One day I just woke up and had a strong desire for a Balenciaga Bag. I don't know where this sudden urge came from but it was rather intense. I visited the Balenciaga website a trillion times trying to decide if I wanted GH( Giant Hardware), Regular Hardware, etc. and what color combination would best suit my needs- Rose gold with taupe, black on black black on gold, black on silver hardware etc. These bags come in so many beautiful color combos it took a while to figure out the perfect bag. I really wanted a cute everyday bag that was chic and had that element of edge and I felt that the Balenciaga City Bag was the perfect bag for that. Here are the specifications of this bag (www.balenciaga.com)
BALENCIAGA Giant 21 Gold City ANTHRACITE
$1,895.00
- Description:
- Gold plated metal hardware • top zip closure • hand stitched handles • removable shoulder strap • front zip pocket • leather framed hand mirror • interior zip pocket with Balenciaga embossed leather tag • made in Italy
- Dimensions:
- 15" W x 9.5" H x 5.5" D
- Material:
- Soft vintage crafted lambskin
- Lining:
- Black cotton canvas
- THE REAL : So I went to Neiman Marcus in Chevy Chase to check out the bag in person. I wanted to see if there was a connection between us. Well, it was- and then it disappeared, then it reemerged and then it would go away again... but honestly, (speaking for myself) sometimes when you love fashion your vision becomes jaded and we sometimes make investments on things that are really not worth the money. Now if you are rich- by all means knock yourself out, but I work very hard for the things that I want and it actually matters to me if I am wasting or making a quality investment.
- When I first walked to the Bal section I thought to myself, oh my! these bags look cheap... but who am I? I just love fashion. I am not the Fashion God but IMO the leather was very very thin and it did not look as lustrous or feel as soft as I had imagined. For those of you who are familiar with the purseforum, I did a bit of research and found that a lot of BAL fans noticed quality control issues and a lot of buyers felt the bags were of better quality when they first came out years ago.
- On to the positive- I loved the hardware- especially since it reminds me of thimbles. I love the style and the size of the bag.... but it honestly looked a little cheap to me... YIKERS... I know there are some HARDCORE BAL fans out here... and I am kinda one...but I can't pretend that my observations does not exist, and I can't say with 100% certainty that it is worth the price like other handbags. I think it is really cute, but there are small details that really irritated me about the bag.. i.e the cloth interior, the mirror seemed of poor quality, Peeling leather( I get the distressed element but I think that may have been a quality control issue). Thinness of leather, some stitching imperfections, etc. Other than that I think this bag is gorgeous- most people that have seen this bag have ALL felt like it was a very poor investment.. but...
- ... I want to know what you guys think if you own a Bal Bag, and do you love it for its name sake or do you really believe you purchased a well made, high quality, hand crafted dream???
Love this post! I have such a strong desire to purchase said bag (unsure of the color right now). Maybe I should take a trip to Balenciaga and see if I can make a connection with one of the bags...or not...But it is on my wishlist!
ReplyDeletethank you :). When you decide to check it out in person.... please let me know what you decide!!!!!
DeleteThanks for the review, was just planning to buy one online now without having seen it in person. Now i am thinking i will stick to tried and tested Gucci or LV.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I could help. I love the bal bag...but chanel is def a better investment.
ReplyDeleteJust bought one and I love it!!! I don't think it looks cheap at all and I got a lot of compliments. I had been eyeing it for a year. The design and the hardware is what really hooked me. I know friends who have bought LV's and have had to have them fixed a few times. I personally think LV's look cheap and am not a big fan. To each his own!!! :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new Bal Bag!!!! I would have to agree with LV bags looking cheap, which is why I prefer Chanel Bags. Maybe, Bal has improved quality control since I made my purchase?
DeleteWell I just bought it, so will keep you posted. However it was lust at first site, so I may be a poor judge of character. Maybe I will look into Chanel next time! :)
DeleteThanks for sharing this site, it is very informative for the business personals.
ReplyDeleteKeep on continuing with this.
Balenciaga Bags
I love the way the Balenciaga bags look and have strongly considered getting one. But after doing tons of research and seeing photos of how the bags look after a year or two of wear I have decided they are for sure not worth the price. I cannot spend $1200 (nice preloved bag) or $1800 new, on a bag that after a year or two is going to look like it might have been dragged through the gutter. The leather terribly wears off the bottom/sides, the handles start unraveling etc. I have a LV Speedy from the 80's which I use frequently and it looks great, yes I know its coated canvas but the point is its a better investment. For leather I'd rather have a Gucci for the price. A Balenciaga is basicallyfor the Hollywood types who have the $ to spend on the bag and just carry it for a season while it looks good and then toss and move on to the next " it " bag---
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