Chloé

The Paddington was one of the first true It bags, introduced by Phoebe Philo around 2002, and that pedigree still carries weight. Collectors prize its oversized padlock and generous silhouette, and it has held a loyal following on the resale market. If you want a piece of modern handbag history rather than a quiet everyday tote, it earns its place.

It comes down to mood: the Paddington is the bold, padlocked statement that started the It-bag era, while the Drew, which debuted in 2014, and the Faye lean softer and more wearable day to day. For a first Chloé, many shoppers choose the one that suits their wardrobe rather than the one with the loudest hardware. All three trace back to the bohemian-but-polished spirit the house is known for.

You are paying for a French luxury house founded in 1952 that helped invent luxury prêt-à-porter, plus decades of design talent from Karl Lagerfeld to Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo. That heritage, combined with its youthful, bohemian aesthetic and a string of bestselling bags, sustains the price. It is a brand whose name has carried genuine fashion authority for over seventy years.

Chloé is owned by the Richemont Group, the same luxury holding company behind several heritage maisons, which speaks to its standing. The house pioneered ready-to-wear that merged the polish of haute couture with everyday wearability. That balance of craft and ease is exactly what people mean when they call Chloé quietly luxurious.

Chloé was founded in 1952 by Gaby Aghion, a Parisian of Egyptian-Jewish origin, who wanted to offer luxury ready-to-wear at a time when the idea was brand new. Her partner Jacques Lenoir joined in 1953 to run the business side so Aghion could focus on the creative vision. That founding ambition still defines the label's identity.

Chloé is a French luxury fashion house with its headquarters on Avenue Percier in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Its first boutique opened in Paris in 1971. The Parisian sensibility is woven through the whole brand.

As of October 2023, Chemena Kamali is Chloé's creative director. She follows a remarkable lineage that includes Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo, Clare Waight Keller and Gabriela Hearst. Each has reinterpreted the house's bohemian DNA in their own way.

Phoebe Philo led Chloé from 2001 to 2006 and introduced the Paddington bag, one of the first It bags and a defining moment for the house. Her tenure helped cement Chloé as the label of the moment for fashion-conscious women. The bohemian-meets-polished look she advanced still echoes through the brand.

Yes. Chloé introduced its first scent, Chloé Classique, in 1973 and has produced several successful fragrances since. For eyewear, it has worked through licensing partners, with Kering Eyewear handling frames and sunglasses since 2020. So the name extends well beyond ready-to-wear and bags.

Plenty. Chloé has been worn by names including Marion Cotillard, Sienna Miller, Madonna, Kirsten Dunst and Emma Stone, and back in the 1970s its clients included Jackie Kennedy, Brigitte Bardot and Grace Kelly. That long red-carpet history is part of its enduring desirability. The bohemian aesthetic photographs as effortlessly chic, which the fashion crowd has always loved.

The house is characterised by a youthful, bohemian aesthetic: floaty, romantic and feminine, but grounded in the polish of ready-to-wear. It is the kind of look that feels relaxed and luxurious at the same time. That balance is the throughline across every creative director's era.