Chanel Flap Bags Honest Review (Updated 2024)

My inspections have been over several visits from 2015-2019 or so (in Paris, Manila, etc), but this one from 1-2 years ago (pre-pandemic) was the one where I was actually able to take photos haha (scroll down to see the updated photos and inspection from 2022). Unfortunately they only had this mini flap available, so for the other comments that I have with regard to the jumbo flap, I’ll try to look for photos so you can see what I’m talking about.

For the purpose of this review, I am referring solely to the quilted bags that use their signature caviar leather (pebbled calfskin), which was the material that was seemingly well-reviewed and lauded as being scratch-resistant, lasts forever, etc. It was the material we were considering when we were deciding on which flap bag to get. We did not push through with it, and you’ll see why. I would also note that the non-textured options felt more flimsy/ prone to scratches. The caviar leather was the only one we were truly considering.

Interlocking C twist-closure hardware

Nickel-plated brass chain strap with matching leather strip (purely decorative)

Leather lining, always a plus for me. I am quite partial to luxury bags that have leather lining. Fabric lining cheapens it, for me. This leather lining is likely to be prone to scratches though.

Fully machine-sewn, not by hand. Consistent stitches, but at this price point, it should be hand-sewn at least in some key parts.

This version has a zipper puller that has a leather strip as a handle, but in the jumbo flaps we inspected, there was a small pocket on the backside of the flap that had a somewhat unattractive, cheap-looking YKK-branded plastic zipper pull. This was one of the elements that sort of turned us off of proceeding with the jumbo flap. Especially now, given their ridiculous price hikes (without an accompanying increase in quality, mind you), it just seems like the bag is not worth the price tag.

Branding on the hardware

The caviar leather still feels ok to a degree, but we already noticed a marked difference in how the overall build feels with recently-made units versus 7 years ago (they felt sturdier back then), and probably with the build of those made 7 years before that, and before that. For one thing, I feel like the caviar leather now feels slightly more plasticky, and not as thick as before. The bag shapes don’t hold as well once you put stuff in them, compared to the more “structured” feel of the flap bags before. I think long-time collectors might also agree that the make of vintage Chanel’s would probably feel like they’re of better build quality and material.

All in all, I would say there isn’t necessarily anything particularly wrong with these bags. They’re perfectly fine, will last a while, will suit many people, not too heavy, and perform well enough for most people. But I guess therein lies my issue with it–at these price points, especially now that they’re *attempting* to reach Hermès heights, the bag shouldn’t be so normal in terms of quality and craftsmanship. They’ve gone down in quality yet they’re increasing the prices–it didn’t go to better materials or craftspeople. It all just went to marketing and whatnot. You can verify online with the increasing number of stories people are sharing about how their straps have come off or hardware popping off or the bags just generally not performing as expected.

It may be a silly and useless stand for me to take, but I can’t bring myself to support such a thing. I’d go vintage hunting instead (I think not later than 2012 is the general consensus in terms of Chanel bags that still had good quality). Instead of pouring so many dollars into what is essentially empty hype (I mean seriously, their prices should be halved, at least), maybe the more conscious bag consumer would consider going vintage or indie/ small business instead. If you can afford all these and don’t care about the build and details, great for you, go shop to your heart’s content. But there are so many other brands and makers out there, wouldn’t it be great to be someone who helps discover and support them, instead of those giant luxury groups that already have more than enough money? Just a thought.

UPDATE as of JULY/AUG 2022

I was finally able to visit Paris again (last time I was there was still back in December 2018!) post-pandemic travel restrictions and all, so I made sure to be more thorough in taking photos and scouting around for bags to inspect. One brand I wanted to revisit was Chanel–particularly because their prices have skyrocketed insanely and, honestly, disproportionately. We wanted to check updated prices (the bag we were seriously considering way back in 2014/2015 has since more than doubled, like wtf), as well as reconfirm if our memories of the previous inspection still held up.

We were pretty lucky that the Chanel branch we went to did not have a line, had a chatty saleslady who seemed to be in a more senior position, AND one of the grail models was actually on hand, which, these days, is getting to be more rare I think. It was the medium flap in black caviar leather with silver hardware (around 8500€ give or take)

Some things to take note of when trying to find the best value (and future resale value) and quality for Chanel bags:

1. Unless it’s the OG core flap bags, everything else is “seasonal” (aka probably not made to last, despite what the price tag may suggest). You could tell from the saleslady’s face that the seasonal items are just stuff they gotta sell, but they don’t look too proud about it :))
2. The OG core flap bags should always always have 2 flaps (the quilted flap and the interior flap that’s black and burgundy, and the chain strap should be wearable 2-ways (short shoulder and longer shoulder, but not crossbody) just as Coco had originally designed. Any variation of this or any bag that’s lacking in any of these features would be considered “seasonal” as well

This means that if you are spending that money anyway, at least get the ones that were built to last, and none of that flimsy seasonal stuff unless you’ve really got money to spare and don’t mind wasting it haha. Anyway, those are just my two cents. In the end, it’s your money. Spend and be happy.

Update as of September/October 2022

My friend let me get up close and personal with her flap bag baby, so I was able to take a lot more detailed photos. Luckily, the version she has is the classic one with the double flap, so you can visualize everything I’ve described previously.

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If you must buy a Chanel, then let it be the classic flap and not one of the seasonal bags whose quality is more assuredly poor. The classic flap still feels quite solid, but where I often hear people say the bag gets damaged or fails is at the bag straps. In particular, the leather that goes through the chain. I don’t know if this is also so with the classic flap or just with the seasonal bags, but that’s something to consider when you’re thinking of buying this, and is a very possible occurrence because the leather that goes through the chain is much thinner and not stitched or anything. It’s literally just for aesthetic purposes.

When you open the bag’s main flap, there should be the secondary flap (I wonder if this means that the “mini” version of the classic flap, which doesn’t have the double flap, is considered seasonal as well?) in black, and when you open that flap, the underside is burgundy with the stitched interlocking C’s and the gold-leafed Chanel logo

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Closeup of the details on the burgundy portion

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Inside:

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If you look at the main flap when it is opened, you’ll notice this kind of creasing all along the back of the bag. It looks pretty bad, but I guess it can’t be helped because this is something that can happen when you have 2 or more pieces of leather on top of each other or glued together, in a section that curves or folds like a bag flap. The material on the top is slightly longer in order to curve over when closed, so it creases back a bit when the bag is opened. HOWEVER, what this does show is that the caviar material is much thinner than before, because of the amount and size of the creases. If the material were thicker, the creases wouldn’t be so small and close together.

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The portion I encircled on the 3rd photo shows where it was most likely hand-stitched as extra support for the interior part of the bag. But this seems to be the only evidence of hand-stitching

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The interior of the bag’s back pocket is also lined in burgundy

And here are a few more closeup detail shots:

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So there you have it. If I get my hands on the jumbo flap again, I’d be curious to see if the details I observed back in 2014/2015 are still applicable today. In any case, be armed with this knowledge, and buy what you will!

Something to note about the caviar leather: while the coating provides the scratch-proofing and protection that people look for and probably think about when they refer to this “lifetime” caviar leather, it’s actually a double-edged sword. You don’t really get much leather (it has probably been shaved down to just the caviar-stamped top part) or much of the qualities that you want out of leather, like the body, patina, strength, character, etc. You will have to remember that if you want leather that patinas, that has character, that is thick and feels sturdy–well, it probably won’t be scratch-proof, lightweight, or “uniform” like the Chanel flap or like many other bags are (Valextra’s ultra-coated finish comes to mind, too). Just something to note!

UPDATE AS OF NOVEMBER 2023

Sharing some updated closeup shots of my mom’s medium classic flap in caviar leather with gold hardware. Compared to just 1 year before, the price has gone up again by around 1000€ (which is pretty insane). We were able to get her bag in Florence, but I really didn’t like the service and snootiness, which seemed to be served in extra portions in that particular branch (which disappoints me so much because why did it have to be in my beloved second home town 😦 boo). Chanel seems to be competing with Hermès not just in price but in the level of snoot.

First, I don’t love the system that some brands have started to adopt, which is that the customer waits around with no end in sight, and a sales associate will find you in x number of minutes/ hours. This was the case in LV (they don’t take your photo or contact you via email/ mobile, so I shudder to think what descriptions they type into their little tablet to ensure that the sales associate can find and identify you amongst the throng of people waiting around–especially as an Asian among many Asians there), and it was the same system at Chanel. After waiting around for several minutes and having looked through the shoes and few items on the ground floor, we finally were called by a sales associate (a fellow Asian who was pretty unfriendly/ cold). When we told her the exact item we were looking for (a black evening bag size flap bag), she was very vague about the availability but went off to the stockroom to look.

The bags she brought out were all seasonal and no caviar, and we also felt they were too small for us. Once we told her that we would look at the next size up (and consequently a bigger price tag for her commission or whatever haha), suddenly she became a lot friendlier and brought out a classic medium flap in black caviar with gold hardware. She also became a lot more helpful with showing us matching wallets and accessories. I wonder if brands don’t realize that the level of customer service should be the same whether or not a customer buys something or not–they could very well be alienating or permanently turning off potential customers.

This kind of snootiness is just something that irks me. Also–this sales associate asked us if we wished to take the elevator or stairs to go up (since I guess the pricier flaps were upstairs), so we decided to use the stairs since the elevator was still in use and we didn’t want to waste any more time waiting (we had a dinner reservation afterwards), so we took the stairs BUT SHE WAITED TO TAKE THE ELEVATOR, and so WE WAITED for her upstairs while she rode the elevator up. It’s not just us right, you find that weird too? Sigh, è così.

Anyway, photos.