How I bought my favourite Céline bags

(Classic x2, Big Bag x2)

If I were to choose only one Céline bag I could own… No, one is impossible, let’s say only two bags - I would choose Classic (or how we all say Box) and Big Bag. I honestly think these two would be enough for me. Color wouldn’t matter that much, but it would make sense to go for something more toned down. Size wouldn’t matter as well, I love both Classic and Big Bag in every size. Probably that’s why I have two Classics and two Big Bags.

I was dreaming about Classic Box in camel color for so long, then saving for even longer, and finally in 2015 I went to Rome to buy it. This was also my first solo trip and it all felt very special. I entered Céline boutique on Via Condotti with a specific goal, in my mind I have already bought my ultimate dream bag in the most beautiful brown color, but when I asked the sales assistant about it she told me they didn’t have it. Apparently, there was not even one Classic Box in camel color in whole Italy. I remember she opened a drawer to show me what colors they did have and there were so many! But not the one I wanted. In that moment I felt like Amelie when she turned into water and splashed over the tiles in that bistro. Very disappointed I asked if they had a black one and after several minutes that felt like forever she found out that there were two black bags available - one from display, scratched, and one new, in Venice, and it’s possible to organise a transfer to Rome. Of course I wanted a new one, but I had to wait for two days until it arrived. In three days I was leaving to Florence so the timing was perfect. They reserved the bag, I quickly checked the store (though I was too shy to try anything on) and went to buy gelato to celebrate.

Two days later I came back to pick up the bag, paid for it (price was still €2500) and ran to the hotel with the most perfect white paper bag and white box inside. I opened the box and just couldn’t stop looking at my very own Céline Classic and making photos of it and sending them to my mom.

unpacking!

and this is me the next morning, taking the bag for the first walk in the gardens of the Villa Borghese

Fun fact - couple of years later I needed to repair the lock, and customer service asked to send photos of the logo, serial number and tags. When I was looking for a serial number (which should be in the compartment with the zip), I didn’t find it. It was so weird but then I read on the PurseForum that there was a batch in 2015 without serial numbers! It’s so interesting that from all the bags I got a very rare one :)

Three years later I fell in love with Big Bag and I was still obsessed with camel color, so I had to have a camel Big Bag! My first Céline bag was Luggage, and Big Bag looked like a transformed modern sophisticated version of it. It was the end of 2018, we already knew that Phoebe left Céline, but the last collection was still there. I remember my husband was at the store buying a present for me, and I asked him to check if the bag was still available, and he was told that there was only one left with the old logo. The next morning I went to the store and bought it.

And then in 2021 almost the same story happened to me twice.

I’m at home, doing my usual Céline checks on every possible resale platform and I see a listing with camel calfskin Classic in small size for an unbelievable price. There were close ups of the bag and from what I saw I had a feeling it was authentic. On the photos you could see a lot of scratches and it seemed like it was not that valuable for the seller because of that. I contacted the seller and she told me if I make a transfer in the next 10 minutes and pick it up from her, she would sell it to me. I sent money immediately and with some issues the bag was delivered to me next week. Judging by serial number it was one of the first Classic models released in 2010 with different clasps on the shoulder strap (the same was sold here). So it was already 10 years old when I bought it and to me it aged so beautifully, all of these marks and scratches, and the color it got. I don’t even want to tell you the price because it sounds absolutely crazy but I paid less than €150 for it.

I’m at home, doing my usual Céline checks on every possible resale platform and I see a listing with a black Big Bag in grained leather for €200. There’s not much more to tell except I got super lucky that this guy was selling things from his mom and had no idea about their worth.

Here’s a little video of me showing you all the bags, each of four I love and wear so much!

So now I’m obviously waiting (and saving) for Phoebe Philo, but I would love to buy Big Big in Medium and Large sizes. This one or this one. These are just the coolest bags to me right now.

Anyway, that’s all for now! See you next week,

Veronika