Thread: Balenciaga 101

I think B4B has something like that posted in a thread. I'll try to find it but there is a good resource on the "other forum".

I have bits and pieces here and there, but here's a basic rundown...

Seasons-
The only colors that are produced EVERY season are BLACK and WHITE.

There are TWO seasons in a year - Spring/Summer (SS) and Fall(Autumn)/Winter(AW)... this is why you may see SS07 or SS08 for example.

Hardware-
Flat Brass Hardware was the original hardware introduced on the bags in 01/02, it was then discontinued.

"Regular" Hardware was then introduced in brass and also offered for a limited time in PEWTER, which is seen only on 2003 or 2004 bags.

Regular Brass Hardware (RH) was then the only offering for bags in 2005-2006... with the exception of some Limited Edition bags.

THEN.... in 2007 Giant Hardware (GH) was introduced. It was first offered only in GOLD for SS07, and then offered in SILVER or GOLD starting in AW07... some bags could only be found with one variety of hardware however.

For AW(FW)08, there will now be the choices of RH/SGH/GGH... but also there will be a choice of hardware that is the same color as the bag...

Styles-
Somes styles have come and gone, but there are some mainstay styles that Balenciaga lovers tend to gravitate towards. (However some of the new styles or discontinued styles have their merits too!)

First, Twiggy, City, Part-Time, Work, Weekender, Day are some of the mainstay bags available in the collection right now. The "First" and "City" are what started it all! They are the classic style moto bag with the strap to be worn on the shoulder. More information can be found:
First: Balenciaga Style Reference - First Bag

City: Balenciaga Style Reference - City Bag

The Twiggy was introduced not long after the moto bags began, and it quickly became a favorite among bbag enthusiasts, more info found here:
Twiggy: Balenciaga Style Reference - Twiggy Bag

The Part-Time was introduced in 2006, and is the perfect combination of the City and Work... it is larger then the City, but still has the shoulder strap to be easily carried on the shoulder or worn messenger style, more info found here:
Part-Time: Balenciaga Style Reference - Part Time Bag

The Work is the larger size of the City style, that DOES NOT have a shoulder strap and instead is intended to be handheld or carried on the shoulder with the handles. Longer handles were introduced with the GH versions and SS08 bags, to make the bag more comfortable to carry on the shoulder. More information can be found here:
Work:

The Weekender is the largest version of the moto bags, also without a strap and is carried by the handles. There is a men's version and a women's version - the main way to tell the difference between the two are that the women's has the silver tag inside, men's has leather and the handles are slightly different. More information here:
Weekender:

All of the styles above are STILL in production as of today. They come out in the colors that are available that season, and once that season is over THAT COLOR IS NO LONGER produced. Although, Bal loves to torment us by reintroducing colors that are "similiar", but have relatively the same name... thus making things slightly more complicated.

Alas, once a color is no longer available in stores... that is the last of them and you must then turn to remarketing outlets to find them.

Information on the silver tags contain important information on how to determine what season the bag is from, and also help during authentication. More information here:
How to spot a FAKE! Balenciaga Edition!
Tags
- For Balenciaga bags with metal tags, the serial number should ALWAYS be the same on the front of the tag and on the back, leather side. For example on the City above, notice it has serial # "115748" matching on the front metal tag, and back side.
- The back of a Balenciaga tag can always be flipped up, to be read RIGHT SIDE UP.
- The back of a Balenciaga tag will have additional numbers after the serial number that coordinates with the style of the back, so in our tag example above, the numbers "496393". These numbers will vary from style to style and year to year (unlike the style serial number that stays constant from year to year...). HOWEVER, these tags should never end an a indicator with a series of "666"s, this is prodominantly used on fake bags.
- There is always black stitching across the top of the Balenciaga tag inside of the bag.
- The inside bag lining should be BLACK... not the same color as the bag.
(exert from link above)

Some comparison dimensions/pics are available here:
Balenciaga - Quick Motorcycle Bag Reference Guide

Okay... whew. Lemme talk about discontinued styles in another post. LOL...

You rock! So once a season is over, can those bags still be bought directly from Balenciaga?...like how you can call JAX for Coach bags no longer available in-store?

Originally Posted by Julz

You rock! So once a season is over, can those bags still be bought directly from Balenciaga?...like how you can call JAX for Coach bags no longer available in-store?

Nope. Once they are gone, they're gone. Balenciaga only makes a certain amount of each bag/style each season, and stores (of all types, even the BalNY type stores) only get a certain number in any given style... So once those have sold out, sadly - you have to try to consignment stores or eBay to try to find them.

Hence the frenzy when certain colors come up.

Fall(Autumn)/Winter(AW)

This was the one thing I was confused about....I was like "wtf is A/W?"

Now....on to learning everything else....

^ LOL... I know. And I confuse things like this because I just instinctively type "FW" for Fall/Winter...

lol yeah I interchange F/W and A/W too

great info di!! you are the bbag princess

I stayed away from the Bbag section for a reason. Damnit.

Thanks for reposting this and asking the questions Julz, I was wondering too.

you totally need to join us over here ang

Originally Posted by lisa

you totally need to join us over here ang

Agreed!!

And awww... thanks Lisa! I just love providing information in a way that I hope is helpful, because I remember how confusing it can be to learn how Balenciaga has things set up. It was my main this goal when I only had one class at a time, but then I kind of fell off pace when grad school kicked into full gear...but I'll be back at it this summer. LOL... nothing like a long term plan.

Great thread Julz!!

Also... discontinued bags are bags that once were in production, but Balenciaga stopped making them. (Usually because the demand wasn't as high, or it was meant as a short term option...)

Some of these discontinued styles are: Mini Twiggy & "Mini Mini Twiggy" (as Lisa has dubbed it!); Box; Shopper; Purse styles

The last year that the Mini Twiggies were available was 2005.
The last year that the Box/Shopper/Purse were available was 2006.

I'll find my list of colors on my hard-drive and upload it for members to add or change as needed too.

Originally Posted by Bags4Bubbles

I'll find my list of colors on my hard-drive and upload it for members to add or change as needed too.

that would be fantabulous!

Di, you did such a GREAT job with the info.!!!! What would we do without you?!

Originally Posted by MRG

Di, you did such a GREAT job with the info.!!!! What would we do without you?!

LOL... less enabling, and more money in your pockets.

So maybe you're better off without me... Just kidding!!! Everyone needs some Bubbles in their life...

Di, this is an amazing thread, all the bbag info that you have is incredible!!!!

^ The sad part is.... I write all of this from my head. Obsessed? LOL...

no, not obsessed, your a bbag