Chanel Sharpei Tote Bag | Large Wrinkled Black Lambskin Carryall

Posted on: Nov 23

With all the high-class breeding of a pedigree pooch comes Chanel's Sharpei Tote.

The canine inspired moniker comes from the purse's wrinkled sides. This ruched detail combines with the buttery soft lambskin to create a slouchy, relaxed style. It's soft and feminine, but I'm still not entirely convinced. It looks like the purse could easily collapse in an unsightly puddle of leather once it's set down. I think I'd have to test drive this one to decide whether it's got enough structure to impress.

The shoulder straps haven't helped to sway me. That silver really pops against the black leather, but anyone who's ever carried such chunky chains knows they're not comfortable. The leather plaiting will do nothing to cushion your shoulders when using this as an everyday carryall. These straps, and the extra chain near the bottom of the bag, are also bound to make an already big purse even heavier.

But Chanel fans know they sometimes have to suffer a little for those designer looks. At least the design is practical, with a zippered pocket, two open pouches for gadgets, and a leash keychain inside. With its $3350 price tag though, I'm still not sure there's enough positives here to win casual Chanel fans like me over.