chloe bags and purses

Ever since Clare Waight Keller took the top creative spot at Chloe, I’ve been an unrepentant fangirl. Waight Keller has required an incredibly short turnaround time to set the brand back on a chic path that many had felt it lost after the exit of Phoebe Philo several years ago, and the collections, from ready-to-wear to accessories to shoes, have all improved by leaps and bounds in just over a year. I’ve been impatiently anticipating the arrival of Chloe’s next big bag for that entire time, and now that it’s ostensibly here, I’m…underwhelmed.

You probably recognize the Chloe Angie Tote from the brand’s Spring 2012 ads on everything from fashion magazines to bus shelters, not to mention that the brand seems to have made a push to get it into the hands of taste-making celebrities (most notably so far, the new Olsen). Usually, a brand picks well when choosing a piece to promote this heavily, and I’d expect that from Chloe in particular. After all, if anyone should know the power of an It Bag, it’s Chloe. But the Angie? I’m not convinced, not by a mile.

There’s just not much here to like. The Angie is simple, but it’s not simple in an exceptionally clean, modern way like bags from Celine or The Row. The tote straps are awkwardly long and out of proportion with the rest of the bag, which would normally serve a function purpose (shoulder carrying) that seems to already be covered by the long shoulder strap. The curved, zipper-closed top opening is prominent and serves as the bag’s main design feature, but it, too, feels proportionally awkward (not to mention a bit unfinished because of the zipper treatment).

So what am I missing here, you guys? Someone explain this bag’s appeal to me, because it seems to be selling reasonably well. To me, the price of $1995 via Neiman Marcus seems a bit steep for what you get.

We are not accustomed to Chloe having a cursive C emblem on the front of their bags. Actually, so not accustomed to this that I had to not only do a double take but also a triple take to make sure this was the Chloe brand we know so well.

The rest of this bag is entirely simplistic, as an alligator shoulder bag should be. The Chloe Emma Alligator Shoulder Bag shows sleek and sophisticated dark brown alligator skin and golden hardware. It is the golden hardware that caught my eye which is where we see this new emblem Chloe is using. I must say, the accessories from Chloe the past few seasons have not been as strong as others. Available via NAP for £5,805.

What do you think of this bag?

I don’t like to dance on anyone’s grave (sorry, Hannah MacGibbon), but Clare Waight Keller’s second collection as the creative director of Chloe hits it out of the park even harder than the first one did, particularly when it comes to handbags. Looking at the feminine, luxurious, modern leather pieces that Keller’s team conceived for Chloe Fall 2012 makes it nearly impossible to remember the eye-searing catastrophe of MacGibbon’s last collection for the French house only a year ago. Like I said…sorry, Hannah.

The only complaint that I have about this collection is that at times, it feels more like spring than fall, which makes it even harder for me to conceive of waiting six months to get these bags in my hot little hands. From oversized bicolor satchels to smart, trim utility clutches, these pieces are exactly what I want from the Chloe girl. Want to be that Chloe girl? Start saving now.

Images via Vogue.com

I’ve already asked many questions of you guys today, which is probably not fair for a beautiful Friday in early spring, but I have just one more: Do white bags make you nervous? They make me very nervous, for a couple of reasons. First, I’m not a particularly careful person. If someone out there is going to have a little ketchup on her finger after lunch, that someone is going to be me. I try, but I’m just not detail-oriented. Second, I wear a lot of dark clothes. Dark clothes mean dye transfers when you’re dealing with light leather. Third, I don’t think twice about putting my bags on the ground when necessary. They’re bags, they’re meant to be used!

Even considering all that, I’m still totally smitten with the Chloe Madeline Runway Satchel. Graphic white and minimalism go together like peanut butter and jelly, although perhaps I shouldn’t use a food metaphor with such a pristine bag; I can almost see the grape Smuckers fingerprints now…

In fact, I can see fingerprints of all kinds. I seem to perpetually have some kind of mascara or eyeliner smudges on my fingers, if not a little leftover foundation from applying the morning’s makeup (Yes, I almost always wash my hands afterward. But the important word in that sentence is “almost!”), and any hint of either would stick out on this bag like a sore thumb. Or a sore thumbprint, as it were. (Not all the jokes are winners, people.)

With that in mind, I’m afraid that I’m destined to appreciate the stark, minimal charms of this bag from afar. If you’re the kind of person who always manages to get ever errent speck off of your hands after a meal or makeup application, then by all means, allow me to live vicariously through your clean hands. I’ll have to settle for the taupe version for my own enjoyment. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $2130.

The more I look through the handbags from Chloe Fall 2011, the more I wonder who the Chloe girl is. I also wonder if Chloe’s accessories designers know the answer to that question, or if they’ve chosen instead to hope that they can make everyone feel like a Chloe girl by creating a collection that eschews a unifying aesthetic in favor of encompassing a group of ideas that are seemingly not related.

If you like hard-lined, ladylike handbags in exotic materials (or bags with actual animal heads), Chloe has a bag for you. If you spent all of your childhood lusting after your mom’s Coach bucket bags, well, there are plenty of designs that look like those as well. Are you a hippie who likes colorblocking and whipstitching? You’re not left out, either. Of course, bags aren’t sold as a collection; they’re sold as individual pieces to individual women who probably don’t care what the rest of the bags in the collection look like as long as they love the pieces that they’re buying. Still, though, I can’t shake the impression that this is a collection without an identity, and I’m not sure how you go about marketing that.

Photos via Vogue.com.

I actually love when a brand knows a good design and keeps it in their repertoire for seasons to come. Chloe knows they have a hit on their hands with the Marcie, so now we see it come back time and time again in different renditions. And actually, while I am typically drawn to the simple versions, the Chloe Embroidered Marcie has just enough added oomph to make me consider it as an addition.

The shape of this satchel is reminiscent of a horseshoe and has a feminine touch with the bow-shaped buckles on the sides. As with most Chloe bags I am sure the lambskin leather is both supple and sturdy, leaving the bag with the shape we know and a texture we love touching.

There is a caramel and black option available. While the caramel hued leather shows off the perforations and self embroidery best, the black version gives a more subtle look at the additions. Since the bag is modeled after a horseshoe, the embroidery finish actually leaves us with more of a Western vibe to the purse. Overall dimensions are 10 1/2″H x 15″W x 6″D. Buy via Neiman Marcus for $2,195.

I was talking to my friend Tanya the other day about her next handbag purchase, and the subject of patent vs. regular leather came up. Patent’s having a huge moment right now, with everyone from 3.1 Phillip Lim to Chloe remaking some of their most successful designs in the stiff, glossy material, but the look isn’t for everyone or every design, no matter how hard brands try to make us think it is. The perfect example: The Chloe Madeline Satchel.

Don’t get me wrong, I often like patent and the material itself has several advantages. First, it holds its shape better than many types of regular leather. Second, it does much better in inclement weather because of its smooth, shiny finish. And of course, it offers a level of polish to certain types of bags (usually petite and very structured) that regular leather can’t quite attain. Sometimes, though, a more matte and casual look just works out better.

I’ve loved Madeline bags since Chloe introduced them, but my gut reaction to the patent version can best be described as, “Huh. I don’t know about that.” I love the shade of aqua that Chloe used, but I’d love it so much more if the leather were the matte, soft, insanely luxurious stuff that the company has used on the bags in the past. Patent can be fun in certain situations, but when buying a high-end bag, I’ll always prefer the alternative. How about you?

Buy the Chloe Madeline via Net-a-Porter for $2395 in patent and $2130 in regular leather.

I continue to see the Chloe Marcie Bag on both Katie Holmes and Jessica Alba, which prompted another look at the latest hit from Chloe. Every time I see a Chloe bag or even their logo, the initial thought that pops into my mind is the weight of the bag. Anyone who has owned the once coveted Paddington knows that the weight of the bag was a talking point. Rightfully so, as the leather of the bag was very thick and heavy and the signature padlock sent the weight of the bag over-the-top. So when we are introduced to a new Chloe bag, I have a hard time putting aside past thoughts and looking at it with a clean slate.

But I will try. When Amanda first reviewed the Marcie it was the hobo version, she gave it a positive review. And here comes another positive review, because the larger version, which I keep spotting on the celebs, is also a beautiful bag. The lines are clean and sleek, yet rounded and feminine. I love how the wrapped-detail handle adds a new dimension. And with fall relying on camel and neutral hued colors, this bag is a perfect option. I kind of love it and I never feel like Chloe lets anyone down with the quality of their materials. Buy via Net A Porter for $1,790.

Images via Vogue.com

Psst. You guys. It’s safe to come look at these pictures from Chloe Spring 2012 because finally, at long last, Chloe has turned the handbag corner! The company had to give Hannah MacGibbon the heave-ho after last season’s disaster and bring in Clare Waight Keller from Pringle of Scotland to fix things up, but based on Chloe’s Paris Fashion Week show, it was an incredibly shrewd decision on the part of the brand’s parent company, Richemont.

Waight Keller did well to focus on doing a single shape (a shoulder bag with modern finishes) in a variety of colors and sizes; MacGibbon’s downfall was her seeming inability to edit her vision down into a cohesive finished product that made as all want to be the Chloe girl. Alternately, I know I want to be the girl who carries these handbags (not to mention, be the girl who wears the pretty-but-modern pleated dresses that populated the collection), and making that feeling happen is the obvious first step in what looks like it’s going to be a Chloe comeback.

The Chloe Marcie Satchel has never been among my favorite bags, but lately it seems to have conquered my favor with brute force of will and nonintuitive staying power. With this new laser-cut version coming down the pipes for Spring 2011, you can consider me a full convert to the Marcie’s charms.

Maybe it’s the thick, nasty layer of leftover snow and ice that’s still on the ground here, or maybe it’s the sad realization that it’s going to continue to be cold for months on end, but the off-white color and boho edge of this version of the bag in particular are making me think warm thoughts right now.

Take a little mental trip with me, PurseBloggers. It’s April. You’re on a white sand beach in…Mexico? Turks and Caicos? It doesn’t really matter. Pick your own adventure. In your hand, you have a drink that’s absolutely chock full of either rum or tequila and next to you is a shirtless, tanned man of provenience unknown who seems to have taken a shine to you. What handbag seems totally at home in that scenario? Why, this Chloe Marcie, of course. If that’s not enough to convince you of this bag’s subtle charms, I don’t know what would be. Buy through Saks for $1995.