Deciding to purchase a Chanel bag is straightforward, but selecting the perfect Chanel leather can be quite challenging. With a plethora of luxurious options available, how do you choose the right one for you?
Every type of Chanel leather is exquisite in its own way, offering different looks, feels, and care requirements. Our guide below will help you choose the best Chanel leather for your new handbag, covering popular materials, leathers, fabrics, and even discontinued exotic skins. We also provide tips on maintaining your classic Chanel handbag to ensure it remains beautiful for years.
Chanel Leathers
Lambskin
Lambskin leather is highly sought after for Chanel handbags due to its buttery-soft texture, smooth finish, and luminous sheen, which gives it a luxurious, dressy look. If rich, vibrant colors are important to you, lambskin is an excellent choice, offering the deepest blacks and brightest hues. However, its delicate nature makes it more prone to damage. Store lambskin bags with the chains inside to avoid denting the leather and moisturize often to keep it soft.
Small scratches can be buffed out using your finger or the provided buffing cloth. Deeper scratches, stains, or corner wear are more challenging to fix. Pale-colored lambskin bags may suffer from color transfer if worn next to dark denim, especially cross-body styles that sit close to the hip.
Iridescent Lambskin
This variant of lambskin has a mother-of-pearl sheen that reflects different colors, thanks to its special coating. The coating also makes it more resistant to scratches and easier to maintain. Any scratches that do occur can be easily buffed out with a clean finger.
Caviar
Caviar leather, made from pebbled calfskin, is perhaps the most recognizable and coveted Chanel leather. It’s tougher and heavier than lambskin, ideal for those who use their Chanel bags frequently. Caviar leather holds its shape and quilted puff longer, and it resists scratches and blemishes better than lambskin. However, light-colored Caviar leather can be prone to color transfer, so be cautious with dark fabrics.
Calfskin
Soft and smooth, calfskin is made from calf hide and is often used in Chanel’s iconic quilted designs, like the Boy bag. Its small, delicate grains give it an elegant texture, balancing the softness of lambskin with the durability of Caviar.
Aged Calfskin
Used in Chanel’s Reissue line, aged calfskin offers a vintage look with visible wrinkles. It’s perfect for a slouchier handbag for daily use, showing minimal scratches or blemishes while maintaining durability.
Glazed Calfskin
With a shiny, polished finish, glazed calfskin is smooth to the touch but requires careful storage to avoid glazing coming off. It may crack slightly with wear, which many find adds character.
Iridescent Calfskin
Similar to Caviar in durability, iridescent calfskin has a shimmering finish that doesn’t show scratches easily and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.
Goatskin (Chevre)
Goatskin is one of the toughest and most durable leathers, ideal for high-use handbags like totes. It’s soft to the touch but can slouch a bit from the top with wear while maintaining its shape on the sides.
Patent
Patent leather bags have a high-gloss finish that adds glamour. They work well with bright colors and add drama to black leather. However, they require careful maintenance as they are prone to staining, color transfer, and humidity damage.
Crackled Patent
Featuring a vintage appeal with a crackled appearance, this leather blends scratches and blemishes into its look, making it low-maintenance.
Chanel Exotic Skin
In 2018, Chanel ceased production of exotic-skinned accessories due to supply chain issues, causing a price increase on the secondhand market. These include:
Alligator Skin
Known for its vibrant colors and sophisticated look, alligator leather is durable but requires proper moisturizing and storage to maintain its beauty.
Python Skin
Python skin showcases colors beautifully, with unique patterns ensuring no two bags are alike. It’s lightweight and relatively easy to maintain but must be kept away from water. Coated python is more durable, though less textured.
Lizard Skin
Lizard skin has a fine texture and provides a unique look. It’s often used for smaller bags and accessories.
Ostrich Skin
Ostrich leather is recognizable by its distinct quill patterns. It’s durable and has a unique texture that adds an element of luxury to handbags.
Stingray Skin
Known for its glossy, pebbled surface, stingray leather is highly durable and water-resistant, making it a unique choice for luxury items.
Other Chanel Materials
Chanel also uses non-leather materials, elevating them to luxury levels.
Jersey Fabric
Great for a casual look, Jersey fabric is suitable for everyday use but can stain easily. Professional cleaning is recommended.
Tweed Fabric
One of Chanel’s iconic materials, tweed offers a chic, durable option. However, it can be rough to the touch and prone to snags.
Canvas
Canvas provides a relaxed look with little structure, used in popular styles like Deauville totes. Stains are hard to remove, but the tight weave prevents pilling.
Velvet and Embroidery
Velvet offers a plush, opulent finish, perfect for evening use but requires diligent care. Embroidered bags are also exquisite but delicate.
Plexi
Known for its high-fashion appeal, plexiglass bags come in unique shapes and colors. They are durable but offer limited space due to their rigid structure.
Leather Chanel Bag Cleaning and Storage
Proper care is essential for maintaining your Chanel bags. Here are some tips:
Cleaning
Avoid using water on leather bags as it can stain or damage the leather. Use a gentle, colorless conditioning cream like Meltonian Delicate Cream 170 to clean, moisturize, and condition your leather bags. Apply with a clean microfiber cloth, let it sit for 30 minutes, then buff to a shine. For spot cleaning, use additive-free baby wipes and moisturize afterward. Tarnished hardware can be buffed with a silver cleaning cloth.
Storage
Store your Chanel bags in a smoke, perfume, and mothball-free environment. Empty the contents, tuck the chain handles inside, and place the bag in a dust bag. Keep it in a temperature-controlled area, avoiding excessive dryness or humidity.
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