Chanel's Gabrielle - First impressions, pros and cons

Instead of repeating the information here, Brag My Bag has a good overview of the Gabrielle bag’s story, styles and prices.  I’ll just be posting my own personal views of the bags, particularly the large size, which I ultimately purchased. The one thing I will add is that I think it’s really cool that Gabrielle is based off of an original design by Coco!

Decisions, Decisions…

I went back and forth between the medium and large size for weeks.  Unfortunately, the medium size in black was sold out EVERYWHERE, so I didn’t get to try it on.  But I was able to try the medium in the beige/black and also a lovely forest green colour. 







The medium size looks great proportionally (as reference, I am 5’4 and petite).  I believe this is the best size for most people. It can also fit quite a lot (more than the medium size classic flap).

But ultimately I decided to go for large – mainly because I wanted the bag in black and the large is also practical for work. 

I initially thought the large size was too big (see picture below), but it was because it was overstuffed in the boutique.  


Overstuff Gabrielle (Large)

But even after I bought the large, I debated for two weeks if I should return it for a medium size.  When the top is squished so that it V’s out, it makes the bag look too wide.  I had to stuff and re-shape it for a few days at home to get it to box out properly.  When it isn’t overstuffed, the bag looks like a great hobo messenger type bag.
Stuffing and reshaping

Pros

It’s practical: no top flap or turn lock to fuss with.  

The look: It still has some of the traditional Chanel elements, like the quilting, cc logo and chain straps but they’re reinterpreted into a more bold, edgy and futuristic way. I find my boy and mini very fancy looking, which is why I mainly just wear them on weekends and nights out.  But the Gabrielle is more casual and edgy.




Versatility: The bag can be worn up to 7 ways, but my favourite ways are slung over one shoulder, both straps crossbody or the V crossbody.






 




Hardware: My favourite part is the 4 types of hardware.  That makes the bag much more versatile as I can wear either gold or silver jewelry.



It's different: I like the fact that not everyone loves it.  I don’t believe this bag will be as popular as the classic flap or boy, so you likely won’t be seeing it around everywhere.

Cons:

Price:  This bag ain’t cheap and I had to save up for it.  It was a present to myself for passing a tough exam. Many people may feel that if they’re going to spend this kind of money, they should get the classic flap or boy. However, Gabrielle is still cheaper than the other permanent collection bags.  I think that they will likely increase the price once it becomes popular, like they did with the boy bag.

The CC logo – this is both a pro and con for me.  I like that you can easily hide it away if you want to be discrete about your bag.  But when I do want it to be seen, it doesn’t always stay put. I think this is because the length of the zipper isn’t long enough to hang over the edge properly.  It seems to hang better with the medium size though because the height of the top edge is shorter.


Wear and tear: With all Chanel bags, I worry about wear and tear.  I've worn it twice and I can already see some minor rubs and scratches! There aren’t any metal tips, so if you set the bag down, you have to be careful.  Unfortunately in Canada, the Chanel boutique does not do “bag spa” or repairs.  But for minor rubs, you can buff them out by rubbing your finger over it, as the natural oils will smooth it away.  I think the aged calfskin on top will age well as it will just blend in with the already aged look.   I will write a follow up review in a few months to let you know how this bag has fared.  

Weight: it’s not a super heavy bag, but the chains do add a bit of weight.  Even though the bag is in the large size, I wouldn’t completely stuff the bag because it will be too heavy and look bulky.  If you like light bags, I would recommend the medium size over the large.

Overall:

Do I recommend the bag?  YES! I love it. 

I highly recommend that you go to the boutique and try on both the medium and large sizes to decide which one would work for your body type and lifestyle. I don’t know if I’d recommend this as a first Chanel bag though. If this is your first, I would perhaps stick to a classic.  However, if you already have those, this is a great addition.  I hope this was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions!

Comments

  1. Hi dear! Great review! Can i just check with you if this back can fit a macbook pro 13"??

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    Replies
    1. Hi! I don't have the macbook pro 13 inch, so I can't test it out. But based on the dimensions, I do not think it would fit without causing some damage to the zipper.

      The dimensions of the macbook pro on the website are: 11.97 inches and 8.36 inches.
      The dimensions of the large Gabrielle are: 12.4 inches and 10 inches.

      HOWEVER, the zipper doesn't go the full 12.4 inches across - there is about an inch on each side.

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