Known for its incredibly timeless classics like the Chanel 11.12 and 2.55 Reissue, Chanel remains one of the world’s most coveted luxury bag brands. Many of its bags are rooted in the French design house’s storied history and classic Chanel DNA, and it wasn’t until the release of the Chanel Boy Boy in 2012 that Chanel decided it was time to modernize its timeless House codes.
Aiming to reach a younger consumer base and captivate millennials who were beginning to gravitate towards the brand, Chanel introduced the Boy Bag, which was a massive hit.
Designed by the late Karl Lagerfeld, the Boy Bag had enough elements to feel quintessentially Chanel, but it also featured distinct elements that made it feel modern and fresh. It quickly became not only an icon of a generation but also an icon of the House of Chanel itself, signifying a new era.
Chanel Goes Contemporary
Following the incredibly marketed success of the Boy Bag, Lagerfeld would go on to design two more contemporary icons before he died in early 2019. The Gabrielle Bag was launched in 2017, followed by the Chanel 19 Bag, which, yes, you guessed, was launched in 2019.
Said to be inspired by the classic 2.55 bag, the Chanel 19 bag offered timeless Chanel elements like quilted leather and a chain strap, with contemporary touches. True to its inspiration, it, too, was named after the year of its birth.
When the bag was first introduced, the reviews were mixed, and truthfully, the opinions were valid. Its slouchy silhouette, pillowy-soft leather, and chunky chain detailing were evocative of that time in fashion. It was very of the moment, primed for the late 2010s and early 2020s.
CC Forever
While IMHO, the Chanel 19 contains too many trend-driven elements to feel timeless or classic, it still bears the iconic (and highly coveted) CC Chanel logo, which will never go out of style.
Certain elements may feel reminiscent of fashion’s past, but like the many Chanel Bags that have come before, the Chanel 19 will always hold a particular significance in the handbag world.
In today’s digital climate and revved-up trend cycle, it’s important to get back to basics and remember why we love and buy bags. For many of us, it’s the history behind the luxury label and the sheer joy and thrill of buying that bag we’ve loved forever.
That said, while the Chanel 19 no longer has the ubiquity it once did (truly, what bag does years after its initial release?), that doesn’t make it “dated” or “out of style.”
Do you think the Chanel 19 still holds significance in the handbag world?
I believe, if you follow fashion long enough, you will find that absolutely nothing becomes outdated. It may fall out of fashion for a time, but bc fashion & trends are so cyclical, some iteration of this bag will be back & these colors that feel so ‘dated’ now, will be the fabulous vintage find that will have people going nuts. Most likely, it will be paired with a great outfit & send resale prices soaring. Moral of the story? Buy & carry what you love. Confidence is never outdated.
The right person, wearing the right clothes, can rock any bag and make it look fresh and cool. My criteria for a classic timeless bag is one that I always come back to because it works on many levels. I think that is true for most of us.
In my opinion, if it weren’t for the iconic CC logo, the design feels outdated. It seems like Chanel has become a bit greedy and complacent, releasing a new “classic” bag every two to three years and naming it after its release year. While each bag might be hot and highly coveted at launch, it often fades into obscurity as newer designs are introduced.
Despite the interlocking C’s it feels outdated
I think this definitely is a classic. The mixed metals give it this California girl/socialite vibe that I adore. You can easily wear this bag with a tweed Chanel jacket and Chanel flats with a pair of Levi jeans. The classic colors solid colored 19s definitely have staying power, but what dates this bag (and every Chanel bag for that matter) is colors of the moment and patterns (see the blue tag in the 4th pic and the multicolored bag in the 6th pic for reference).
Exactly! I’m in Southern California and I can wear it dressed up or with denim and flats. For me it’s really versatile.
To me it’s the puffiness that dates it. But it has enough of the Chanel house codes to last (imo) – the flap style, the CC lock and the quilted leather all while being a little more relaxed. I would still buy or wear one.
A sales associate talked me into it in Chanel Printempe Paris a couple of years ago. I got a medium, the black with gold hardware mixed with dark silver. I’m mid 60’s and I thought it was too young for me. But it’s really grown on me and I love it now more than ever! It feels edgy and trendy and classic Chanel all at the same time. And it never got over saturated in the market when I live.
I was never drawn to the chanel 19. It is a nice looking bag but there are so many nice substitutes available like Tory Burch has several versions of this bag. The boy bag was the last IT bag out of Chanel. You cannot find a substitute for the classic chanel bags. Chanel 19 is ok but did not hit the ball out of the park.
I love my Chanel 19. I think it’s a classic with historical value – last of the pre-COVID world. I bought mine in Paris for a big birthday. The bag is not only beautiful, but very practical. It’s roomy inside, with a full width back pocket (perfect for your phone). Not only a fashion statement, but also versatile – I sometimes wear it with the long strap inside, and carry it with the chain on my arm. A great travel bag for day to night in big cities like Tokyo and Paris.
I love the 19 and I think it’s still relevant. It’s a younger look than the classic flap, etc. — with the puffy quilting, the chunky chains. Not as stuffy. It’s my favorite style. Note: I’m not a Chanel collector. The boy bag is one of my least favorites — the quilting isn’t my taste. Nor is the hardware.
It bag of yesteryear. I never had the urge to buy one
I’ve always liked this bag, the softness, the logo, but it never felt like ‘me’, feels too dressy for some reason and maybe better for someone who is a bit more ‘fancy’ every day, also feels older- like 60+ and I’m close to 50… I have a few classic flaps and now almost never wear them for the same reason. I have recently fallen in love with the boy ( I know I’m late to the party) and have picked up a few on the preowned market- priced better too! I think that style is most versatile for me, I feel it looks younger and has a bit edgier look to it and works for a more casual day time look but still dresses up nicely, also the chain is really light and I love the clasp, its really all about function before I buy a repeat of the same style and this one is a winner for me.
I sold mine because the heavy two tone hardware felt a bit too much at a certain point.
Where did you sell yours?
I have one in multicolour tweed and I love it. It’s a practical shape (love the handles), sits quite flat against the body but also carries a lot. It feels less dated than my YSL Loulou, which has a similar look but was more ubiquitous. The all-leather versions are squishy and quite yummy!