Chanel - The All-Things Chanel Thread

[chrisand489]

I have witness changes but I have simply stopped buying. No point in ranting about it.
I think consumers have to be informed but now there’s a lot of misinformation for example. I bought my bags when they stopped doing the gold plate. I have my first classic bags for 17 years now. But I can’t say that the quality is decreasing because of that for example.

The thing is that at some point the prices influenced our reactions. I have found some cute pieces from Virginie but I wouldn’t spend 7K for a tweed jacket today. And tbh, I’m not sure I would even if it’s Blazy.

I love Chanel but personally, I feel like Chanel has outpriced itself for the amount I’m willing to pay at full retail price for a single item.

But then again, I’m not spending 10K on a classic or 2:55 today and I’m not spending 9K on a jacket.

Honestly, I think you made a really good point. No matter how refined Blazy’s designs are, they just don’t hold the same long-term value as even a slightly awkward vintage piece from Karl’s era. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit…but you know what I mean. There’s something about those older pieces that feels timeless, even if they weren’t conventionally beautiful. They carry legacy.

And speaking of value… I still can’t believe a Le Boy card holder costs around 700 euros in Japan. With that kind of money, I could easily get a compact Loewe wallet and might be more functional, and honestly, probably better made these days.

So maybe taste evolves, but legacy… that’s priceless.

 

[Caffeine]

Honestly, I think you made a really good point. No matter how refined Blazy’s designs are, they just don’t hold the same long-term value as even a slightly awkward vintage piece from Karl’s era. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit…but you know what I mean. There’s something about those older pieces that feels timeless, even if they weren’t conventionally beautiful. They carry legacy.

And speaking of value… I still can’t believe a Le Boy card holder costs around 700 euros in Japan. With that kind of money, I could easily get a compact Loewe wallet and might be more functional, and honestly, probably better made these days.

So maybe taste evolves, but legacy… that’s priceless.

A lot of Karl's creations are very specific or awkward, but there are also plenty that are timeless as you said. I found an almost new 2018 Hamburg sailor jacket: the cut is perfect with today's casual pieces and it is just so darn well made. I put it on and my heart skipped a beat

 

[Creative]

Chic people going to Hermes? If Hermes is doing those numbers, it’s precisely because chic people are not to the sole consumers. People buys those brands because they can afford to buy it. People ranting about the quality of bag on the internet aren’t spending 3/4K on a cardigan or 7/9K on a jacket.

But it’s indeed time to put some class back into the house and maybe evoke youth without feeling juvenile.

I don’t know if they have to launch a proper menswear. Maybe they should start by few looks but more than that, expand the availability of the products. Producing bigger sizes on their shoes, doing either a real bag for men or at least a unisex bag.

Yes, they are going more and more to Hermès. Chic locals don’t want the Chanel flap but a Kelly. You don’t see very rich locals buying new Chanel at all.

Of course Hermes also has a wide variety of customers as we’ve talked about in different threads, having chic customers doesn’t mean you will have just that.

If I were a woman I’d find nothing interesting at Chanel tbh. Just the slingbacks… the rest is garbagish or tacky or matronly or super outdated.

 

[tourbillions]

i still cant compare hermes rtw to chanel. Id still see way more people in chanel tweed than hermes rtw. I don't think hermes would have much sales at all without their holy grail bags. Even then most of what they sell are bedsheets, throw pillows, plates, everything but rtw. Except for their sandals..

At chanel i know many people are still avid users of their facial care products and i dont mean make up. They have one of the healthiest haute couture division, tweed jackets still sell a lot and i think that the people complaining about quality are the vocal few. Maybe they should play "the game" at chanel to get offered the better quality bags idk.. or maybe they just come in and see whats on display and complain. I think even chanel high jewelry sell more than hermes. So i dont know which chic people are in hermes, all i see are people accumulating points for one of the bags.

chic people are obviously in jacquemus these days, preparing for their vacations in st tropez or bodrum

 

[Lola701]

Honestly, I think you made a really good point. No matter how refined Blazy’s designs are, they just don’t hold the same long-term value as even a slightly awkward vintage piece from Karl’s era. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit…but you know what I mean. There’s something about those older pieces that feels timeless, even if they weren’t conventionally beautiful. They carry legacy.

And speaking of value… I still can’t believe a Le Boy card holder costs around 700 euros in Japan. With that kind of money, I could easily get a compact Loewe wallet and might be more functional, and honestly, probably better made these days.

So maybe taste evolves, but legacy… that’s priceless.

To me, it’s not even a question of value. I buy what I like. But even Karl at current prices would make me question it.
Karl’s Chanel was already very expensive towards the end. But there were pieces that were great and which for me weren’t outrageous. But I’m more a fan of Karl so I bought a lot of Fendi. I have actually more Fendi clothes and variety of clothes than Chanel. I would say that 80% of my Chanel clothes are tweed.

The moment I realized I was over it was with Virginie’s first collection. There was that long red cashmere cardigan. I really loved it. But if I remember, it was a little bit over 5K. And I kept remembering that I spend a little bit more than 3K for one of the chunky sweater dresses from the Hamburg collection. It simply wasn’t worth it.

Eventually, Virginie made it easier for me because the clothes weren’t good. Kim Jones also made it easy for me at Fendi. What was lacking was an intention really. It was just commercial clothes and when you are leading fashion house, it’s not enough. It can work at Hermes but not so much at Chanel for me.

But in reality, when it comes to luxury HF brands, I always choose the sales route. If I’m willing to pay full price, I would rather go to Vuitton (because of NG) or independent designers (Plan C, N21 or others). I can get strong pieces there.

But as I know women who still buys Chanel clothes and bags. They know what they are paying. And it’s not even a question of « can you afford it ». It’s just the willingness to buy.

There are a lot of women who don’t care about the designer behind, the season or others. They just love the brand and what it represents.

Chanel has relied too much maybe on that. The Chanel look, the codes, the color palette.

But the discussion we are having around Chanel can be applied to a lot of brands that are going to experience an overhaul in September/October.
I think that Chanel and Dior are going to be the big winners because they are « valeurs sûres ».

 

[jeanclaude]

A Chanel bag which looks already used:

TikTok - Make Your Day

And then this wallet:

 

[chrisand489]

 

[tourbillions]

I dont know why releasing a mens line is controversial in 2025.

If brands would do something as low as moving demna from balenciaga to gucci, then making a mens line in a supposedly "woman power" brand makes more sense.

Tweed jackets doesnt always need to be cut the same way.

 

[theshadedgaze]

Well there goes that fantasy c’est la vie. Just have to keep buying what’s on offer for women.