At a time when luxury houses focused on haute couture, Chloé embarked on an odyssey in 1952 to introduce the fashion world to ready-to-wear. It is a brand that has reveled the tutelage of luminaries like Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and Phoebe Philo, who have celebrated and retained the label’s essence—chic, bohemian, and feminine—to the core. Handbags like Faye, Drew, Elsie, and Marcie are undeniably tell-alls of Chloé’s calibre, but unforgettable icons like Paddington and Paraty have cemented their status as the it-bags of their time. For our bag of the week, we have opened our vault and picked the Chloé Nile Minaudière bag that, even today, continues to entice us with its beauty
A Deep Dive Into the Nile
A creation of the erstwhile creative director Clare Waight Keller, the Nile bag adorns the arms and shoulders of countless celebrities and remains a fast-selling design. An elevation of the Parisian-chic aesthetic that the Maison carries, the Chloé Nile bag is notable for its bracelet-inspired handle and is avant-garde in terms of its construction, evoking a whimsical allure. It was first introduced in the Spring/Summer 2017 collection and comes in three sizes: medium, small, and minaudière. The first two sizes resemble an equestrian saddle structure while the Chloé Nile minaudière bag—the tiniest of the family—arrives in a half-moon silhouette that is disparate from its counterparts.
In no time, the bag earned a cult following; fashionistas were clambering to get a Nile of their own, and Business Insider (in 2017) enumerated the style in their ‘most popular bags of the summer’. Truly a sui generis design, the highly-covetable Chloé Nile bracelet bags are available at discounted prices at The Luxury Closet.
Our Pick: Black Chloé Nile Minaudière Bag in Floral Print
Natacha Ramsay-Levi was appointed as the creative director of the French luxury house after C.W Keller’s exit. During her time, Natacha collaborated with Indian artist Rithika Merchant, blending the label’s free-flowing silhouettes and fashion-forward ideas with the signature motifs from the artist’s creative universe. Merchant’s artwork is a representation of a fusion between tradition, mythologies, and nature. She brings alive her semi-surreal drawings in rich hues and esoteric motifs across Chloé’s collections of clothing, shoes, and handbags.
Our pick is the Chloé Nile Minaudière bag that looks nothing less than a celestial beauty because of its distinctive shape! It has been handcrafted from leather in Italy by the best artisans and is equipped with a compact interior for your little essentials. The unique touch of Merchant’s art is laid atop the black background, almost evoking an enchanting scene of botanicals shining under the moonlight. Another tasteful touch of the Nile is the cirque handle that can be elegantly worn on the crook of your arm or left like an opulent accessory as you hold the bag from its base. The Chloé Nile Minaudière bag is finished off with a dangling charm carefully placed on the gold-tone metal frame that follows the circumference of the crescent bottom.
Clean lines, unruffled femininity, instantly recognizable shapes, and a happy spirit are some attributes that best describe Chloé’s collections. Experience the Chloé charm with the Chloé Nile Minaudière bag and other designs here!
