I know it’s still below freezing for some of you, but all the stores are in full Spring mode these days. In fact, I sneaked out for a bit to view the Chanel 2011 Printemps trunk show today and thought I’d blog about it while the images are still fresh in my mind. Now, I have to say I’ve been dying to see the flap bags with the lion clasps in person after having seen a few photos on the Internet. And sure enough, there was a medium black chevron flap with the silver lion today. You didn’t see me write medium black chevron flap with the silver lion like that or in all caps because I was, well, a bit underwhelmed (next four photos courtesy of a sales associate)…
It didn’t look like a wow bag. I adored how the turnlock was inside the lion’s mouth, but the lion itself didn’t seem to be as sturdy or well made as the one on my flaps from a few seasons before. Sigh. Plus this store only bought the leo flaps in black. Double sigh. The evening flat clutch version, which was done in the classic diamond quilting and not chevron…
was even more hohum. Make that a triple sigh.
I saw the caviar flaps and reissues in various colors. The pale gold (matte metallic) lambskin jumbo was a bit yummy but not delicious enough to get on my buy list:
And I don’t know what was wrong but I did not love the leather on the new 2.55 (reissue) flaps. And that highly anticipated Chain Me collection that’s supposed to seduce us after the very popular Chain Around collection? Loved the design, but hated the leather…the leather looked like vinyl. Was it vinyl??
Everything was just…eh.
But then I turned around and saw this bag locked inside the glass case:
I swear to you I’m not smoking anything funny for recreational or medical purposes, but I thought this bag sprouted arms that reached out for my embrace. Take me home, now! So I had to take a closer look…
which revealed that it will retail for $7800. Ouch. Those imaginary arms? I’m going to need the extra hands that come with them to rob a bank to fund this little number! But holy Chanel, Batman, it’s an extraordinary bag. White lambskin–can we please get any more high maintenance?–with black lace/paillettes embroidered in a garden pattern. Remember that crazy expensive black dress I contemplated a few blog entries ago? Wouldn’t it look fab with this purse? I could pay for one year of your kid’s private tuition with that combo! I’ll definitely have to be smoking something to justify buying this bag.
Anyway, so basically the bags from the trunk show left me deflated. I can honestly say only that garden bag and the electric blue messenger bag (with a cool adjustable chain) in my first photo made any kind of impression on me. I’m happy to have the bags in my current collection and don’t see adding on to it with anything from the spring collection.
That’s what I told myself anyway, until I walked over to another store’s Chanel boutique and ran into the silver version of the clutch…
Hello, Leo! How you doin’! 😀
featherhand: does the clutch come in bronze?!? i only saw it in the metallic silver but bronze would be incredible!
I love that leo bag too – I have the old flap that was issued like 5 years ago (think you have it as well)? I’d be interested in the clutch in bronze…hmm
Larkie, if you do decide to get the pale gold matte metallic jumbo, and then decide to give it up for adoption, i call first dibs 🙂
thanks for the info larkie! love love love your blog!
hi lisa, that blue bag was actually pretty cool; i think it’s called the “glint” collection or something like that? also comes in the rectangular flap shape–price point around 2100ish for the one pictured. i liked the finish on the leather–feels coated. the color is simply amazing in person. it also comes in black. i was thinking it would make a good weekend/travel bag that you don’t have to baby too much. i sure wish they’d used the adjustable chain contraption on the Chain Around bags!!
hey D, that silver leo is metallic lamb, so it looks coated, and prob won’t look as wrinkly/distressed as the black one i saw at the trunk show. but even in my pic you can see the wrinkling at the bottom of the bag…they showed me a pic of the red chevron leo and while i loved the color, i’m not sure i could live with the leather–seemed so flimsy/thin on the sample black…nothing as hardy as my vintage lamb! wah!
@sophia: i hear ya–i’m not sure what’s a really good work bag that’s not super heavy from chanel either. and i didn’t really see anything worth splurging for at the trunk show 🙁
@jel: ya, i keep hoping they’d bring the original leo back in different sizes so i could get a larger one!
hi Larkie,
what are your thoughts on the blue messaged from the first pic? do u have any info on it? Thanks!
Larkie, is the silver leo in satin or lamb? Hoping that it is in lamb! I’m underwhelmed with the Leo collection as well.
I agree with you!
Ran to Chanel yesterday after I got my bonus number (I’m in banking) but could not find anything I liked! So instead bought PS1 Keep All bag. I was waiting so long for a good work bag from Chanel but gave up….
yup.. u are right..
it is kinda .. mehhh..
nothing can beat your chanel leo flap.
wish i could find it on ebay but still no sign of it.. sigh..
yeah, i’m a late-chanel-bloomer!