Chloé

Chloe’s bucket bag is a study in colorblocking gone wrong

Chloe Gabby Bucket Bag, $2395 via Saks

It should be noted, before we continue, that this Chloe collection got at least one designer fired. Hannah MacGibbon, who had been creative director for the brand for several years, was shown the door after Chloe Fall 2011 was roundly panned. Other shuffling in the brand’s ranks weren’t announced, of course, but based on how much better Resort 2012’s accessories are then those of Fall 2011, one can only imagine that a significant shakeup did occur.

The problem, though, is that we still have to wait a few months for the new stuff to come out while bags like the Chloe Gabby Bucket Bag populate the brand’s shelf space at department stores. Ladies, this is a runway bag. Someone put this on the runway. I’ve known that for almost half a year now, but the mind, it still boggles. Try and remember that better Chloe bags are around the corner, ladies. They’ll be here soon.

I don’t want to go too hard on this bag because I’ve already given the collection an unkind review and we know that the person or people responsible for it are out the door, but this bag is a clear example of what happens when a brand chases a trend without any sense of editing. The color combinations, shape and patchwork feel are all so overwhelmingly 70s that there’s nothing modern or relevant about the design. And they’re not 70s in a good way, like so many collections have been over the last two seasons. They’re 70s like my grandmother’s harvest gold refrigerator is 70s – dated, harsh and relegated to the past for a reason. I wish this bag had never made it off the runway, but I know that Chloe has to stock something until Resort 2012 comes out. Buy through Saks for $2395.

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