Celine Triomphe Shoulder Bag

Celine Triomphe Shoulder Bag

My love of all things Celine is longstanding and well-documented. Phoebe Philo could do no wrong in my eyes. When we lived in Paris, when I was broke as I’ve ever been, my one and only big purchase was a Celine pochette. I scrimped and saved for it for months after admiring it on a friend. I still remember the experience of going to the store to finally make the purchase, hesitating over which colour to choose. That navy beauty is still in my closet, a sentimental reminder of our Paris life, along with a Trio bag and pair of Audrey sunglasses. (I owned a cabas bag for a while, as well, but it proved simply too large for my petite frame.)

But Phoebe moved on, as designers, and all people in their careers, so often do. And I didn’t know how I felt about the new direction Celine went as a brand after that. The removal of the accent over the E, in particular, irked me. How could anything be the same, when even the name of the brand looked wrong?

What I realised, as time when on, was that expecting Celine to be the same after Phoebe’s departure as it was when she was at the helm of the house, making it the iconic brand I so admired and coveted, was a mistake. Change is fact of life. I could continue to pine for the brand as it once was, or embrace it as it is now. I chose love over nostalgia. A wardrobe without Celine, whoever is designing their collections, just didn’t seem like one I wanted to curate.

My first purchase from the new Celine was a big one – the 2021 street style hit, a Celine triomphe shoulder bag.

Celine Triomphe Shoulder Bag

Maybe calling this bag a street style hit is wrong. After all, it’s the crossbody version that makes the most appearances on Instagram. But there’s no denying that all of the bags in the Celine triomphe collection highly coveted “it” bags that many stylish women who cultivate effortless, elegant wardrobes have their eye on.

I considered multiple bags in the Celine triomphe collection but ultimately settled on the shoulder bag. I’ve always loved a good baguette bag, I generally prefer small bags to large ones and, probably most important, I don’t carry crossbody bags nearly often enough to invest in a designer version from any fashion house. Much like my previous Celine bag purchases, I loved this little beauty from the moment I tried it on in the store and never looked back. It’s tagged along on the few nights out I’ve had since we returned from Paris, and will be coming with me to Italy next week.

While the appeal of the Celine triomphe collection is pretty universal, I know these bags aren’t for absolutely everyone. The leather is stiff but still quite delicate, though more durable than it was in the Philo days. The clasp, while beautiful, can be difficult to close at times. To me, those are minor details. I love this bag, and could happily buy it again in another neutral shade.

The Facts

Fabrics: Shiny calfskin, natural calfskin, canvas, lizard and fluffy shearling are all currently available options, but these can vary from season to season

Colours: Arctic blue, aubergine, azure, beige, black, bright red, flamingo, green smoke, ivory, pearl, peony, tan, turquoise and white. All colours are not available in all fabrics.

Size: 8 x 4 x 2 inches (20 x 10 x 4 centimetres)

Price: $2950 to $3100 CAD, except lizard (prices for this fabric will vary.)

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