Oh Boy, my Boy.

Oh Boy, my Boy.

This awesome piece of modernity and class speaks for itself, Opulence is here to tell you more about it and its infamous history.  

The 50’s saw the Sac à Courroies sparked a revolution of female fashion trends, the 60’s followed with a wave of increasing freedom and modernity letting appear new materials displayed beautifully by Paco Gabanne and Gucci.  

The 70’s were bounded around a hippie influenced spirit, giving time for a young Karl Lagerfeld, one of Chloé’s designers at the time to work on that bohemian aesthetic. 

By 2000, Young Karl had become a Fashion tycoon, reinventing since 1985 Chanel ‘s Baudelairian philosophy, and one thing is sure: The 2010’s belongs to the Boy Chanel. This now-iconic bag is the youngest creation of the House of couture largely adopted on a mainstream scale. Let’s check this amazing piece of fashion and see why it is so appreciated. 


Introduced in the second Fall/Winter collection of the decade (FW2011), the Boy is in the continuity of Coco’s flap bag, growing tired of holding, searching and losing for her purses. Since 1955, she has been creating delightful small cases attached by a strap now famous. 


To tell the tale of the Boy we have to explore two aspects of it: the name and the shape. 

It’s name “Boy”, like many of you knows comes from Arthur “Boy” Capel, paying tribute to the life long lover of Gabrielle. 

Capel was a polo player, he inspired many of Chanel’s quite boyish and craft handed looks. Apart from its attitude, Capel was from a good family, financed Coco so she could’ve opened her first hat shop 21 rue Cambon and later on the one in Deauville and Biarritz.  

t’s shape and size that bought a revolutionary turnover to Chanel’s collection, was inspired by the equestrian world so dear to her. Truly inspired by cartridge bags, fundamental riding and hunting bags just like the side saddle bags. Gabrielle was accustomed to them from their riding gateaways.  

A rigid, slightly squared structure rounded on the edges and a single flap. Karl Lagerfeld redesigned it for a real female, nonetheless unisex, versatile innovation that asserts a bold and independent look for anyone wearing it. 

Playing on the opposite side, the Boy isn’t necessarily masculine, but more structured, following straight lines and angular edges than classic flap 2.55 feminine form and rounded corners. Plus, the short leather strap linked on the coarse chain handle brings a touch of modernity and utility the rest of the flap bag line just can’t have.


Its large distribution, variety of models and material, and surely its range of size made the modern handbag very popular for millennials and fashion collectors. The boy is available in three sizes: small, medium, large and recently a 3-inch longer medium, adding the mention “old” and “new” to medium.  

 


Small: 20 x 12 x 8 cm/7.9″ x 4.7″ x 3.1   Old Medium: 25 x 15 x 9 cm/9.8″ x 5.9″ x 3.5″ New Medium: 28 x 18 x 9 cm/11″ x 7″ x 3.5″ Large:30 x 21 x 10 cm/11.8″ x 8.3″ x 3.9 




Small: 20 x 12 x 8 cm/7.9″ x 4.7″ x 3.1 Old Medium: 25 x 15 x 9 cm/9.8″ x 5.9″ x 3.5″ New Medium: 28 x 18 x 9 cm/11″ x 7″ x 3.5″ Large:30 x 21 x 10 cm/11.8″ x 8.3″ x 

The versatility of the Boy opens a floodgate of diversified creations in terms of materials, hardware, shapes, etc. Characterised by its classic main quilted body pattern frame, it had been crafted in luxurious textiles and leathers like caviar, lambskin, goatskin, patent, tweed, velvet and many more. More PVC, denim, canvas, metal and other unique editions went to be released as the years went by. Here’s a selection available at Opulence Vintage: 

But the most distinguishable characteristics of the Boy bag is its fastening lock. There are two versions of the Boy lock or CC push lock. The first 2011 edition was squared, with a large round button on the clasp lock forged CC. Seasons later, the centred CC button was reduced to fit between a larger, embossed CC logo was added, taking most space on the squared lock. The story of this lock is blurry and meagrely documented, is eclipsed by the countless combinations and contrast this lock can have. 

For what we know, the Boy bag went from instant success to timeless iconic bag in less that 10 years. From 17yo to 77yo, its versatility make it look smooth on almost anybody and any looks. Check at Opulence Vintage for available Boy bags and other delightful and unique vintage items! 



Published on: 21 May 2021