I am super irritated by the latest trend of clear PVC see thru bags; not only are they ugly and cheap looking, they're outrageously expensive (like this Dolce bag - $1,725 for a piece of plastic crap). Why would you want to expose all of your personal belongings to the world? How embarassing each month during that "time" to have your feminine products in full view. This is an extension of the pantyless generation who flash their baby making parts at photographers desperate for attention so unless you are Paris, Brittany, or an employee at Neiman Marcus, there is no reason to be caught dead with any of these ridiculous bags. And seriously, keep your business to yourself! At Neiman Marcus
UPDATE: I was so agitated I forgot to mention the detriment to the environment and to our health from production of PVC! This is why there are so many weird cancers in Taiwan (the world's largest manufacturer of PVC). Read our next post about "I'm not a plastic bag" and how you can help!
More PVC bags for your entertainment after the jump
Kate Spade lobster and poppy PVC bags. The ugliness of these bags speak loudly for themselves.
Lambertson Truex PVC bag, not as hideous as the ones above but still, 500 bucks? Total rip off.
Comments (30)
Bag Snob - I agree with you 100%. I am astonished and outraged every time I see one of these 'airline-security-check-inspired-bags' and their price tags. Much as I love my Chanel, the PVC Naked bag with leather trim for $950 made me choke when I saw it!!! As Bag Snob has rightly pointed out on many occasions, a beautiful bag is so so so much more than a gold logo stamp. I love reading your online publication, so keep the spot-on reviews coming.
Posted by baghag | March 20, 2007 7:13:11 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 07:13
I actually think the design of the dolce and gabbana bag was fine when I first saw it from far (without realizing that its transparent and PVC), then I got so shocked that it sells for 1700+ and the material is actually PVC instead of patent leather! not to mention the transparent part....-__-"
Posted by Christine | March 20, 2007 8:30:14 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 08:30
Thank you ladies at bagsnob! I agree 100% I couldn't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want a purse showing everything inside and for this price!!! Why spend that kind of money on a bag that most likely won't last?
Posted by Jessica | March 20, 2007 9:17:52 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 09:17
Bag Snob, last time I checked you were a fan of Chanel. Thus, did you conveniently forget to add the "naked" Chanel bags to this list?
; )
Posted by Anjli | March 20, 2007 9:19:20 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 09:19
LOL.. Well I am apart of that generation. ....And the clear bag thing is a no no no... :) I would not call the prices a rip off though . If we dont call our birkins rip offs we can't call these rips offs... Its a matter of what value you and I give to the bags. But at the end of the day a leather bag ( i don't care how well made) is not worth 6-9k and a pvc bag ( even with leather) is not worth more then $100 ...LOLOL..
I think I'LL pass on the PVC... :)
Posted by Taysha Smith Valez | March 20, 2007 9:54:19 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 09:54
Thank you! Can't stand these.
Posted by coachwife6 | March 20, 2007 10:00:40 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 10:00
hahaha, this is the stupidest bag trend ever. it's all over vogue and i was thinking to myself, who would buy this? there are standard employee issues of these free when you work at the mall.
Posted by Regina | March 20, 2007 10:49:32 AM
Posted on March 20, 2007 10:49
it's hurting my eyes. ew.
Posted by [vogue] | March 20, 2007 12:06:32 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 12:06
lol, someone's going to claim these are high-quality plastic. kinda like the people who believe that Louis Vuitton coated canvas is "high-quality"
Posted by Carrying Contraption | March 20, 2007 12:11:38 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 12:11
Haha, you are right Anjli- the Chanel naked bags are also RIDICULOUS! I'm truly disappointed in Chanel but Karl is courting the young starlets these days and he feels compelled to stay hip with the trends no matter how ridiculous.
Posted by Bag Snob Tina | March 20, 2007 12:22:28 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 12:22
Besides the disgusting obscenity of these overpriced designer plastic bag, PVC is bad for humans and the environment. Polyvinyl chloride plastic, aka PVC (denoted by the #3 symbol) is found in food and vinyl plastic shower curtains and contains phthalates, hormone disrupters which have been linked to premature breast development, increassed risk of testicular cancer and decreased sperm levels. I got this info is from the April issue of O Magazine but the hazards of certain types of plastics is easily Googled.
Posted by Deborah | March 20, 2007 4:06:09 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 16:06
It looks like the ones you get as an employee of a department store to ensure you're not shoplifting during your lunch break. Ugh.
I seem to recall LV had one in translucent vinyl where it was a light amber color with the logo. You could see through the bag and they charged a mint.
Posted by Jackie | March 20, 2007 4:09:41 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 16:09
Hideous monstrosities. I should get these bags for free with purchase! So I can carry my dirty laundry in style. Or keep them as barf bags for any drunken escapades to the beach. I still cannot believe CHANEL jumped on the bandwagon, too. Utterly dissappointed!
Posted by Anne | March 20, 2007 5:38:58 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 17:38
Couldn't agree with you more. ick.
Posted by jessorz | March 20, 2007 6:48:01 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 18:48
i guess i'm among the very few who was happy to see the pvc trend appearing just before the summer, still havent found one i'm in love with but i was hoping to find somthing light and fun for the summer by that i mean 'holiday' i think its perfect for places like cannes or marbella where during the day you might want somthing that not so serious that crosses between a beach and regular bag. For those who worry about the 'public display' an interesting designer drawstring or oversized cosmetic bag is good way for hiding the junk and keeping the bag looking tidy !!
Posted by munira | March 20, 2007 8:21:54 PM
Posted on March 20, 2007 20:21
"ol, someone's going to claim these are high-quality plastic. kinda like the people who believe that Louis Vuitton coated canvas is "high-quality"
Posted by Carrying Contraption | March 20, 2007 12:11 PM"
Thank you for talking about that annoying coated canvas....LOL.. I thought i was the only one who had ??? around my head about the whole coated canvas=high quality...LOL
Posted by Taysha Smith Valez | March 21, 2007 12:51:19 PM
Posted on March 21, 2007 12:51
oh my, i was wondering about this clear bag thing. i would feel like a student at an inner city school,where they were required to use clear bags to prevent smuggling in weapons. yeah, maybe I should install a metal detector at the entrance of my apartment? they look pretty cool!
; )
Posted by the coveted | March 23, 2007 1:35:37 PM
Posted on March 23, 2007 13:35
I couldn't agree with you more. This trend is a loser (also feel that way about the translucent heel). The last time a carried a clear bag was when I worked in a department store...many years ago. The last thing I want to see is what's inside someone's bag (like tampons). It's refreshing to see the other people commenting with good sense enough to laugh at it and say no! Then again, I am thinking about carrying a goldfish around in one...
Posted by Lauren-SCS | March 23, 2007 4:30:15 PM
Posted on March 23, 2007 16:30
Horrid! What are we? Back in high school? We have to show the world everything? They try to make this come off as fashion, but it's really a Big Brother Bag.
Posted by Tammy | March 24, 2007 7:41:36 PM
Posted on March 24, 2007 19:41
OK, I really hated it when I worked at a department store years ago & had to carry a clear bag.
I love the idea of clear, but not PVC, for a makeup case to go inside my bag so I don't have to fumble.
But as my handbag?
File this with the LV Tribute Gag- I mean Bag.
Posted by Catherine | March 25, 2007 6:58:30 AM
Posted on March 25, 2007 06:58
Ugh it is so true, this PVC bag trend is ridiculous. They look cheap and ugly.. I wouldn't buy them at any price, but considering the material, not a single one of them should ever cost more than $20 anyways. Yech. This is a flash in the pan trend though, so it shouldn't be around much longer.
Posted by Kayleigh | March 29, 2007 6:55:20 PM
Posted on March 29, 2007 18:55
I completely agree with everyone's comments about the PVC bags. If I wanted everyone to see what I was carrying, I'd use a gallon sized Zip-loc! Totally disillusioned to see Chanel doing one. Oh the horror!
Posted by Girlfriend | March 31, 2007 10:02:26 PM
Posted on March 31, 2007 22:02
I totally agree. A person can't buy this cheap PVC bag with a price over $1000 if she is only rich, she has to be stupid too.
Posted by Pim | April 5, 2007 1:14:54 PM
Posted on April 5, 2007 13:14
I do agree that the see-through bags are horrible, but when you travel and you have to put everything in a PVC bag, my opinion is: do it with style with a Chanel!
Posted by girlygirl | May 18, 2007 10:30:42 AM
Posted on May 18, 2007 10:30
I do agree that the see-through bags are horrible, but when you travel and you have to put everything in a PVC bag, my opinion is: do it with style with a Chanel!
Posted by girlygirl | May 18, 2007 10:30:42 AM
Posted on May 18, 2007 10:30
Girls..where has your humour gone? Did you know that the Chanel 'Naked flap over bag' will be an iconic collectors item in the future? It has all the characteristics of the 2.5..but a see-through version inspired by a bit of world news! (airport madness!) The big shopper is one step too far..but is just for fun. Ok, it has a hefty price tag, but what Chanel bag is easy on the budget..NONE! So stop complaining, you don't have to buy it!
Posted by Mikki | June 17, 2007 6:18:17 AM
Posted on June 17, 2007 06:18
Stop global warming and bad fashion trends at the same time. Leave this bag alone!
Posted by Anonymous | August 12, 2007 5:14:55 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 17:14
The lobster bag is a joke, right?
Posted by Anonymous | August 12, 2007 5:17:58 PM
Posted on August 12, 2007 17:17
I think its cheaper to strap handles around a Freezer ziploc bag.
Posted by Jahpson | August 23, 2007 2:13:11 PM
Posted on August 23, 2007 14:13
I completely absolutely utterly disagree with this article! It may be true that brand name companies began making transparent bags for airport security purposes but it has also become a fashion statement.
And you do realize that even if you were just buying a classy leather bag from Chanel, the actual product wouldn't even be worth a tenth of what the retail price is! The whole point of paying thousands of dollars for Chanel, D&G, LV bags etc, is for the brand name.
About the privacy, I guess some people would mind others looking into their bags, but I couldn't care less really. In fact some people would want to show off their items and accesories (eg. flashy mobile phone or brand name wallet, etc). And feminine hygeine products? How many people actually just leave a tampon or pad right in the middle of their bag probably right next to their wallet or something!? Seriously! In most handbags, you would find the personal hygiene items placed in the back pocket hidden inside the bag so nobody would see. And same applies for people with transparent bags. You'd put those items in a small stylish makeup purse.
And even so if it is just classified as a plastic bag, it's not like it's a plastic shopping bag which you use once and chuck away. It's not like these bags are mass reproduced anyway, so I don't see what harm it's doing. If you're really worried about the environment, then go save the cows or crocodiles and what not.
Posted by Anonymous | June 12, 2008 7:39:21 AM
Posted on June 12, 2008 07:39