When Minks4All uploaded this video in regards to the 10 discontinued bags on her radar, it motivated me to write this blog post. As someone who thinks so long and hard about her purchases, there have been many instances where I’ve been offered something and I either:
1. didn’t want to go into debt for the item
2. just purchased another item recently
3. had some other thing going on in life and didn’t feel right splurging at that moment
P.S. Her original tag featured 10 bags and although I probably could have found another bag to finish off the list; it didn’t feel right due to the fact that these 9 bags are the only ones that I would consider buying at this point.
So enjoy my 9 picks!
Without further ado, let’s begin:
1. Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 in Blanc Watercolor:
This beautiful piece was part of a Spring/Summer 2008 collection collaboration between Marc Jacobs and Richard Prince. Although I would consider myself a luxury lover of sorts, I am no art connoisseur so the name Richard Prince was a mystery to me. Richard Prince is an American painter/fashion photographer that famously manipulated mass-marketed media in the late 70’ties to show how easily swayed consumers are by media that portray bias and stereotypes.
I discovered this bag in the early 2010’s via the internet. Despite how stunning this piece was, I only stared from afar since I was drowning in student loans, homework, and studying. I was in no place to make such an extravagant purchase, but perhaps some day!
2. Louis Vuitton Kabuki Speedy 30:
With the recent passing of Kansai Yamamoto, this bag has climbed all the way to the top of my list. This piece was part of the Kabuki Collection that launched in 2017 as part of 2018 Cruise. It was a collaboration between Nicolas Ghesquiere and Kansai Yamamoto. In case you are not aware of who Kansai Yamamoto was; he was more well known as David Bowie’s costumer.
I had the pleasure of attending the capsule runway show in the NYC Louis Vuitton HQ on 57th and 5th. When I first saw this collection, I was absolutely enamored by the Daruma Dolls. I walked away with a pre-order receipt for the 4 Key Cle, but in retrospect the Speedy 30 should have been my splurge of the year.
3. Louis Vuitton Montaigne BB in Lila:
If I could describe myself in a luxury bag, this beautiful embossed Empreinte Montaigne BB in the color Lila would be it! Lila is a cross between a periwinkle and a lavender, essentially making it the color of my soup.
This combination was launched as a limited edition in Spring of 2014, no bags were purchased — I was still drowning in student loans.
4. Chanel Chevron Statement Flap Bag in Iridescent Beige:
The Chanel Statement Flap is a seasonal style that first debuted in the Fall collection of 2018. During Fall-Winter season a majority of the statement flaps were in calfskin which are more prone to scratches. However, the following year in Fall of 2019 they launched the bag in Iridescent Beige — but I was so blind-sided by the 19S Iridescent Beige that I let this one slip by.
Between the countless purchases and price increases — I am becoming a stronger advocate for seasonal flaps that mimic the look of a classic flap, but have an alluring 25% price difference.
5. Chanel Reissue 225/226 in Medium Beige:
Personally, I would choose a Reissue over a Classic Flap any day, simply because it’s so understated, elegant, and the epitome of Gabrielle Chanel. This beautiful bag is a highly sought after color that was launched in 2017. Truthfully, I searched high and low for the 225 size and before I knew it, even the 226 size ones were completely sold out.
I first saw this bag featured in Mel in Melbourne’s video and fell head over heels because I think I only owned a pre-loved Black Reissue with Aged Gold Hardware in the 226 size at the time. I thought to myself that if I could have a black and a beige version, I would have a complete collection… yeah okay, keep lying to yourself honey. Haha!
6. Chanel Small Classic Flap in Iridescent Blue Grained Lambskin (Caviar):
If I ever had to verbalize and compare myself to a Chanel classic flap, this bag would be it.
I was never able to find the small size in the U.S. market, but I had the wonderful privilege of trying this bag on in the medium/large size. This color was launched as part of the 19S unicorn iridescent grained lambskin collection. The grained lambskin made this bag more pliable than some of the thicker smoother lambskin bags. It was obvious that for this collection Chanel did not want to give up lambskin’s ability to pick up color, so they made it into a grained texture to provide more durability and ultimately turning it into the look of ‘caviar’.
7. Celine Horse Carriage Canvas Bag (Sulky):
Next up is a classic vintage Celine piece, back when Celine still utilized the horse carriage in combination with their monogram canvas.
It is a shame that Phobe Philo left Celine before the re-launch of this style. It was rumored that in the next season, Celine was going to bring back their horse carriage closure details aligning with all the fashion houses reissuing throw-back pieces.
If you are an avid lover of Celine bags, you can tell that this bag looks very similar to the current day Box Bag. The interior even features the same type of accordion style compartmentalization.
8. Dior Small Diorama Flap Bag:
The next bag on this list is the Dior Diorama in size Small Grained Calfskin and Shiny Gold Hardware.
This is a beautiful Chanel Boy Bag alternative at an almost 30% savings. In comparison, the Diorama also has significantly better structure than the Boy Bag. The bottom of the Diorama rarely sags and the gussets on the sides do not leave any gaping holes so your lip products and pens will remain safely secured inside the bag. Additionally, the Diorama has a traditional adjustable strap versus the bolted version on the Boy Bag which gets caught in my long hair EVERY SINGLE TIME.
9. Hermes Garden Party Tote 30 (TPM) in Gris Asphalt:
This beauty is one of my BIGGEST regrets, I was offered this bag in the CDG Airport Hermes on our way flying out of Paris. At the time I had already splurged on the trip and could not justify adding this beautiful piece to my collection. This was the ultimate combination for me — in the newly released color of 2019, Gris Asphalt in the Country Leather. Little did I know how hard it was going to be for me to come by this bag after that unexpected offer at the airport. It is rare to see the Garden Party Bag in Country Leather, but even more rare in the Gris Asphalt color.
There is one thing that I am sure of, over the years I’ve learned more and more about Hermes colors and leathers and feel much more confident about choosing a bag that is 100% suitable to my taste. And although perhaps Hermes wont launch this color a few years from now — I am sure there will be another color that will fancy my interest.
Well, that is the end of another wonderful YouTube inspired blog post. Hope that you had as much fun reading through my picks as I did writing this post. If you have any favorites that you think I should look into, comment below and I would love to see what may have tickled your fancy!
Remember to stay safe and vigilant.
Disclaimer: Please note that all images unmarked are my own and those marked are credited and not intended for any copyright infringement. All images and links are not affiliated. This post is not sponsored and not paid for, all opinions are my own and always will be.