IMHO: The Chanel 31 Shopping Bag Deserves More Love

For most handbag lovers, Chanel is unequivocally synonymous with the Chanel Classic Flap Bag. While the shape is one of the, if not the most, iconic bags for the House of Chanel and the handbag world as a whole, there are a myriad of other bags to discover, too. Of course, there are the classics, both new and old, like the 2.55, Boy Bag, Coco Handle, and more, but there’s one bag that somehow flies under the radar.

I’m talking about the chic and sleek but incredibly slept-on Chanel 31.

The Chanel 31: a Quick Refresher

Karl Lagerfeld was appointed Creative Director of Chanel in 1983, and his reign at the iconic French House made Chanel the brand it is today. Lagerfeld completely revolutionized the House with his unique perspective and his ability to master timeless designs that still fit the modern woman.

In 2018, a year before his death, Lagerfeld introduced the Chanel 31 Bag on the runway for Fall 2018, betting big on its debut. Based on a design from the brand’s archives, the Chanel 31 Bag originally arrived in 2 sizes—classic and large—meant to be carried by the bag’s top handles, over the shoulder with the thin leather straps, or worn folded over as a clutch.

Truthfully, I did not like the bag when it originally debuted, and I found the crinkled leather that was used on many of the bags to look messy, but over the years, Chanel has tweaked the Chanel 31 bag, offering smaller sizes and longer chain straps. New versions of the bag also offer a bit more structure.

While I (admittedly) often forget about the Chanel 31 bag because it was never really on my radar from its inception, each time I see the bag IRL (which isn’t often) or in photos commissioned for PurseBlog, I realize how much I like it.

Maybe it’s the bag’s under-the-radar appeal that I gravitate towards, but I find the Chanel 31 bag to be quite unique and underrated. It has a certain air of elegance and a unique allure that I keep coming back to. There is just something so chic about a top-handle carry of its kind, and its thin shape can also be delicately tucked under the arm.

What do you think? Does the Chanel 31 bag deserve more attention?