Chanel | Caviar vs Lambskin

Chanel will forever be a luxury that fashion-lovers around the world swoon over. No other fashion house quite manages to create a piece for every woman in the same way Chanel does with pieces from punky high-fashion, to classic vintage styles. Today, you have an endless choice when purchasing a Chanel. The flap bags are available in all sizes from Mini to Maxi; you can choose from a classic or reissue chain, and with Chanel releasing pieces in every colour imaginable, your dream bag is out there.

One of the main attributes to choose when picking out your next Chanel is the leather. Do you go with the luxurious lambskin or the durable Caviar? Although not always the case, currently retail and pre-loved costs for lambskin and Caviar are very similar so it falls to which you prefer. But which is better?

Preference between the two differs with every person and their style, but what we can agree on is that lambskin has a very sleek look where the soft leather catches the light, giving a gleam down the bag. Lambskin is exceptionally beautiful, soft and dainty to touch, giving the bag a more luxurious and rich feel. Caviar bags lack that soft delicate touch and feel somewhat ‘rougher’.

If you used both bags equally you would start to see minor scratches on the lambskin before they would be visible on the Caviar. Unfortunately, beauty comes at a cost and the lambskin bags can scratch with use. Caviar can withstand a lot more use before it begins to show signs of wear.

With general ageing, the puffy quilting on the lambskin with flatten slightly and may develop wrinkling if not looked after. However with extensive care, this should never happen. Caviar will maintain its puffy quilting throughout time (providing basic case is taken).

Neither bags require conditioning and must both be stored correctly; out of the sun and stuffed when not in use. Keep the chain from resting on the leather, and a soft sheet of fabric should be placed between the flaps. Be cautious of wrinkling as this is more likely to happen on a lambskin bag first.

In conclusion, the Caviar is considerably stronger. If you are treating yourself to a handbag that will be for evening usage and you will care for it deeply then opt for lambskin. But if you want a Chanel to use everyday then choose Caviar.