Bag #7 of 10: Gold lamb Chanel new medium Le Boy w/ soft ghw.
View attachment 4313672
I absolutely loooove this bag!

I searched for 2 years to find a gold bag that I could wear casual to cocktails and I found “him”!!!! Whoop! Lol!
I do also want a smaller gold bag for true evening wear. But, gosh I don’t want to start that search anytime soon.

I’m totally worn out from 7 years of curating my collection. (
That word choice still cracks me up. I’m not managing a collection of classic watercolors at the Louvre. They’re just my bags. But, I bow to the cultural norms of tPF.)
The problem I find with the Boy bags - as other have - is that they are so “blocky”. When I look at pics of me in this bag it looks... well... big. Lol! My silver Diorama is only a hair smaller but, it never looks too big. And, they have the same capacity.
To that point, I think the Diorama is a MUCH better bag. This is my new medium Boy (11″ x 7″ x 3.5″) and my regular sized Diorama (the largest size available) 9.8″ x 6.1″ x 3.15″.
View attachment 4313673 The old medium Boy is closer in size at 9.8″ x 5.9″ x 3.5″ to my Diorama. But, for some reason, the capacity is noticeably smaller. So, I consider the NM to be more comparable to my Diorama since the actual ability for me to ...well ... duh...
carry things in my bag is important to me. Lol!!
So, my rationale as to why the Diorama is “better” than Le Boy:
• Slimmer profile - the Diorama is less boxy which works better for a variety of body types and occasions. This isn’t just because my Diorama is smaller. Le Boys in general have a rep of being pretty boxy.
• Prettier chain - the chains on Dioramas are like jewelry. The Boy’s chain is a little clunky and certainly uninteresting. In an odd twist, the Diorama chain is a lot like the ‘07 Chanel bijoux chain.
• Higher end lining - My Diorama is lined in leather. My Boy is lined in a horrible-to-the-touch poly lining
• More luxe fine details - from the opening to the strap feeder hooks to the strap closure to... well... lol... every detail, the Diorama says luxe far more than Le Boy.
• Quieter brand presence - this is personal preference but, I like that the Diorama doesn’t scream
DIOR!!! You have to “know” bags and Dior in particular to know that the Diorama is a pricey bag. Many more people recognize Chanel’s double C’s and it’s price tag.
And, since my last name isn’t Getty, DeBeers or Walton, a real factor for me and the rest of us in the cheap seats

...
• MUCH BETTER PRICE - A large calfskin diorama is $3500 USD. (My perforated version is about $400 more.) Comparable sizes of Boys are quite a bit higher. The old medium is $4900 USD and the new medium is $5400.

That’s before you get to special leathers, hardware, doo dads or other trifles.
I’m not saying I wouldn’t get another Boy. As I’ve said a ton of times, any premier bag purchase is more about wanting the specific style, materials or brand name than anything else. There are great (and sometimes better) bags at lower price points. So, I would buy another Boy simply because I fell in love with an eye catching style or because I wanted that bag to carry Chanel cache.
But the “rational” brain can see that the Dior is a better buy. Which is why while I’ve enjoyed my dabbling in Chanel, I’m not a huge C fan. Dior and other brands like
Gucci, BV, etc. are killing the game with a better overall value proposition of great style, quality and cache at a more competitive price.
I’m curious to see how others who own both bags feel.