New Year, New Bag!

Happy New Year everyone!  What better way to start off 2014 than with a new bag?  This year, I'm in the market for the Louis Vuitton Capucines Bag, which borrows it's name and a detail or two from the classic Vuitton totes, but expands on them to form something ladylike and luxurious.

I first spotted this bag on the arm of Miranda Kerr last fall, and it’s a perfect pick for her style – neutral, elegant and understated. The bag is an important addition to Vuitton’s lineup, because not only is it all leather (which appeals to Vuitton’s desired clientele and allows the brand to price it prohibitively for aspirational customers), but its minimally branded. The LV logo that you see above is totally optional, and if the wearer prefers, it can be covered by a flap that’s tucked inside the bag as demonstrated in the photo above. Instead of the well-known letters, it bears a more subtle star motif that plays a secondary role in the iconic Vuitton monogram print. It’s still LV, but it’s not a literal LV, which is an important distinction for many of the most high-end customers.

The bag comes in two sizes, MM and GM, with a 1.5 inch difference in width between them (14.2 for the MM, 15.7 for the GM) and a price difference of $450 ($5,150 vs. $5,600). That kind of pricing puts the brand firmly in Hermes territory, a comparison that Vuitton is likely hoping to draw with its new leather offerings and their attendant prices. Currently, the GM only comes in two colors (black and red), while the MM comes in a range of six shades, including one that’s strikingly similar to Hermes’ signature orange. The bag's hardware varies between silver and gold, depending on the leather color. Check out some of my favorite versions below or get more information about both the MM and GM versions via Louis Vuitton.