Sandra‘s Closet

There are fashion pieces that come and go and then there are icons that define a whole era. The Chloé Paddington bag was the moment of the early 2000s, and I still have my original. Now that it has been reissued, I couldn’t resist bringing it back into the spotlight. For this shoot, I paired it with a sharp denim look and set it against the Reflecting Pool in Boston, a place where the city’s energy slows down for just a moment. Boston isn’t the obvious fashion capital, but that’s what makes it interesting: a city built on history, reinventing itself in the present, just like this bag. It’s fashion meeting travel, nostalgia meeting now and I love standing right at that intersection.

My look: Cropped denim jacket, high-rise flared jeans, and stretch-corded lace bodysuit, all by Zimmermann, Frankie 85 snake-effect leather ankle boots by Jimmy Choo, Paddington leather shoulder bag, shearling and gold-tone charm, logo necklace, Chloé iconic belt, and Carlina round-frame gold-plated sunglasses, all by Chloé.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Anouk Bauknecht
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When the Chloé Paddington first launched in 2005 under Phoebe Philo, it instantly became one of the most recognizable «it-bags» of the decade. Its slouchy leather body, chunky hardware, and oversized padlock gave it a distinctive personality that set it apart from the sleek minimalism of other luxury handbags.

After quietly disappearing from Chloé’s collections for years, the Paddington is finally back under the creative vision of Chemena Kamali. Its return is more than just a reissue, it’s a revival of an icon. Personally speaking, it’s not about rediscovering it, it’s about celebrating the fact that I never let it go. Taking it out again feels like reconnecting with an old friend that somehow looks even better today.

I gave mine a little twist and added a bag charm from the new collection to give the icon a modern update: Paddington leather shoulder bag (from 2005) and shearling and gold-tone charm (from 2025).

«Sometimes the best way to stay ahead of the trend is simply to hold on to the right pieces.»

So for those who held onto their original, now is the perfect time to bring it out of the closet and enjoy the fact that it feels just as relevant today as it did two decades ago.

For younger fashion lovers, the comeback offers something different: the chance to buy into a piece of early-2000s nostalgia at exactly the moment when Y2K style is everywhere again. The era’s influence is dominating runways and the Paddington fits right into that wave.

What makes this revival so powerful is its authenticity. Chloé hasn’t tried to reinvent the wheel, the Paddington comes back true to its essence, reminding us that some designs never really go out of style. In a world where trends move at lightning speed, the Paddington’s return proves that true icons only step aside until the time is right to shine again. And for those of us who kept ours, that moment has arrived.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht and Courtesy of Chloé
DISCLOSURE: We may earn commission from links on this page, but I only recommend products I love. Promise!