When it comes to designer bags, our wish list is as long as the arms we’d dutifully carry them on. Of course, brands like Bottega Veneta, The Row and Loewe feature prolifically on it, as do new-wave labels such as Khaite and Wandler. But the design house that claims the most spots on that list has to be Chloé.
Relatively speaking, Chloé hasn’t been in the bag-making game all that long. Its foray into arm-candy territory came in 2005 when it debuted the Paddington, a gold padlock-adorned leather tote, which sold out its first run of 8000 handbags before a single one even hit the boutique shelves, breaking retail records.
Fast-forward 18 years, and the French fashion powerhouse has bestowed us with more It bags than we can count. There’s Tess, C, Penelope, Marcie and the recent Ora, to name a few. However, last year, a new style emerged that swiftly joined the illustrious ranks and has remained one of the brand’s most wanted ever since. The bag in question? The Woody, which has proven a huge hit amongst the style set.
Woody is a little different from its iconic siblings. First, the bag’s not made from leather, real or faux. Instead, the original Woody‘s body was constructed using a heavy-duty, durable canvas, trimmed with flashes of rust- or black-coloured leather, which flank the now instantly recognisable logo-emblazoned canvas handles. Not only does this make the bag practical, but also, you’ll be pleased to know, it keeps it on the more affordable end of the designer scale, with most styles coming in under £1000.
Chloé’s matching slip-on Woody sandals were (and continue to be) a sell-out before the bag even landed, so it’s no surprise that the original tote flew off the shelves when it eventually did launch at the beginning of last year. Since then, the design house has continued to invest in the Woody line to meet demand, releasing ever more beautiful iterations, from crochet-knit to denim and shearling and raffia baskets for spring and summer.
But there’s one new style that is a particular stand out— the rich, buttery brown and black leather versions. The logos are a little more subtle, and the leather makes it, if possible, feel even more timeless— and, of course, perfect for the cooler autumn season we’re launching into. Woody also comes in a range of sizes, from large totes to the more compact crossbody and these new styles are being steadily released in these sizes too.
Keep scrolling to see and shop the new Chloé Woody spring update, as well as the originals too.
Libby Page, Net-a-Porter’s senior fashion market editor, says of the bag, “The Chloé Woody Canvas Tote is still the perfect bag for our client going into the new season, as it’s both practical and chic as well as being a different take on the tote bag. The original canvas material is so classic. Though, you might want to consider the new finishes. The thing they all have in common [is]the subtle branding, which will continue to appeal to the Chloé woman.”
It certainly appeals to us—especially since it’s the perfect bag for everything from running errands to beach trips and office days. Since it’s sold out countless times over the last year, we’re here to give you the heads-up that new styles and restocks have just landed online. So if you’ve been thinking about investing in a designer bag that feels really special but still timeless and practical, now’s your opportunity. Scroll on to see (read: drool over) and shop every Woody bag that’s currently in stock.
This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.
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