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pampered1 · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:36 PM

Hi Gina,
This is off topic for the Hermes forum where I am reading your fantastic story, so I thought I'd pm you instead of posting. I hope you can help me with a bag choice.

I am interested in buying a Bottega Veneta Campana after seeing one posted on the Hermes thread by Gina_B in her fabulous story. I think it was large and black, but the details weren't given. I am not close to a boutique but called an SA I have purchased from before to ask about it. She said she thinks the large size is too big and one of the straps slips off the shoulder. But--I am afraid that the smaller size will look too small and not have the right effect. She is recommending a large Veneta, instead in Ebano, but I like the look of and the two handles with the Campana.

So, I need some help deciding which size to get. Or whether to just get the Veneta instead. I know that size is good for me.

By the way, I'm 5'5" and usually carry my 35cm Birkins--but really need a BV shoulder bag for variety and for hands-free needs.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Thanks so much for your help! (and thanks so much for the story)

Pampered1

pampered1 · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:40 PM

sorry about my garbled post--I had tried to send a pm first before asking for help in the BV forum!

kroquet · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:40 PM

I had a large Campana and it is a gorgeous bag, but the handles are difficult. You have to tuck one under the other. A large Veneta is a stunning bag and so easy to carry and drapes beautifully. Are you anywhere near a boutique that you can try one in person? The other option might be to get both with the intent of sending one back. Good luck, they are both great bags!!

SCL · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:44 PM

I am also debating between these two bags. It seems the veneta may be easier to wear as kroquet mentions above. I love the look of the large campana but find the handles challenging. Sigh...I do love the side profile of the campana...

pampered1 · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:45 PM

kroquet,
Thanks for your reply. I am not near a boutique--that is my problem.

SCL · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:46 PM

You may want to try Bergdorf Goodman (no tax if you live outside of NY and returnable/exchangeable if bag turns out to be less than a perfect fit).

doloresmia · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:46 PM

i am 5 1 and would probably get a medium campana. i find the large campana looks too big on me. i also carry the medium veneta. did you check the bv in action thread for ladies with pix? i know there are a couple ladies who have the large.

pampered1 · Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:49 PM

SCL, I thought having two handles would make the bag easier to get into, but slippage would be annoying. I also love the side profile of the campana. It seems to have more syle/design to it than the veneta.

I was surprised to read here that some people think the campana is matronly.

Baggiana · Jun 2nd, 2009, 02:02 PM

Try them on... because many BV bags drape or slouch or change shape when filled and carried, you cannot just look at a picture of the bag stuffed and sitting and make a good judgement... the bag wears - or takes on a life when carried. You may want to look at some of the action pics to see what I mean. And in the end your personal preferences for how you want the bag to look and function will really determine the style to which you gravitate.

My observation is that when people are new to BV, they came at it with preferences and expectations similar to the bags they already love and carry... hence the first reaction to the veneta (>>flat, shapeless, etc.) But once they see pics of celebrities carrying them or try them on and use them themselves, they will find the right styles and colors - and it may be very different from the structure that makes other designer bags appealing to them. Have fun trying them on before the purchase... it could be a very expensive mistake otherwise.

prestwick · Jun 2nd, 2009, 03:18 PM

Hi pampered1- I am 5'5" and I wear the large campana in black...I like a 2 strap bag because you can pull 1 strap down off your shoulder and look into the inside of the bag..The bag can open wide. It also is the case if the bag was hanging from the crook of your arm...I like the ease of an open top, and the wider bottom to the campana... I feel that the medium campana would be too small for the things I like to carry daily. I have never owned a large veneta, although I have brought them home, I have ended up returning them..I do own a medium veneta, and i like the look of it, as I feel the size is a litlle more elegant ( but I never wear her everyday)..This does not mean at some point I will not give in to a large veneta.. It just seems that there has always been another bag that has taken preference.. I fell that the only drawback to the campana is the issue of the strap falling down, but I have learned to accept it as part of owning this great bag.. I also hold it a lot by the top handles, as I see Tomas Maier features for all the bags in his catalogues. I hope I have helped you..

lemontart · Jun 2nd, 2009, 03:55 PM

Hi pampered1, I am 5'2" and I just bought a medium campana in ebano. I also have 2 medium veneta. If you are 5'5" maybe you should get a large instead. For style, I personally like veneta more than campana, but since I already have 2, I wanna get something different and campana is the second style I like.

alisonanna · Jun 2nd, 2009, 04:04 PM

these are my observations:

the campana is easy to get into with the wide opening
the veneta I have to take off my shoulder to reach in for things

the campana has more of a "base" when you set it down
the veneta is much less likely to dump your stuff when you set it down

looks-wise I prefer the veneta
use-wise I prefer the campana
the double straps don't bother me much, you just have to layer them

I think the medium campana looks a little small but it really isn't, I think I just have many larger bags, everything I use fits easily, I've never tried the large one

mariabdc · Jun 2nd, 2009, 04:55 PM

i love my medium campana... i wouldnt call it roomy, but fits quite a lot and is very easy to rummage into...
the handles werent comfy at the beginning, but i soon got used to them...
i love how you can dress this style up or down...

kcm1535 · Jun 2nd, 2009, 05:17 PM

The medium Campana is a better size for me - I am 5'3" and don't carry a lot of stuff, and the large just seemed ginormous to me when I saw it in person.

I agree the handles on the Campana can be a little awkward, but perhaps they soften up with time.

piperlu · Jun 2nd, 2009, 07:48 PM

I am 5' 10", so I have the large campana. I don't think I could use the smaller one. It does hold a ton. It also has somewhat of a bottom to it. It has a magnetic closure, The double handles only become problematic for me when I have a jacket on. Otherwise, I can easily tuck one under the other.

I also have no problem wearing either a large or maxi veneta. This bag is much sleeker to the body. The Veneta's also have zippers to them, which is nice. The Campana is more full.

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:36 PM	#1
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774	Please help me with Choice of Campana Size Hi Gina, This is off topic for the Hermes forum where I am reading your fantastic story, so I thought I'd pm you instead of posting. I hope you can help me with a bag choice. I am interested in buying a Bottega Veneta Campana after seeing one posted on the Hermes thread by Gina_B in her fabulous story. I think it was large and black, but the details weren't given. I am not close to a boutique but called an SA I have purchased from before to ask about it. She said she thinks the large size is too big and one of the straps slips off the shoulder. But--I am afraid that the smaller size will look too small and not have the right effect. She is recommending a large Veneta, instead in Ebano, but I like the look of and the two handles with the Campana. So, I need some help deciding which size to get. Or whether to just get the Veneta instead. I know that size is good for me. By the way, I'm 5'5" and usually carry my 35cm Birkins--but really need a BV shoulder bag for variety and for hands-free needs. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. Thanks so much for your help! (and thanks so much for the story) Pampered1
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:40 PM	#2
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774	sorry about my garbled post--I had tried to send a pm first before asking for help in the BV forum!
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:40 PM	#3
kroquet Menopausal M. O. B. Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 9,471	I had a large Campana and it is a gorgeous bag, but the handles are difficult. You have to tuck one under the other. A large Veneta is a stunning bag and so easy to carry and drapes beautifully. Are you anywhere near a boutique that you can try one in person? The other option might be to get both with the intent of sending one back. Good luck, they are both great bags!!
	__________________ Current Wishlist - Mulberry Alexa in Oak!!!

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:44 PM	#4
SCL Member Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 8,034	I am also debating between these two bags. It seems the veneta may be easier to wear as kroquet mentions above. I love the look of the large campana but find the handles challenging. Sigh...I do love the side profile of the campana...
SCL Member Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 8,034	__________________

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:45 PM	#5
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774	kroquet, Thanks for your reply. I am not near a boutique--that is my problem.
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:46 PM	#6
SCL Member Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 8,034	You may want to try Bergdorf Goodman (no tax if you live outside of NY and returnable/exchangeable if bag turns out to be less than a perfect fit).
SCL Member Joined: Dec 2005 Posts: 8,034	__________________

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:46 PM	#7
doloresmia Member Joined: May 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 7,516	i am 5 1 and would probably get a medium campana. i find the large campana looks too big on me. i also carry the medium veneta. did you check the bv in action thread for ladies with pix? i know there are a couple ladies who have the large.

Jun 2nd, 2009, 01:49 PM	#8
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774	SCL, I thought having two handles would make the bag easier to get into, but slippage would be annoying. I also love the side profile of the campana. It seems to have more syle/design to it than the veneta. I was surprised to read here that some people think the campana is matronly.
pampered1 OP Member Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 774

Jun 2nd, 2009, 02:02 PM	#9
Baggiana Member Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,991	Try them on... because many BV bags drape or slouch or change shape when filled and carried, you cannot just look at a picture of the bag stuffed and sitting and make a good judgement... the bag wears - or takes on a life when carried. You may want to look at some of the action pics to see what I mean. And in the end your personal preferences for how you want the bag to look and function will really determine the style to which you gravitate. My observation is that when people are new to BV, they came at it with preferences and expectations similar to the bags they already love and carry... hence the first reaction to the veneta (>>flat, shapeless, etc.) But once they see pics of celebrities carrying them or try them on and use them themselves, they will find the right styles and colors - and it may be very different from the structure that makes other designer bags appealing to them. Have fun trying them on before the purchase... it could be a very expensive mistake otherwise.
Baggiana Member Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,991	__________________

Jun 2nd, 2009, 03:18 PM	#10
prestwick Member Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 336	Hi pampered1- I am 5'5" and I wear the large campana in black...I like a 2 strap bag because you can pull 1 strap down off your shoulder and look into the inside of the bag..The bag can open wide. It also is the case if the bag was hanging from the crook of your arm...I like the ease of an open top, and the wider bottom to the campana... I feel that the medium campana would be too small for the things I like to carry daily. I have never owned a large veneta, although I have brought them home, I have ended up returning them..I do own a medium veneta, and i like the look of it, as I feel the size is a litlle more elegant ( but I never wear her everyday)..This does not mean at some point I will not give in to a large veneta.. It just seems that there has always been another bag that has taken preference.. I fell that the only drawback to the campana is the issue of the strap falling down, but I have learned to accept it as part of owning this great bag.. I also hold it a lot by the top handles, as I see Tomas Maier features for all the bags in his catalogues. I hope I have helped you..
prestwick Member Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 336

Jun 2nd, 2009, 03:55 PM	#11
lemontart Member Joined: Dec 2006 Location: North CA Posts: 784	Hi pampered1, I am 5'2" and I just bought a medium campana in ebano. I also have 2 medium veneta. If you are 5'5" maybe you should get a large instead. For style, I personally like veneta more than campana, but since I already have 2, I wanna get something different and campana is the second style I like.
	__________________ My favorite: Chanel, BV, VCA & Cartier

Jun 2nd, 2009, 04:04 PM	#12
alisonanna Member Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,156	these are my observations: the campana is easy to get into with the wide opening the veneta I have to take off my shoulder to reach in for things the campana has more of a "base" when you set it down the veneta is much less likely to dump your stuff when you set it down looks-wise I prefer the veneta use-wise I prefer the campana the double straps don't bother me much, you just have to layer them I think the medium campana looks a little small but it really isn't, I think I just have many larger bags, everything I use fits easily, I've never tried the large one
alisonanna Member Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 2,156

Jun 2nd, 2009, 05:17 PM	#14
kcm1535 Member Joined: Apr 2008 Location: san francisco Posts: 268	The medium Campana is a better size for me - I am 5'3" and don't carry a lot of stuff, and the large just seemed ginormous to me when I saw it in person. I agree the handles on the Campana can be a little awkward, but perhaps they soften up with time.

Jun 2nd, 2009, 07:48 PM	#15
piperlu ~ Peltro Heaven ~ Joined: Jun 2006 Location: At the beach Posts: 9,393	I am 5' 10", so I have the large campana. I don't think I could use the smaller one. It does hold a ton. It also has somewhat of a bottom to it. It has a magnetic closure, The double handles only become problematic for me when I have a jacket on. Otherwise, I can easily tuck one under the other. I also have no problem wearing either a large or maxi veneta. This bag is much sleeker to the body. The Veneta's also have zippers to them, which is nice. The Campana is more full.
	__________________ Debbie

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