I did what I said I would never do, and now I must confess: I impulse bought a bag… in Paris. Not just any bag, though. This lovely orange lady (pictured above) is one of 47. Yes, you read that right. There are only 47 in the entire world, and according to my Louis Vuitton SA, Omar, this is it. As if it couldn’t get more intense, this specific breed of bag (color and style) would never make it to the States, either, according to Omar.
I’ll start from the beginning. The day after walking up and down Champs-Elysées (and having a slightly disappointing experience at the flagship Louis Vuitton), my mother and I stumbled upon another Louis Vuitton store. Oddly enough, it felt even larger than the actual flagship on the iconic street across town. We had to go inside.
[sc_ic_ad1]Less than a minute later, my mother came to a full stop in front of a gorgeous, white top-handle bag. I had never seen a Louis Vuitton like it. It was sleek, structured, practical (various interior dividers and pockets), and not plastered in the LV logo. It was (and is) perfect.
Then I walked a bit further into the store and found a smaller version in Louis Vuitton’s iconic orange hue. It was an absolute stunner. By that time, Omar had graciously introduced himself to my mother and me, a sharp contrast from what we had experienced the day before. In fact, we actually told him about our frustrating experience. He apologized and offered us each a complimentary espresso, without knowing if we were even interested in a purchase.
Ultimately, Omar explained that this specific store (the Louis Vuitton Maison Vendôme) is geared toward locals. It’s also where much of the brand’s jewelry and dresses are made, all by hand. That’s why the store itself includes items, such as intricate hand-stitched purses, that cannot be found in other locations. He also mentioned that unlike other designers, Louis Vuitton offers various price points to appeal to as many shoppers as possible (which I’m sure many of you already knew), and because of that, a majority of the stores offer more of the popular, monogrammed items versus trends straight from the runway.
That brings me to the bag. (Well, bags. My mom bought one, too.) It can actually be found on the website right now (in MM and PM). It’s official name is Rose Des Vents, and the catch is, the colors my mother and I purchased (white in MM and orange in PM) are “limited edition,” according to Omar. The day we walked in the store was actually the first time the bags had ever been displayed. Not only that, my mother and I were the first to purchase them in France. (Hard to believe, I know.) While the bags will slowly roll out across the world in black and a green kaki, white and orange will be much harder to come by. Omar didn’t know exactly where all 47 were sent, but he said only four of each were scattered across France.
[sc_ic_ad2]The description online reads as the following: Louis Vuitton brings grained calf leather together with smooth calf leather in the fancy Rose des Vents MM handbag. Signed with a gold-tone LV padlock and a calf leather key bell, there’s a slender top handle for elbow carry and an adjustable strap for cross-body wear. Inside compartments and pockets make it a practical and sophisticated everyday bag. And, truthfully, I couldn’t agree more.
For me, this bag is the perfect storm: It is unique and somewhat rare; it features the brand’s iconic color; and it’s unbelievably understated compared to other LVs. Plus, this is actually my first Louis Vuitton and my first bright-colored bag. (Milestones, people!) Even if there were more than 47 orange Rose des Vents journeying throughout the world, I still think I would have bought it. It’s not so much the rarity of the bag that gets me – it’s the significance it will forever hold. I purchased it myself, and it will always remind me of my mother’s and my beautiful trip to Paris. (Plus, now we’re matching!) For that, I say this was worth the impulse.
It looks exactly like the New Celine 16 bag, which looks exactly like a Kelly.
“Omar had graciously introduced himself to my mother and ME.”
Come on!!! This is the same mistake every week!
Hey, at least we’re consistent!! 😉
Kidding, we will do better!
This looks like Celine 16 for me. I understand that a lot of bags have common shape and silhouette. This looks awfully alike the Celine bag though.
That was my first impression as well.
That was exactly my first thought when I first saw this bag.
Me too, but not as well done.
Celine 16 looks so much better
I love the dark teal Celine.
“My mother’s and my trip” to Paris….
Yeah, that’s what it says.
It says “my mother and I’s”
Ya, that was a pretty easy grammatical error we missed! Fixed 🙂
if it was around $2k would have hit the buy button right away! Great purchase! Love it!
Gorgeous! I see a lot of potential with this bag. LV should definitely keep going in this direction.
*to my mother and ME
No, she’s correct. It’s my mother and I. If you take away mother, you would say “I stumbled into the store, not me stumbled into the store” but then later on you’re right “he introduced himself to my mother and I” should be me.
I was indeed referring to the later one, hence the ‘to’ in my comment.
I don’t think proofreading happens too often on here. Or maybe they don’t focus on that and focus more on the bags lol. Who knows. I pick up on grammar too.
I’m sorry but as a handbag lover/attorney, I picked up on the grammar too. Pls proofread for those of us with pet peeves. On another note, what a STUNNER!!!!
Also,” It is unique and somewhat rare”. This is a contradiction; something is either unique or it is not. Being “somewhat” rare (although the writer was completely snowed by the SA here) would automatically mean the bag is not unique.
Writers should write; i don’t think it’s too much to ask that they understand the objective case (“me” vs. “I”).
It’s my pet peeve. I don’t have a lot, but this is one of them. 🙂
I am drooling over these. I like that the larger one has a zippered pocket in the middle. I would love to see these against a model to judge the difference in size. Excellent article!
Well, these Orange PM & White MM “Limited Editions” are literally available on the US website right now.
One thing I’ve learned is that when salespeople tell you that it’s limited edition, exclusive, or ‘hard-to-find’ there’s an 87% chance they’re lying to you.
Because something is “limited” doesn’t mean that it is sold out.
I contacted LV and these two colors are “seasonal” thus the “limited editions”. 🙂
Always. I hate that tactic. Especially if you’ve fallen for it and then later realize you’re not so special anymore :c lol
The Vendome is the larger store in Paris and better to shop in. However, I am not sure that is quite correct that it is the one “the locals” shop in. I have heard many American accents in there. Your new bags are beautiful.
I love your bag! Plus the fact that it doesn’t have that many logos on it, makes the bag sophisticated. Glad that your happy with the purchase. ?
Is it me, but does this style very similar to Grenelle and Locky which are Kelly look alike? All are single handle flap bag with a lock or LV logo.
Gorgeous. Love it. Enjoy.
It’s like an Hermès Kelly and Gucci Sylvie had a baby. Not a fan. LV seems to be putting out a lot of “inspired” bags lately.
The bag is gorgeous.
This bag is gorgeous! I saw both sizes at my L.V. boutique and they are stunning in person! I also compared it to the Celine 16 in Neiman’s and there is NO comparison! The posted pictures are nice, but you must see it in person!
Every time Louis Vuitton says they are limited it’s a total lie. They were limited Cannes bag and now there everywhere. It’s age old tactic. Louis wants to see how they sell and than produce more. It’s kinda annoying.
Lol
It would be nice if this experience with her Mother and the purchase of her beautiful new bag is not marred over a grammatical error. It’s a mistake and we all make them, let it go.
Fixed it!
It’s fine. My point was that so many ppl were focused on the grammatical error and the author was excited for her bag and her experience with her Mother. That’s what meant the most to me. As a Mother to three adult children finding the time to get together is everything! 🙂
Absolutely! Those are THE BEST experiences ever 🙂
I caught it too, seems an author should know when to use “me” instead of “I”. Regardless, loved the story and the bag,
Lovely bag. I had the same bad experience at that store last June. We are going back this June for another quick trip and I will try to find the store that you went to. Thank you for your information and enjoy your beautiful bag.
The bag is lovely–not my style but lovely nonetheless. I expect to see this bag on the arms of celebs soon.
You mean 47 pieces of copied new celine bag!!!next
Stunning but even if I could afford it I doubt I’d buy it. I REALLY like the two leather textures and the subtle hardware. Maybe they can do that in other styles.
Just going by the photos above, the shape of the bag is so striking it would grab too much attention overpowering the rest of me. As if I’m the bag’s accessory. Still, absolutely beautiful. I’m sure whomever buys it will be thrilled.
These don’t seem to mention anything about limited availability on the US website. Such a sad tactic these SAs use. It’s easily verifiable. Why lie? Fine you’ll get the initial sale. After that? Now the customer won’t trust you and there go your future sales.
I contacted LV and was informed the orange color was “seasonal” with a “limited number” and afterwards would be “discontinued”. In that respect the SA didn’t necessarily mislead the customer, but I understand your point.
I guess technically but using the word limited edition and seasonal don’t bring up the same feelings in people. In that respect then all seasonal colours and prints should be called limited edition and they’re not. As long as he gets the sale and the customer is happy I guess it “doesn’t matter” unless that small detail would’ve impacted the purchase, being limited edition or seasonal that is.
Don’t want to shoot the messenger but….. this piece was either written before you returned to the U.S. and learned that you were lied to or, you purchased this bag MONTHS ago and the SA’s statement at the time was probably true. Either way,I’m embarrassed that you were unaware that the “limited edition” sales pitch was a lie and that the PB readers called BS immediately……..
Nice, but looks a little Mark Crossy to me.
Nice Kelly! Seriously, pretty bag, but too Kelly-like. Also, remind me never to shop with Omar. I can’t imagine that there are only 47 of this bag if it’s for sale online, and it’s definitely available in the US.
I’m not going to comment on the bag other than to say it may not be my style or color, but I didn’t buy it. If Clarissa loves it, why does it matter whether it resembles a Kelly or a Tempete or some other bag? Although the SA should not have exaggerated the bag’s availability.
As for the shopping experience at the LV CE store, I would never shop there anyway. There is almost always a line, the staff are overworked, it’s not a luxury experience for customer or SA. The SAs I know in the luxury goods business don’t like this kind of selling, they’d rather take their time with customers, get to know them, build up a rapport. That’s almost impossible at the CE store. If you know what you want and just want to pay and walk out the door, then that store is for you. If not, go elsewhere. And the Vendome location is not that much better at certain times of the year; we passed by a few times in December and there was also a long line of foreign buyers. The closest thing to a “local’s LV” at the moment is the Blvd St Germain store next to Les Deux Magots because it’s fairly new and has not been included in the guidebooks yet, esp Chinese guidebooks.
And fwiw, if you want a truly dreamy LV experience, head to the store in Lugano, Switzerland. At the end of an Italianate arcade, a beautiful lakeside setting, wonderful staff, large selection and while it may be busy off and on, it’s almost never truly crowded. Take your time to browse and enjoy a glass of champagne while you make your purchasing decisions. It’s what a luxury bag buying experience should be.
Your post reads like a travel guide and makes me want to book the first plane out to Lugano, Switzerland! It sounds lovely! 🙂
Thank you! Lugano is only an hour (1 hour, 8 minutes, to be exact) from Milan, so if the LV store(s) there are mobbed, hope on a train, go down to the lake, have a cappuccino at a lakeside cafe or lunch at Bottegone del Vino, then go shopping! You can find Gucci, Hermes, Prada, Borbonese, and other premium brand stores there too. And if you stay overnight, you can build in a trip to Foxtown, the best (IMO) designer discount mall in Europe. We have a week in Lugano coming up next month…
No, thank you! My husband and I visited Italy (Rome, Florence and Venice) and fell in love! We plan to go back soon and will definitely stop in Lugano, Switzerland! BTW are prices lower then in the U.S.? Currently, the Euro is .89 to $1.00 USD, but I bought a Chanel bag, in Italy, and in the U.S. the same bag was $400 more. Anyway, enjoy your upcoming trip!
So beautiful in the orange!
Very much looks like a Celine bag to me. Not sure if it’s limited but it is available in different color in Japan, China, Singapore, Korea and Australia. Plus you can purchase them on online!
If not you can order it from SA, so don’t think it is limited piece, just like Men’s collection by VA for Louis Vuitton, available everywhere. Lol
Gorgeous!
Many of these comments are focused on a grammatical error, whether a bag is “limited edition” and allegedly that an SA “lied to the customer”. Historically, the comment section was fun and provided useful information, which I appreciated and believed was it’s original intent, but recently it’s turned into a bitch fest. I recognize the fact that I “don’t have to read the comments”, but I always appreciated them and learned a lot of valuable information, but unfortunately that has since changed.
I think a lot of commenters hold us to high standards, and they should. We want to provide the best site covering bags possible and that means that we are not only covering them in a meaningful way, but also doing so with proper spelling and grammar. We make mistakes and some of them we repeat. In doing so, many of you catch it and let us know. I totally see why that could be annoying as a reader.
I do think we still have a really great community of commenters. The most important thing is how we share what we want to say. We don’t have to like what someone else likes or agree with their opinion, but how we deliver that does matter. I always hope people will do so in a polite way 🙂
As one of those commenters, I disagree. I think it’s important for people to realize that salespeople use shady tactics. Buying a bag, especially one so expensive, is such an emotional experience, that it’s better if more people are aware in the future if they’re being manipulated.
Yes, but I feel “most adults” know that SA’s use “shady tactics” to gain a sale to make a commission. This has been going on for years and is nothing new. For instance, SA’s in department stores fall all over themselves telling a client they look good in an outfit, etc. when it’s too short, too tight and is simply a bad fit. They do the same with expensive designer items, including handbags. I’ve had SA’s in Chanel, etc. tell me a bag “is perfect and looks gorgeous on me” when I know it’s the wrong size, style, etc. for my body type. It’s nice to be wooed by them, but at the end of the day I know what I like and what I don’t and no amount of compliments or promises of limited editions will make me purchase.
That being said my point was that historically this blog discussed bags and it was fun and informational; however, the mood has changed. People are angry and it’s not as interesting or fun as it was in the past.
Looks like a briefcase from the 80s.
this reminds me the Valextra Iside bag.
Yes, kinda does.
I think someone on TPF said it looks like the baby of a Celine 16 and Hermes Kelly….they aren’t wrong. ?
I do think it looks more like the Celine 16, but I much prefer the LV. The Celine 16 doesn’t appeal to me. The stripe trim and handles look too narrow for the bag while the bottom looks soggy. I would also be afraid of scratches in smooth leather.
I have a K28 and this bag still appeals to me. This is actually the first LV bag I felt in love with…so I think diversifying is smart and attracting buyers who aren’t attracted to monogrammed canvas.
I’ve been searching for the perfect white bag that goes with summer dresses, and this might be it. I was considering another K/B in Benton/Craie, but the price point is too much for such a light colored bag (and I dislike duplicate bags). This bag gives the best of both worlds….a timeless style with a great price point.
I think someone on TPF said it looks like the baby of a Celine 16 and Hermes Kelly….they aren’t wrong. ?
I do think it looks more like the Celine 16, but I much prefer the LV. The Celine 16 doesn’t appeal to me. The stripe trim and handles look too narrow for the bag while the bottom looks soggy. I would also be afraid of scratches in smooth leather.
I have a K28 and this bag still appeals to me. This is actually the first LV bag I felt in love with…so I think diversifying is smart and attracting buyers who aren’t attracted to monogrammed canvas.
I’ve been searching for the perfect white bag that goes with summer dresses, and this might be it. I was considering another K/B in Benton/Craie, but the price point is too much for such a light colored bag (and I dislike duplicate bags). This bag gives the best of both worlds….a timeless style with a great price point.
I think someone on TPF said it looks like the baby of a Celine 16 and Hermes Kelly….they aren’t wrong. ?
I do think it looks more like the Celine 16, but I much prefer the LV. The Celine 16 doesn’t appeal to me. The stripe trim and handles look too narrow for the bag while the bottom looks soggy. I would also be afraid of scratches in smooth leather.
I have a K28 and this bag still appeals to me. This is actually the first LV bag I fell in love with…so I think diversifying is smart and attracting buyers who aren’t attracted to monogrammed canvas.
I’ve been searching for the perfect white bag that goes with summer dresses, and this might be it. I was considering another K/B in Benton/Craie, but the price point is too much for such a light colored bag (and I dislike duplicate bags). This bag gives the best of both worlds….a timeless style with a great price point.
I saw this yesterday in person, and the quality is amazing. I find the K a bit difficult to use, although I love the silhouette. This one is easier to access. it’s really an impeccable bag. The comparisons are spot on, but there are also just so many shapes bag makers can make that have broad appeal. The quality blew me away, so I was happy for LV to be sticking their toe in said market for this shape.
I totally agree with you! Seeing this bag online and on this post it looked blah, but in person the quality and beauty were outstanding! I was in NM and saw the Celine 16 and despite the hype this bag’s design and quality fell short. When I went into LV and saw the Rose Des Vents in Crae (white) and Noir (black) the quality and workmanship, IMO, was equal to Hermes (for which I own too many :)).
Silly gullible girl. Lol
Beautiful bag, classy. Who cares if it looks vaguely like some other bags do. It’s an LV and their take on this classic shape. I’m gonna go check it out today at my LV store thanks to this article.
Enjoy your bag!
Alexandra
Oh my what beauties… and what a lovely memory to share with your mother! I went to Rome with my mother last autumn, and had a hard time convincing her that we simply had to visit Fendi so that I could admire a live Peekaboo (the bag of my dreams)! Sadly she doesn’t share my handbagoholism at all…
My daughter and I share “handbagoholism” (great word!). It could be a detriment though as we enable each other’s expensive habit! 🙂
I am posting on this as it was a bag I saw and went in search of and this was truly the only review I could find. (Thank you Clarissa). I appreciated your review and know that this trip with your mother made it all the more special as it would any of us. So I looked high and low on the pre-loved market as I was def not going to pay the price of an Hermes Kelly, I was not a fan of the Celine 16 and it’s stiffness – so this seemed like a beautiful bag. At the time, I wasn’t comparing it to others as I don’t do that because let’s face it, aren’t they all “inspired” by some designer and copied by others? Anyway, I now have in my possession both a black and as of today a cream. I actually broke my no two bags the same rule for this beauty. It is leather lined, lightweight and roomy enough inside to hold everything you need. It has feet, an adjustable leather shoulder strap and I cannot say how grateful I am to have found not one, but two of these. As for her orange bag being one of 47, all I know is it took me 6 months to find 1 and when my SA saw it, they wanted to see it up close and to touch it because it never hit the smaller stores. So I fathom to guess not many were made. I truly don’t know why because the quality of this is right up there with these top designer bags. I love them as much as my Chanel. The good news is as of today, I was able to procure both for a great price and neither bag looks used. .
Do all new bags come with the lock encased in plastic?