Louis Vuitton is a French heritage luxury brand. Out of the top 3 luxury brands (Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton) LV has always been the more affordable option.
The Classic Speedy 30 silhouette was first introduced in 1930. The 30 stands for the measurement across the length of the bag which is 30 centimeters. The Speedy 25 was a later addition to the canvas family in 1959 when Audrey Hepburn sent in a special request to make her a smaller version of the Keepall travel holdall.
2. Speedy 30 LVxJeff Koons Fragonard
3. Speedy 30 LV Kabuki Collection
Photos are courtesy of Fashionphile.com
The Speedy comes in many different sizes, such as the nano, the BB (newest addition), the 25, the 30, the 35, and the 40. It also comes in two versions, one with just the top handles (classic) and the re-vamped ‘bandouliere’ version which features a two piece adjustable crossbody strap. Any speedy look-alikes above 40 such as the 45, 50, and 55 will belong in the Keepall range because they feature the two vertical reinforcement leather trimmings to refrain the bag from sagging down the center. The Speedy style is also offered in a variety of materials such as epi leather, monogram canvas, damier ebene canvas, damier azur canvas, world tour monogram, and limited editions screen prints.
So did I purchase a Speedy Bandouliere 25($1610) or Speedy Bandouliere 30($1640)?
I struggled for the longest time in choosing between the Speedy B 25, or the Speedy B 30 and which piece would be the more practical addition to my collection. It was quite frankly a hard decision and I couldn’t justify owning both of them because they share an identical silhouette. The criteria for my new go-to bag had to be able to survive New York City’s four seasons within a day and fit my essentials, planner, and lunch. So originally, I purchased the Speedy B 30 because when worn as a shoulder bag or crook-of-the-arm bag it looked wonderful. However, as time went on and I came to realize that the Speedy bags are a bit of a black hole, wearing it crossbody while it was packed looked ridiculous on my petite frame. Due to this reason the Speedy B 30 went on to another lovely owner as I went to hunt down and purchase the Speedy B 25.
The Speedy 25 B was an awesome purchase due to the fact that it fits everything I need without too much extra room for sagging. It’s also great to be able to have a bag that is more compact especially during those early morning days when public transportation is packed to the brim.
THE 3 PRO FACTORS:
1. Damier Ebene: Pairing of signature ‘ebony’ treated leather
The treated leather is present on the edges, trims, chaps and handles. Unlike the untreated leather (vachetta) on the monogram pieces, this leather makes the bag essentially water-proof. It will be able to sustain New York City’s four seasons in one day type weather and I wouldn’t have to lookup the weather report prior to grabbing it and running out the door.
2. Bandouliere: the two part adjustable strap
The bandouliere provides a lot more versatility to the bag, unlike it’s classic sister the original speedy with only the two top handles which only allows for you to carry it two ways. The Speedy is like a black-hole type of bag, since the capacity is quite big and not restricted often times it can store more than you may think. Since it can hold so much, the bag can get really heavy. It’s not ideal to only have a hand-held or crook of the arm to carry a ton of weight. You will either have red marks on your arm, or have very tired hands and shoulder.
3. Interior Color: bright red ‘cerise’ canvas interior
The red is actually a beautiful color when paired with dark leather trims and canvas. It is not your typical black, but also not the monogram beige which doesn’t keep clean for long. The red allows for you to search for your small leather goods and other items easily since they don’t all blend into the bag.
THE 3 CONS FACTORS:
1. Hardware Issues: Tarnishing
You may be wondering why this ranks as the first con since there is minimal hardware on this bag, so where exactly is the tarnishing? Due to the fact that this is a newer bag it is not made of the same hardware as the ones produced during the 90ties. This hardware has probably seen better days for sure. My zipper pull tabs have chips on the gold, as well as spotty tarnished areas on the hardware keeping the chaps in tacted. The zipper itself has also gotten a little bit tarnished near the ends. This perhaps may be due to the fact that I’ve worn it in a few rain storms with no umbrella and the rain’s acidity may have deteriorated the coating.
2. Black-hole Capacity: Contents may be hard to find
In my experience, there are two ways to keep this bag organized — on the days when I have a ton of stuff to place in the bag including my lunch container, water bottle, planner, umbrella and essentials the bag can be very well organized because there is little to no wiggle room. On the days when I only have my wallet, keys, planner and a bottle of water in the bag it becomes cumbersome to find things in the bag without digging for a good 30 seconds at the check-out line. In order to resolve this issue I purchased a bag organizer just for these instances. The organizer also helps to keep the shape of the bag when it is not in use so it does serve a duo-purpose.
3. Roundness of the Bag: Rounder shape impacting how the bag sits
Due to the Speedy having a rounder shape, the bag does not sit the best when using it on the crossbody setting. When the bag is super packed, the entire bag basically bulges away from your body and makes unzipping the bag very fussy.
Ultimately, my final thoughts?
So at this point you may be wondering what do I really think of this bag. I personally would still recommend someone purchasing the Speedy B 25 in Damier Ebene. This bag offers a classic look of Louis Vuitton without being insanely priced. Had the World Tour version not cost an an extra arm, I think I would have also really enjoyed the Monogram with the black trim. However, just judging for price comparison I wasn’t able to justify the premium I would have to pay just to get that item along with the mandatory sticker. Items with personalization in general do not sell well and do not maintain their value on the market.
If you do not intend to cram everything and the kitchen sink into this bag, the 25 is a wonderful size, but if you intend to carry a lot more then the 30 and 35 may be a more ideal size for you. If you’re looking to fit a notebook into this bag the 30 will morph your notebook and make it look extra bent. For the notebook to stand up decently straight without bending it may require the 35.
The Speedy is a classic piece within the Louis Vuitton line, this is a style that will probably never faze out because it represents a quintessential part of Louis Vuitton history. When purchasing Louis Vuitton canvas pieces that are classic, I would say avoid clouding yourself with the thoughts of ‘Everyone already has this bag’. If you like the bag and it fits your lifestyle, there isn’t anything wrong with your sister-in-law liking the same bag that you do. It should come down to how often you will use a piece and if it serves a purpose in your life. If you can afford the version with the strap, I would recommend that over the classic piece because it provides more versatility. On the days that you only intend to carry very little and would prefer the classic speedy look the strap can be removed for hand held usage only. And yet on days when you intend to carry a lot of items for a day of errands it’s very useful to have a shoulder/crossbody strap as an option.
Keep your eyes peeled because I will be posting a part 2 to the comparison series on what alternative bags I have in mind that you may want to consider if you like this concept but are weary of some of the cons that have been previously discussed.
Disclaimer: The pictures shown on this page belong to either Louisvuitton.com or Fashionphile.com. None of the photos have affiliated links nor do I have an affiliation with either party. This post is not sponsored and not paid for, all opinions are my own.