Céline Classic Shiny Flap Bag: Simply Complex

The extreme minimalism of this Céline bag had me at hello. Like lacquered red lipstick, it’s striking and seductive. While the lenient edges and rounded corners give it a nice touch of softness to an otherwise total femme fatale of a bag, the sharp square hardware maintains the keen-edged theme. The result is a simple bag that’s more complex than meets the eye.

Speaking of complex hardware, the closure on this is a doozy. Are you as shocked as I was to discover it’s way complicated? I’ll do my best to explain: the lower square is actually a lever. You push it down in order to squeeze the top square open, which exposes a latch, complete with Céline logo. Unlatch this logo plate and voila, the bag – or shall I say safe? – finally opens! I half-expected to find it full of precious jewels and hundred-dollar bills. Owners of this bag must master the closure; since the strap is attached to the flap, keeping that latch open isn’t an option, unless you’re into floppy-flapped bags.

Nice way to counteract an easy, minimalist bag, huh? Here’s another fun fact: This smallish bag (about 12″ by 12″) is…wait for it…$3,650!!! What? I don’t know. Maybe the rocket scientist who engineered that closure has a high fee.