Hearts and glitter. A review of the new Heart Bag by Chanel.
I am of the opinion that fashion, good fashion, is wearable art. The line between beauty and utility is blurred and the creation of something fanciful and useful is the result.
I was lucky (thank you Aleks!) enough to be able to snag one of the new heart bags from the Chanel 2022 Spring collection.
When I reserved the purse. after seeing it on the catwalk, I wasn’t sure that I would necessarily keep it once it arrived. Of course, it was highly sought after, but not that everything glitters is necessarily gold.
I wasn’t sure if its usefulness would be able to juatify it’s heavy price tag at $5800. Of course it’s a luxury. Is it needed? Hell no.
Does it justify the price? That’s a more complicated question. I’m not really sure I will ever be able to justify such high prices for what would be considered a “bag.” one could argue on the opposite end of the spectrum that Its usefulness is afterall, comparable to a $1.99 tote sold at the Ikea checkout line. One might even be able to argue that the IKEA bag, which can carry much more, is in fact a better bag. That an extreme polar opposite and I have come to realize that value doesn’t always make logical sense. The ideas of supply and demand, scarcity, and luxury are a strange and sometimes puzzling conundrum. Before we get into my conclusions about this beautiful purse and whether or not I will keep it, let’s just talk about the craftsmanship and what you see at first glance.
The stunning bag is crafted of lambskin with siver hardware and spares no detail. It has two compartments and a small card case area in the back.
This is the largest size and I can comfortably fit a phone, wallet, and multiple keys, make up, and accessories. I knew from the beginning that this would be the ideal size for me because it’s wearable everyday but also can actually fit your cell phone. I loved the pink heart bag from the runway but knew the black would be wearable and more age-appropriate for someone in their 30s (in my opinion, no offense.)
Once I had the bag in hand and looked at the fine craftsmanship that is truly Chanel, I knew it was love at first sight. This purse is everything and more. Yes it’s a heart-shaped bag. But instead of being tacky, it’s actually a piece of art; A sculpture; A Momento of the 90s and perhaps even a nostalgic bit of my childhood. It’s a token from a time when more was more and a carefree whimsical spirit that we frankly, need in today’s world.
Between war and pandemic; Between inflation and conflict and daily stress; sometimes fashion can be an escape from the stresses of our day-to-day lives. Sometimes fashion can be a therapy. For a moment when i get dressed i can feel that life is “normal “again.
I think that every time I will wear this bag I will smile. I will feel a little less worry. I will remember that there are people who dedicate their lives to putting beauty and creating whimsical objects in this world. Sometimes you you can create your own happy during the day just by what you put on your body in the morning.
The stitching is incredible, the craftsmanship is luxurious and the colors are perfectly coordinated inside and out. Is this a bag? Of course it is. However, it is also a daily smile. In a world full of troubles and conflict and stress, small objects of beauty can help get us through the hard times. Beauty and positivity can radiate from what we wear and what we choose to surround ourselves with.
