Compared to some of the other designer brands that I've written about so far, Gerard Darel is a much younger, newer and more French. The brand began in 1971, with their first store opening in the heart of Paris in 1987 - since then, they've charmed French and European women with their classic and chic bag designs and slowly began making more and more appearances on the arms of celebrities. In my home town of London, you can now find not one but three Gerard Darel stores, and I can say from experience that they're most certainly worth visiting.
I've sold quite a few pre-loved Gerard Darel handbags, mostly to French women who seem to better understand the brand and everything it represents. However, I'd be very happy for this to change, and to see more of my fellow Londoners adorning themselves with the brand's classic, chic and relatively inexpensive designer bags.
In 2003, Gerard Darel launched it's very popular "24 heure" bag, which was followed up in 2013 with a miniature (cross body) version. Since then, compact styles such as the "Le Lipp" have proven quite appealing - I've personally sold three in the last couple of months. And if you're looking for something different, something slightly more fun and modern, then I'd point you in the direction of Gerard Darel's "Le Westbourne". These are a larger, throw-it-all-in type of bag and they're made from what the brand call "bubble" sheepskin leather. In photos it looks slightly odd, almost too textured, but after seeing it in person I was completely won over - it's unusual and beautifully soft, and especially pretty and versatile in the colour "gris souris" which really amps up the bag's modern edge.
Gerard Darel's designer bags complement my idea of French style. They all typically look and feel easy-to-wear, they're not too heavy or overly structured, and I think that most of them have a versatile feel that would allow you to carry them from day to night quite easily. Don't expect revolutionary new seasonal designs, but you can count on the brand to produce their classic pieces in fresh, wearable colours. Although I've never been properly tempted by their 24 heure bag before, when I first saw it in lilac I really developed an appreciation for the versatility of the design. And that's the sign of a good brand, one that knows how intriguing those little tweaks and changes can be for their existing customers.
In short, I really like Gerard Darel as a brand and I think they bags are worth promoting. I do try and always have some authentic pre-loved models available for sale in my online store, Stored and Adored, so if you're interested in buying into the brand then you should check them out.
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