designer. Curious about the stories that make these bags so unique? Then you’ve come to the right place!
1/ Chanel: Le 2.55
The bag we are about to start with is sometimes called the holy grail of leather goods. This 16 × 24 × 7.5 cm large accessory is an original creation by the one and only Gabrielle Chanel. She decided to keep both the design and the name rather simple. 2.55 stands for February 1955, the date on which this bag was released. Next, the practical approach can be found in the 7 different compartments. This way, you can effortlessly find everything and avoid a dung heap in your handbag.
Do you love this bag? You can find more info here: https://www.chanel.com/nl/mode/p/A37586Y04634C3906/2-55-handtas-verouderd-kalfsleer-goudkleurig-metaal/ ( Chanel, 6 100 euro)
https://www.chanel.com/nl/mode/p/A92236Y6076794305/flap-bag-met-hengsel-lamsleer-goudkleurig-metaal/ (Chanel, €4 800)
2/ Fendi: baguette
Talking of classics, it is with great pleasure that we present the Baguette, a handbag launched by the Italian fashion house Fendi in 1997. The name Baguette is a reference to the cliché image that exists of the French returning home with their fresh baguette under their arm. This long-legged bag was and still is incredibly popular due to its handy size and rather simplistic look.
Discover the many colours and formats yourself, at:
https://www.fendi.com/be/sacs/femme-sacs/baguette-8bs017a72vf15zw (Fendi, 1 700 euros)
3/ Hermès: the kelly
It is not often that a bag is renamed after a famous person. In 1950, 50 years after the first version was released, the then brand new princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly was spotted carrying this Hermès bag on several occasions. The photos made the bag so famous that the French luxury brand decided to name it after Grace Kelly herself. The bag, designed in 1892 by Émile-Maurice Hermès, was used as a saddlebag and was named Haut à courroies. Later in 1935, Robert Dumas modified the design and gave it the name Sac à dépêches. Looking at the Kelly, it has a trapezoid shape with two triangular inserts, a cut-out flap, a handle and finally two side straps. The look created with this bag is classic yet elegant.
Looking for this kind of bag? Have a look at this site:
https://www.hermes.com/be/en/story/106196-kelly-eu-en/?s=The%20kelly%20bag (Hermès, 11 000 euros)
4/ yves saint laurent: loulou
Most of the greatest artists have a personal muse. For Yves Saint Laurent it was no different, his close friend and muse Loulou De La Fallaise was almost always present when he worked on a new collection. In a book called Loulou & Yves, the designer even described her presence as a dream. Loulou designed jewellery for the French luxury brand and as highest of haute bohemian, she is looked upon as an inspirational fashion icon.
It has to do with her manner, her straightforwardness…I can’t explain her job…My working methods are lighter and less anxious now that Loulou is here. I trust her reactions – Yves Saint Laurent
It is no wonder, then, that Yves chose to name one of his creations after her. The shoulder bag is very popular and quickly became one of the essentials of the brand’s accessory range. It is a rectangular, soft but sturdy quilted bag, finished with a fishbone shape and the unmistakable initial YSL. The Loulou comes in different styles and colours. You can go for the matte leather look, or draw attention with the patent leather version.
The Loulou is available from these links:
https://www.ysl.com/en-be/mini-bags/loulou-toy-bag-in-y-quilted-patent-leather-6309512IU1J1000.html (Yves Saint-Lauren, 2 000 euros)
https://www.ysl.com/en-be/loulou/loulou-toy-bag-in-matelasse–y–leather-630951DV7071000.html (Yves Saint-Laurent, 1 000 euros)
5/ dior: lady dior
Christian Dior found inspiration for the design of the Lady Dior bag in the pattern on Napoleon III’s chairs, also called Cannage motif. Later, in 1995, Lady Diana, then the Princess of Wales, was given this bag as a welcome gift by the President of France Jacques Chirac and the French First lady Bernadette Chirac. Lady Diana immediately adored this exclusive example of French savoir-faire and took it everywhere with her. Thus, the bag became world-famous and very popular to this day. There is something for everyone when it comes to size, colour and motif. Metal charms in the letter D.I.O.R. are indispensable and refer to the rattling charms that Christian Dior always carried in his pocket.
Discover for yourself the French savoir-faire by:
https://www.dior.com/nl_be/products/couture-M0565OREY_M919-middelgrote-lady-d-lite-tas-beige-cannage-borduursel (Dior, 3 600 euros)
6/ jacquemus: le chiquito
The last bag we introduce is the youngest of this list. The young but very talented designer, from Marseille, Simon Jacquemus started his own brand in the year 2009 and quickly made a name for himself and his brand in the fashion world. The summer 2018 collection called La Bomba was a breaking point for the fame of Jacquemus. It was also here that the world was introduced to the ultra small purse called Le Chiquito, now called the mini Chiquito. At the end of 2019 Fashion Week, the purse that measures amper 7 cm was given the title of smallest purse. Very quickly, it was spotted on many red carpets and around the bodies of several A-Listers such as: Hailey Bieber, Rihanna and Kendall Jenner. Without a doubt, this little bag has had a great influence on the prestige that the brand has today. Like the other Jacquemus collections, this accessory comes in fun, bright colours and patterns.
Get your own copy by:
https://www.jacquemus.com/product/le-chiquito-moyen-pink (Jacquemus, 620 euros)
The quality of these luxury accessories is extremely good, they last for years. Today, it is very simple to sell or buy a bag through a resale store or online webstore.
- Fashion Phile, https://www.fashionphile.com/
- Luxury Garage Sale, https://luxurygaragesale. com/
- Vestaire Collective, https://fr.vestiairecollective.com/
- StockX, https://stockx.com/
- TheRealReal, https://www.therealreal.com/
- Rebag, https://www.rebag.com/
- The Luxury Closet, https://theluxurycloset.com/
If you decide to buy a bag from one of these sites, it is very important to pay attention to a few things. You should buy from a seller who is transparent with his communication about the item, and do some research to find out the exact value of the item. This will prevent you from buying at too high a price. Please also check the return policy of the website should you be dissatisfied with your purchase. The important thing is that you spend your money on something that will make you happy for many years to come!
Do you want more style inspiration? Go visit our PureStyle page!
