Want Angelina's bag? That'll be £3,000...and a very long wait
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- Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00
- Written by Daily Mail
If you want to know what the latest ‘It Bag’ is, the one on Angelina Jolie’s arm is usually a pretty good place to start. At the moment that’s Louis Vuitton’s Capucines handbag, which is selling out across Europe as fashionistas flock to get their hands on one.But would-be buyers have to have deep pockets – it costs up to £3,250. Assistants at the Louis Vuitton shop in New Bond Street, London, said the bags had sold out.They are unlikely to be back in stock until the end of the month, and then in small numbers – prompting suspicions the shortage may be a marketing ruse. But is it worth the wait – and the cash? Fashion writer NICOLE MOWBRAY gives her verdict …After parting with a significant amount of cash for this season’s must-have bag, it’s more than a little galling when it becomes noticeably ‘last season’.It’s even worse when the design pops up everywhere, thanks to labels and prints now being notoriously easy to fake.Louis Vuitton, with its much-copied tan and brown monogram design, must have felt the latter particularly keenly. Which explains why, with the understated Capucines, the French label is turning the emphasis away from trends and back to timeless style.The bag is named after the Rue des Capucines in Paris, where Louis Vuitton opened his first shop in 1854. With it, the brand seems to be celebrating craftsmanship rather than the brash logos for which it has been known of late.Indeed, the success of the bag marks a turnaround for the brand, which has been struggling to win back its reputation as an upmarket and exclusive label.The Capucines is made with full-grain Taurillon calf-leather, which comes from the top layer of a hide. It is subjected to minimal chemical processing (which can weaken it) and so is known for its quality, durability and signature texture.This is the same leather used by Hermes – which is famous for still operating long waiting lists for its coveted Kelly and Birkin bags, decades after they launched.Assistants in Louis Vuitton stores have suggested the brand is also using Hermes’s tactic of ‘drip-feeding’ limited numbers of the Capucines into shops, to encourage demand.So there we have it. Those with serious money to spend – the Capucines costs £3,000 in medium, and £3,250 in large – will be making a serious style understatement this season.If you’d like to follow suit for less, take a look at Raoul. The label offers bags which are just as nice, at a tenth of the price.Or, on the high street, Zara has a classic leather bag with a simple metal tab for a much more purse-friendly £109.
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