I'm one of those awful sorts who scoffs at "It" bags on principle...that is, until the now ubiquitous Céline luggage tote caught my eye, at first in its unwieldy larger sizes and later in its crossbody incarnation. The pared-down and charismatic style, created by Phoebe Philo after her time at Chloé, exploded onto the scene in 2010 and is still going strong, dangling from the arms of the Kardashians and highbrow Parisian fashion types alike.
My thoughts below.
Construction
Measurements
Nano (above left): 8"x8"x4"
Micro (above right): 10"x10"x6"
Mini: 12"x12"x7"
Material: can differ wildly - textile, smooth or drummed leather, calf, you name it
Build: top-zip, top-handled stiff structured tote with no compartments aside from flat pocket against back of inside
Aesthetics
Visually, it would be an understatement to say that this bag puzzles a lot of people I know. My boyfriend calls it a "face bag" on account of the colon-P (:p) face that the bag seems to be making at all times.
I have to look really hard to see the face. I mostly see great architecture: elegant violin or piano-esque curves, sensuous wings and gorgeous proportions.
Funnily enough, while I consider the luggage tote to be the most aesthetically appealing piece I own, I also find it the least photogenic. It's one of those bags that looks best in person - that way, you get the full impact of the texture, the beautiful dye job, the clean stitching, and even that glorious sans serif logo stamp.
Daily Use
Like the Chanel flap with its bajillion size options, the luggage tote's function differs wildly with its size. I find the nano the most useful on a daily basis, despite its diminutive scale. It still fits a continental wallet, and around it I can also pile in a cell phone, makeup, keys, and other odds and ends. I rarely find space to be an issue with the luggage tote, and that is doubly true for the larger version I own, the micro.
What can be a hassle is getting in and out of the bag itself. Unless you're carrying the nano with its (non-adjustable!) strap, this tote is not a bag you can single-handedly unzip and rummage around in.
Aside from size, another daily use consideration is the tote’s weight and carrying style. Those with bad elbows or shoulders (or generally those who find it annoying to hand-carry a bag) should steer clear of the larger versions, which solely feature top handles and are intended to be carried in the crook of the elbow. I recently elbow-carried the micro with a DSLR camera in it for 5 days, and it was a special kind of hell.
Also? It goes. With. Everything. So do a lot of bags, to be fair, but the luggage tote is special in that it elevates any outfit by contributing an understated polish and maturity that speaks with you rather than scream over you like I have seen many a handbag do to their owners.
Maintenance
The luggage tote is not entirely a throw-it-around kind of bag. The leather, though thick and luxurious, can be prone to smudging, scratching, and stretching.
Additionally, Céline was inconsistent with building protective features into the different sizes of tote: the nano has no metal feet to keep it off the ground if you set it down, but the micro and mini do. And even so, a moderately heavy object in the bag will cause its leather bottom to touch the ground anyway, with the feet so far apart and no central foot (like some Prada bags have) for support.
That said, the tote is not especially delicate, either. I have yet to see significant color transfer on my light gray nano despite wearing it almost exclusively with black jeans. And even after owning my nano for nearly a year, I have yet to see the need to condition or clean the leather.
Quality & Value
White Céline's luggage totes are some of the best-made leather goods I've seen this side of Hermès, to say that the quality is worth the price would be questionable. Once upon a time, you could get the luggage tote for under $2k, and now you'd be lucky to keep the price just below $3k. The rapid price increases have little to do with quality & value and everything to do with supply constriction, and to be frank, there are enough bags of lesser but still similar craftsmanship for half the price. No one's paying $3k a piece for value here - they're doing it because it's the only price at which you can get the aesthetic oomph of the luggage look.
Pros & Cons
(-) pricey for what it is; larger sizes can only be hand-carried; mini is heavy; smooth leather prone to scratches; some sizes too large to travel with (won't fit under plane seat or in overhead); not many organizational pockets
(+) fairly easy to maintain; structured; variety of sizes (including one with a strap); surprisingly roomy; still not that ubiquitous in most major US cities; suede or leather lined (more bang for all that buck I suppose); no prominent logos