The Cerf Tote Club!

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#736
I bought the Cerf last year in Paris - the SA recommended me a limited edition black with maroon handles. I like the Cerf that is "slouchy" and unstructured... but sometimes I still get this disturbing feeling that it looks kind of boring and serious :p
 
#739
wien said:
Hi everyone,
I have a question regarding the cerf tote for the owner above. Does cerf tote easily lose its shape? I see some picture that the tote already lose up its frame. I prefer the structure stay firm and not easy to loss its shape. Thank you to all.
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I have one that was purchased in early 2012 and I used it as an every day bag for work because I loved the compartments as I can separate my documents from everything else and I don't have to worry about it getting crumpled. However, the bag is now pretty slouchy and if it is empty (especially if I remove the detachable pouch), there is little to no shape left.
 
#740
Hi you girls

I stopped by at Chanel today and tried on the black East-West Cerf for like an hour. I'm absolutely in love with it and actually I had my credit card ready and couldn't wait to take it home. However, during my final turn in front of the mirror with the bag on my shoulder, a senior sales assistant came over and told me, I must not carry it on my shoulder or else the handle will break and crack over time as it is not meant for shoulder use - only the crook of your arm. Apparently she has lots of customers with broken Cerfs coming in and all that damage results of carrying it via the handles on the shoulder.

I'm very thin, 60kg, the bag comfortably fits on my shoulder even over my winter coat and I didn't feel I was stretching it at all. There was even room (not much though) between bag and my arm in the strap drop. However, the SA insisted, that I had to carry it in the crook of my arm or else it would break sooner or later ... is that true? I had never heard of this and I was really not stretching it a bit. I'm now really put off buying it, because I'm a shoulder tote girl, I don't like long straps and I don't like bags that are carried solely in the crook of your arm.

Any thoughts on this? :/
 
#742
waugse said:
Hi you girls

I stopped by at Chanel today and tried on the black East-West Cerf for like an hour. I'm absolutely in love with it and actually I had my credit card ready and couldn't wait to take it home. However, during my final turn in front of the mirror with the bag on my shoulder, a senior sales assistant came over and told me, I must not carry it on my shoulder or else the handle will break and crack over time as it is not meant for shoulder use - only the crook of your arm. Apparently she has lots of customers with broken Cerfs coming in and all that damage results of carrying it via the handles on the shoulder.

I'm very thin, 60kg, the bag comfortably fits on my shoulder even over my winter coat and I didn't feel I was stretching it at all. There was even room (not much though) between bag and my arm in the strap drop. However, the SA insisted, that I had to carry it in the crook of my arm or else it would break sooner or later ... is that true? I had never heard of this and I was really not stretching it a bit. I'm now really put off buying it, because I'm a shoulder tote girl, I don't like long straps and I don't like bags that are carried solely in the crook of your arm.

Any thoughts on this? :/
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I've personally never heard of this; I don't see how wearing it on your shoulder would cause the handles to break and crack more than wearing it on your arm. That just seems quite odd.
 
#743
I know, right? Do you own one yourself/do you carry it on your shoulder? If anyone has shoulder-experience with the East-West Cerf I'd be so thankful if you could share it! :)
 
#744
waugse said:
I know, right? Do you own one yourself/do you carry it on your shoulder? If anyone has shoulder-experience with the East-West Cerf I'd be so thankful if you could share it! :)
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I don't own one myself, but I have never heard such about any of Chanel's bags. If this were the case, you'd have heard the same about the Medallion tote bag, which has similar handles, and a myriad of other Chanel bags which have this kind of handle. I'd love to hear from others, too. I have many tote bags, including Chanel, and I like the ability to wear them on the shoulder or on the arm, however I choose.
 
#745
tutushopper said:
I don't own one myself, but I have never heard such about any of Chanel's bags. If this were the case, you'd have heard the same about the Medallion tote bag, which has similar handles, and a myriad of other Chanel bags which have this kind of handle. I'd love to hear from others, too. I have many tote bags, including Chanel, and I like the ability to wear them on the shoulder or on the arm, however I choose.
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I wear mine on my shoulder occasionally and don't seem to have any issues yet :S Sounds strange that she would suggest this to you. Maybe she just was trying to sound like she knows what she is talking about lol
 
#746
Yes, very strange indeed. Especially as I was ready to buy it and this really ruined her - well actually her colleague who had been helping me the whole time - a sure sale. Her colleague, my SA, admitted not to know about the issue himself, but he was quite young and new (some other SA even asked him about his name in front of everyone, even though he wears a name plate, d'uh), so I didn't really get a second opinion in the store. The SA, who warned me, actually immediately suggested the GST would be much better for my needs - however I really don't like this bag. Maybe she was just gambling, hoping to get me hooked on the GST? But that I would expect at a bazar in Cairo, not quite in a chanel store on Oxford Street, lol!

Really relieved to hear your positive shoulder report though! :)
 
#747
waugse said:
Yes, very strange indeed. Especially as I was ready to buy it and this really ruined her - well actually her colleague who had been helping me the whole time - a sure sale. Her colleague, my SA, admitted not to know about the issue himself, but he was quite young and new (some other SA even asked him about his name in front of everyone, even though he wears a name plate, d'uh), so I didn't really get a second opinion in the store. The SA, who warned me, actually immediately suggested the GST would be much better for my needs - however I really don't like this bag. Maybe she was just gambling, hoping to get me hooked on the GST? But that I would expect at a bazar in Cairo, not quite in a chanel store on Oxford Street, lol!

Really relieved to hear your positive shoulder report though! :)
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Were it me, and I really had decided upon this bag, I would march right back to that store, ask for the young man who had helped you (by name, if you remember since you recall that he had a name plate) and buy the bag you want, making sure the busybody SA sees you buying it from HIM. I would also let him know that she nearly cost him and the STORE a sale, and that you prefer to never have her interfere in your transactions again. I might also let the manager know, as well as send a little note to corporate. The way she acted was really unacceptable, but he did do his job.

I really don't get the attitude of so many SA's in Chanel boutiques. It really does seem pervasive and it surely can't be helping their bottom line. SA's are not like that in other high end stores.
 
#748
I don't think she tried to be rude. (even though she began her conversation with me with "You still haven't decided?" ... remember, it was my final spin in front of the mirror)
I give her the benefit of doubt that she just wanted to prevent me from being disappointed over a broken bag or maybe only tried to draw my attention on the GST ... however, it is just so strange that this handle-breaking issue doesn't seem to exist (in the meantime I've gone through almost every Cerf-thread on TPF and found exactly nothing) ... I really can't see what the purpose of discouraging me from the purchase was?

Anyway, I'm glad I could bring up that issue here and all the positive cerf-quality-reports I dug out on TPF really reassured me! Going back tomorrow! :cool:
 
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