Are Gerard Darel bags still HUGE in France?

[beauxgoris]

Just wondering. I remember a couple of years ago they were on everyone and everywhere. Is it still like that? If not, what's taken it's place?

[Elsie87]

I went to France last september and most designer bags I saw there were GD. So I guess you could say they are still a big hit in France.

[heather123]

I'd say they are. I'm just back from France and couldn't believe the number of GD bags, authentic and replicas. And I wasn't in Paris, I was in a less-known town in southern France. I had seen GD bags in an Irish department store before I travelled there. I'm glad I didn't buy one back then, as the ubiquity of those bags has put me off.

[zeitgeist4]

Someone I know just got back from Paris a few weeks ago and said her craving for Gerard Darel was killed when she saw how ubiquitous they are there.

[Fishfood]

But they aren't here hehe

I know Coach doesn't market much to Europe for fear of not making a dent in such a leather driven, competitive market... And I understand that rarity makes Coach special to Euro gals! So, I guess we always want what is hard to get! LoL

[pinkshoulders]

Since I have not been to France in 8 years, I am happy to carry my GD here in the states and look different.

[sunshinesmilee]

I, too, am happy to carry my GD here in the states where it's rare to see one being carried. I love the two I own

[beauxgoris]

I wonder if gerard darel IS like Coach is here. I don't mean that in a bad way, just that it seems like 50% of the people you see on the street have one.

So do you think it's like that?

Is there a more/most popular style/color?

What do you think it's so popular there?

[dierregi]

Originally Posted by beauxgoris

I wonder if gerard darel IS like Coach is here. I don't mean that in a bad way, just that it seems like 50% of the people you see on the street have one. So do you think it's like that? Is there a more/most popular style/color? What do you think it's so popular there?

I guess you can say GD is the French Coach. It is very popular in France and Belgium, even if for quite a while they churned out only one type of bag in neutral colors.

Nowadays there is a bit more variety and lots of attractive colors and I feel more inclined to buy something more unusual than the standard GD you see on most women. I would never buy the "standard GD" exactly because there so many around.

Why are they so popular? I guess until not very long ago it was a nice bag sold at an affordable price. Now is a lot more expensive. On the whole is quite a simple shape, very versatile, if a tad boring.

My added bonus is that the brand is unknown in Italy, so when I carry it over there I am the only one.

I post a couple of pictures for reference: the first is the "standard, boring" GD which is owned by probably half of French women, the second is a nice Midday Midnight in wine.

[heather123]

Originally Posted by Angelfish

But they aren't here hehe I know Coach doesn't market much to Europe for fear of not making a dent in such a leather driven, competitive market... And I understand that rarity makes Coach special to Euro gals! So, I guess we always want what is hard to get! LoL

Actually Coach has lost a little bit of its sheen for me, as fakes have started turning up in Ireland. I see a lot of them in a little leather goods store I go to for leather care products, and am more likely to see fake Coaches here than real ones!

[heather123]

But don't get me wrong! The GD 24 Heures is lovely, just too commonplace now! I love Balenciaga because I rarely see any others where I live.

[karo]

They definitely are very popular in France and Belgium. Everyday I see someone carrying a GD. I really wanted one a year ago or so, but now I don't think I'm gonna buy it, especially after they got so much more expensive.

[Hisgeekygrrrl]

I don't see any here and all I can think about is how much I really want to find this one in the 24 hours size.....alas it's impossible to find one reasonably in the US and not in this color. Even they are rare to find on ebay.

[beauxgoris]

Interesting! Thanks for all the responses.

How much did the price go up? Just curious. I know they used to sell them here at Barney's or Bergdorf's a few years ago - but stopped. They were more expensive here than in France (of course). I bet they'd be really high now (in dollars).

[Hisgeekygrrrl]

Don't know about prices other than the websites. Shoprumor, delcina and clutchseattle sell the 24 hour size for about $795 which is more than I can spend on it.
Delcina has the 36 hr size for $730.....