The Bow Bag Trend: Chanel vs Valentino
June 25, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Alicia
The Bow Bag Trend: Chanel vs Valentino
To some, the bow is a cutesy, feminine little twist while to others, it’s one of those tacky adornments that’s often referred to as a bride’s maid’s nightmare. But lately, we’ve seen designers such as Valentino add a stylish bow to some of their handbags and smaller purses or clutches. And honestly, I use to be on the other side, in total fear of my future bride’s maid dress having one of those gigantic bows on the lower back. Ok, so how does that relate to handbags? Well now, after seeing the latest bow trend emerge from high end handbag designers like Valentino and Chanel, I’ve completely changed my view. They’ve taken this trend to a totally different level by minimizing the tackyness and turning a giant sized bow into a purse. So let’s now talk about the Valentino Bow Clutch vs the Chanel Satin Bow bag.
We’ll start with the Chanel version since it came out first. When I saw this bag after it’s debut, I loved it. A huge giant sized satin black bow with detailed pleating, a touch of classic Chanel diamond shaped quilting, and new-style CC closure – it seemed like such an elegant, more formal bag with an emphasis on feminiity, obviously, from the oversized bow shape. And also, the chain strap added a true Chanel feel to this piece. The size of this one is on the bigger side, measuring 19″ by 16″ with a 9″ strap drop length. But honestly, I don’t know how I’d feel carrying this one all dressed up for an event or special occasion. I pesonally think it would have been better suited as a smaller bag. And what’s the price tag on this one? Well, I’m not sure of the exact price but there is currently one on ebay going for $2,100. Now I definitely would never pay that much for this, unless of course I had the money to blow.
After every original design, those that are inspired by it are always just around the corner. With that said, it looks like perhaps Valentino loved Chanel’s idea of turning a big bow into a handbag. The second photo pictured above shows Valentino’s Bow Clutch in red, and it comes with a detachable strap. It also comes in pink and black satin. Personally, I think the red is a bit too loud and reminds me how bows can be tacky in the first place. But I think the black version is more subtle and very elegant. As for the size of this one, I’m not exactly sure but it is called a “clutch”, so I’m assuming it’s a smaller purse and more fit for an evening out. The price tag is much less than the Chanel bag, but is still hefty at $1,095. I also wouldn’t pay that much for this one.
So out of the two in the bow bag battle, I’d have to say that I like the Chanel Satin Bow Bag better than the Valentino Bow Clutch. The reason being is that the Chanel bag just looks nicer overall, whereas the Valenitno doesn’t have the nice chain strap and whose appearance is more bow-ish. But I’m definitely a fan of the new bow-shaped handbag trend.
See the Valentino Bow Clutch over at Neimans, and the Chanel Satin Bow Bag can be found at Chanel
To tell you the truth, I’m not really sure why I zeroed in on this bag. It certainly isn’t my cup of tea. And yet, its so different from anything else I’ve seen. The shape is very unusual and vintage-looking. And I was astonished to learn that this bag is convertible. I never would have guessed that the bag could be folded over and converted to a shoulder bag. It’s still not something I could see myself carrying, but for some reason it is starting to grow on me. What can I say? It’s my love for Foley + Corinna that makes me think twice about this tote.
