The Paddington Returns: Your Ultimate Guide To The Chloé It-Bag

One of my fondest memories from the early days of PurseBlog is the summer I went to visit Vlad in Germany, and we took an epic day trip to track down a bag. I remember it fondly.

I had arrived in Europe to see Vlad, who was working on his Master’s, and we were both working on PurseBlog. He had a quaint one-bedroom apartment on a tree-lined street in Cologne, Germany. It was the summer of 2005, and it-bags were at their peak. Chloé reigned supreme.

The Allure of the Chloé Paddington Bag

The latest it-bag that everyone wanted to have: The Chloé Paddington. I figured I could track it down in Europe, and so we began calling boutiques around different countries that were within driving distance. Vlad was actually audibly laughed at when he questioned one boutique in Paris, because of course, they didn’t have one.

Disclosure: This Chloé Paddington was gifted to our editor by Chloé.

But then we called Munich, and our luck changed, because the person who put their name down for the bag didn’t wind up picking it up, and it could be ours. The only catch was that we had to get there that very day. It was a nearly 6-hour drive, but we made it, and I made the purchase (only €995 at the time!).

That is such a vivid memory for me, of a time when I felt every single ounce of joy, anticipation, and excitement over the thrill of the hunt and the purchase itself.

So when it was announced that the Paddington was returning, I, for one, was thrilled. This is a bag that defined a significant part of my life’s trajectory, so, of course, I would feel all those same feelings hearing about its comeback! Now I have one, so I can share more!

Size, Hardware, and Colors: All the Details on the New Paddington

The new Chloé Paddington brings the same design aesthetic with some welcomed updates. Most notably, the heft of the bag.

While the design itself was beloved, and the lock and key closure defined the bag when it was first released, it also added a significant amount of weight. People decided to carry the bag without the lock, which made sense, but I always thought it took away from a defining element.

Sizes: Small and Regular

Other Versions: Small Paddington Chain Bag

Materials: Grained Buffalo leather and the Padlock is crafted from Aluminum

Colors Offered:
Small: Black, Mustang Brown, Earthy Pink, Aqua Grey, Metallic Golden Brown
Regular: Cloudy Cream, Winter Ivy, Black, Mustang Brown, Crafty Brown, Tapestry Blue, and Flannel Grey
Chain Bag: Cloudy Cream, Mustang Brown, Crafty Brown, Black

Interior: Cotton lining with 1 main compartment, 1 front flat pocket, 1 back flat pocket, 1 inside zipped pocket, and a zip closure

Dimensions: Small: W 10.2″, H 4.7″, D 4.7″, handle drop 7.1″. Regular: W 14.2″, H 7.1″, D 7.1″, Handle drop 8.3″.

Price: $2,450 for the Small and $2,750 for the Regular.

Small

Small Paddington bag in grained leather in mustang brown — Mustang Brown

Small Paddington bag in grained leather in aqua grey — Aqua Grey

Small Paddington bag in grained leather in black — Black

Regular

Paddington bag in grained leather in crafty brown — Crafty Brown

Paddington bag in grained leather in Cloudy Cream — Cloudy Cream

Paddington bag in grained leather mustang brown — Mustang Brown

Paddington bag in grained leather in black — Black

Paddington bag in grained leather winter ivy — Winter Ivy

Paddington bag in grained leather tapestry blue — Tapestry Blue

Paddington bag in grained leather flannel grey — Flannel Grey

Paddington bag in grained leather earthy pink — Earthy Pink

Is the Paddington Bag Worth Buying Now?

The return of this bag is a reminder that great bags are always in style. This wasn’t a quick seasonal bag that got some hype; it was a bag that commanded the attention of every bag and fashion lover in the world. It changed the way we viewed it-bags; it was the start of a line of must-haves from the House. It was brand-defining.

The return of the bag 20 years later only further proves that fashion is cyclical. Shopping your closet never goes out of style. And the Paddington is a bag that is worthy of the comeback it’s been given.

The cycle shows that this bag was worth buying the first time around, and now, with the updates (such as being far lighter), it remains a great investment.