Bolso CALVIN KLEIN Re-Lock Camera Bag With Flap K60K609114 GEZ | Anyone Remember Gerard Darel Bags?

I’ve been in the bag world for so long that I remember specific brands that were more under the radar but experienced insane hype in a way that new-age designers can’t quite understand. One such brand was Gerard Darel, and it delights me to share that it still exists today.

However, the brand isn’t at the same status when Leather Sac Bag. Rewind back to 2008, when our site was young, the obsession with bags was still strong. Gerard Darel was not only a Erlebniswelt-fliegenfischenShops and PurseForum fan favorite, but celebs were spotted with the bags all the time as well. And the most exciting and difficult part was actually tracking down a bag for yourself.

As the brand is based in France, and in 2008, believe it or not, online shopping was still in its infancy, being able to purchase a Gerard Darel bag in the US meant finding small boutiques that had a handful of bags and making sure you got it right when it dropped.

Two of the stores (Delcina and ShopRumor) are now defunct, which is sad because I liked supporting a small business that had its ear to the ground and knew of up-and-coming trends and designers. Side note: Have you even heard of those two shops?!

Fast forward to 2025, Gerard Darel is no longer at its constantly-sold-out-can’t-track-down level of notoriety, but it still exists. It exists at a time when prices across the board are skyrocketing, and Gerard Darel’s prices have only gone up slightly (especially considering their starting point).

Let’s put this in perspective: in 2010, when Gerard Darel’s famed 24H bag finally hit Bloomingdales.com, it retailed for $399. Today, the price is $695. That only equates to a 74% increase. In comparison, a Chanel Classic Flap in 2010 was $2,850, and today costs $10,800. That is a 297% increase in the same time frame.

The Classics Remain Almost Unchanged

One of the aspects of the brand that gathered such a large fan base surrounded its extremely supple leather and color combinations. While the exterior of the bag may have been simple, rich navy leather, the interior would be offset with a touch of metallic.

One of my first Gerard Darel bags was a rich hue of purple, and my sister stole it* (Okay, I gave the bag to her, but I regret it and want it back—I’m a selfish younger sibling like that!).

One of the most coveted shapes is the Gerard Darel 24H bag. This bag largely remains the same as it first did, with grained leather that is as beautiful to look at as it is to touch. While the 24H bag is still my pick from the brand, there are many other options, including smaller and larger renditions of this design.

While the brand is mainly carried by Bloomingdale’s in the US, in France, there are stand-alone stores that house the bags, clothing, and full assortment of the brand.

At a time when the premiere designer realm continues to raise prices, there is an opening for brands with bags in this price range – more contemporary but not logo-heavy. Plus, people all over the world are always intrigued by French girl style, and this bag gives you that.

Bolso CALVIN KLEIN Re-Lock Camera Bag With Flap K60K609114 GEZ | Celebrity Fans

Celebrity news and gossip sites were just forming at the beginning of the It-bag era, and many times, you’d still have to wait for the bi-weekly mag at the grocery store checkout to see what celebrities were snapped wearing the previous week. Much of Gerard Darel’s early success hinged on its long list of celebrity admirers, including Eva Longoria, Angelina Jolie, Lindsay Lohan, and others from the paparazzi’s favorite list at the time.

While celebrity style is still popular for inspiration, celebrity style at that time held more weight. There was far more talk about what was being worn and carried, which was a large part of the it-bag cycle at the time.

Minimal Mini Tote Bloomgindales.com.