Is The Chanel 19 here to stay?

A comprehensive review of the Chanel 19 bag. Also a Chanel 19 vs. the Classic Flap review; which to buy? The Chanel 19 bag is the slouchier, younger, and, dare I say, the ~cooler~ sister of the Classic Flap. While there are clear differentiations, I find myself going back and forth between them because they’re also similar. Check out my comparisons below and the specs for the Chanel bag in question.

Chanel 19’s Name and its History

The Chanel 19 bag was first introduced in March 2019, just one month after Karl Lagerfeld’s passing. Largerfeld created the Chanel 19 bag as his final masterpiece before his untimely departure. It was named the Chanel 19 as a nod to the year it was released, but Largerfeld’s passing date was February 19th, 2019.

Many people didn’t actually know that Coco Chanel was interested in numerology, superstitiously. Coco paid extreme attention to numbers; thus, the perfume Chanel №5 was the most important as she believed “5” brought her luck. The Chanel 2.55 bag was also part of the superstitious way of naming as it was given the name “2.55” because it was created in February of 1955 (again, “5” appearing not by accident).

The Chanel 19 bag was also a tribute to Mademoiselle Gabrielle Chanel’s birthday, August 19th, 1883.

Karl Lagerfeld and Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel

Chanel 19 Price

The Chanel 19 handbag is nothing short of a masterpiece. From the materials, the straps, the colors, and more, it’s a handbag part of a legacy brand, and it won’t be cheap. Let’s be honest here; it’s no secret that the House of Chanel looooves to raise its prices quicker than any other luxury fashion brand. For example, the Classic Flap was roughly $6K in 2020, and now (in mid-2022), it’s pushing on $9K. Which is pure insanity. Check out the ~current~ pricing guide for the Chanel 19 bag.

Chanel 19 Price Guide

Chanel 19 Maxi Handbag $6,900

Chanel 19 Large Handbag $6,300

Chanel 19 Flap Handbag (medium size) $5,700

Chanel 19 WOC Handbag $3,650

Prices vary depending on material and sizing. Sizes and different material variations are listed below. Chanel bags are not only growing in popularity, but though it’s a legacy name, the price tags also continue to grow as well. When the Chanel bags in the current season grow in price, naturally, the price tags on the resale and vintage items follow suit. Anyone who’s shopped for vintage Chanel bags knows that even the most worn-out bags on the market are being sold for sometimes triple the price of what the bag was originally bought.

Chanel 19 Materials

Chanel bags are notorious for unbelievable constant price increases, but they are also well-known for the variation of materials they sell. From the original black lambskin leather to the caviar leather, tweed, silk, sequins, etc. The Chanel 19 bag is relatively new in the Chanel boutique lineup, so it may not have as many variations as the classic flap. The Chanel 19 designer bag is typically made in the traditional flap lambskin leather material. This leather style is incredibly soft and allows the bag to be forgiving if you need to over-stuff the bag with things.

Chanel boutiques are notorious for giving fashion lovers the perfect balance of classic and fun types of Chanel bags. The bag materials and style designs are similar and different from the Classic Flap. Every Chanel bag collection contains classics and a modern style take of what’s hot at the time. Check out some of the Chanel 19 materials available for purchase now.

Chanel 19 Shape and Size in Inches

Chanel 19 Maxi Handbag 9.8 L x 14 W x 4.3 D

Chanel 19 Large Handbag 7.8 L x 11.7 W x 3.9 D

Chanel 19 Flap Handbag (medium size) 6.2 L x 10.1 W x 3.5 D

Chanel 19 WOC handbag 4. 8 L x 7.5 W x 1.4 D

The Chanel 19 handbag’s shape is the real differentiation compared to the Classic Flap. The Chanel 19’s look skews closer to a square body than the original east-west shape of the Classic. The 19 Chanel bag is also pretty lightweight as it is missing the heavier and tighter quilting of the leather and the shape is slouchier thanks to its looser structure.

The bag has a similar back outside compartment that extends the whole back of the bag. Because the Chanel 19 bag is softer with less structure, it’s possible to use this back pocket without distorting the bag. When mademoiselle Chanel designed the original 2.55 bag, it included the back pocket for “tips” – an easy outside compartment to hold some change or dollars to tip bellmen or taxi drivers. Today, it can be used to store our cellphones, some cash, important receipts, and more.

The strap of the Chanel 19 handbag is also a huge difference from the Classic Flap. Tons of Chanel designer bag lovers either love or hate this feature. The bag strap is made with mixed metals with Gold-Tone (an aged gold), Silver-Tone (silver) & Ruthenium-Finish Metal. Combining all three of these metals makes matching the bag with your outfits easy. Tons of handbag lovers are always plagued with collection decisions when choosing with color hardware to opt for when choosing a handbag, silver or gold? Chanel said, why not a combination? The Chanel 19 designer bag reimagines this question by essentially making it irrelevant.

The strap makes the bag easy to carry. It also includes the leather intertwined within the chain style, just like the Classic Flap. However, this bag’s strap also includes a piece of leather that sits underneath the strap where it is meant to be carried. This extra piece of leather gives a much-needed cushion relief for whoever decides to wear the bag. It allows the bag to be worn as a crossbody bag as well as a shoulder bag. The top handle feature gives that extra flare in a style that allows the holder to wear it in the crook of their arm or simply handheld.

The top handle does not come in the Maxi size, but most other bag variation sizes have it. The chain link is pretty lightweight as the mixed metals on the Chanel bag.

The inside compartment of the bag is also quite wide and loose, as it is missing the double flap. The double flap is a major part of the Classic Flap as it helps to keep the bag’s structure. The interior compartment is easy as it doesn’t provide an interior flap but does still have a necessary interior zip pocket.

Images by Chanel

Is the Chanel 19 Bag Worth The Hype?

The short answer? Absolutely. Why? Because I believe it’s a classic bag in the making. Chanel has not simply thrown this look together; it consistently relaunches the bag in every collection with new materials and more. Also, the Chanel 19 style has been introduced in flap wallets, cardholders, belt bags, handheld pouches, coin purses, clutches with chains, and much more.

I do believe that IF the Chanel fashion house was not planning on keeping the Chanel 19 style within the brand’s classic look, it would not continue to use the same large quilted leather and chained logo in many of their newly launched pieces. In truth, this version of the Chanel bag is the slouchier and more casual bag that is similar but not exactly the same vibe as the Classic Flap.

It’s THE PERFECT everyday bag. The best type of bag can be worn with jeans or dresses. The best part? It can also be worn in a dressier style thanks to the top handle, which the Classic Flap doesn’t have). It’s easy to carry, it can carry a bit more things than the Classic because the wear of the bag is way less structured.

Will The Chanel 19 Bag Become a Classic?

The million-dollar question is, will the Chanel 19 become a classic? This Chanel bag was created as part of Karl Lagerfeld’s last contribution to his Chanel legacy. There may have been a bit of pushback from the Chanel bag lover community in the early days of its launch, it’s clear that it has indeed grown in popularity. The shape and significant components of the bag push it towards being a classic for many years to come.