FLOAT 100 · Handbags · No. 86
Saint Laurent Loulou Puffer Medium
Anthony Vaccarello took Saint Laurent's quilted Loulou flap bag and inflated it like a down jacket, and the Puffer, pillow-soft under its chevron stitching and Cassandre logo, became a signature of his tenure.
- Year
- current
- Maker
- Saint Laurent
- By price in handbags
- 85 of 100
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- Saint Laurent, Paris
- Designer
- Anthony Vaccarello, creative director since 2016
- Family
- The Puffer extends the Loulou line, introduced for Spring 2017
- Launched
- Around 2018 to 2019 by one account
- This entry
- Loulou Puffer Medium in black chevron-quilted (matelasse) leather with the YSL monogram
- Size
- 13.7 x 9 x 5.3 inches
- Strap
- Sliding chain, 11 to 18.8 inches, worn on the shoulder or crossbody
- Made in
- Italy
- Retail
- $3,650 at Saint Laurent in the U.S. for the black lambskin Medium, October 2026
From the Loulou to the Puffer
Anthony Vaccarello was appointed creative director of Saint Laurent in April 2016, succeeding Hedi Slimane, and at first worked within the accessories language his predecessor had built. His first major new bag was the Loulou, introduced for Spring 2017: a flap shoulder bag in padded, quilted leather with a chain strap and the interlocking YSL monogram, a continuation of ideas from Slimane's Monogramme line with a more elevated finish.
The Loulou arrived just as padded leather was becoming one of the defining handbag trends, and three years later that trend was still everywhere. By 2020 the Loulou came in four sizes, Toy, Small, Medium and Large, in many leathers and hardware finishes.
The Puffer took the idea further. One handbag reviewer dates its launch to around 2018 or 2019 and describes it as an extension of the Loulou line inspired by the quilted puffer jacket, with a pillow-like, cloud-soft feel. Saint Laurent itself describes the Puffer as the iconic Loulou in a puffer version, with chevron quilt overstitching.
The designer and the name
Vaccarello was born in Brussels on January 18, 1982, to Italian parents. He studied sculpture and then fashion at La Cambre in Brussels, graduating with honors in 2006, and was creative director of Versus Versace from 2015 before moving to Saint Laurent. In his first full year leading the house, revenue rose 25.3 percent over 2016. He has also worked as a film producer; Emilia Perez, which he helped produce, won the European Film Award for Best Film in 2024.
The Loulou is said to be named for Loulou de la Falaise, born in England on May 4, 1947, who joined Yves Saint Laurent's couture house in 1972 and stayed more than three decades, until his retirement in 2002. Officially she designed accessories and jewelry, often chunky pieces with large colored stones, enamel or rock crystal; her inventive wardrobe also inspired Saint Laurent's designs.
De la Falaise rejected the passive label of muse, describing herself as very hard-working and recalling days that ran from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. or even 2 a.m. After 2002 she ran her own label of ready-to-wear, costume jewelry and accessories. She died in Gisors, France, on November 5, 2011.
How to identify the Medium Puffer
Saint Laurent's current Puffer Medium in black lambskin (style ID 5774751EL081000) is quilted with chevron overstitching and has a grosgrain lining, a magnetic snap tab, one interior zipped pocket and matte black brass hardware. It measures 13.7 by 9 by 5.3 inches, its sliding chain strap adjusts from 11 to 18.8 inches so it can be worn on the shoulder or crossbody, and it is made in Italy.
The Puffer range is smaller than the classic Loulou's: the house currently sells it in Toy, Small and Medium. One review gives the Small as 11.4 by 6.6 by 4.3 inches and the Toy as 9 by 6.1 by 3.3 inches. Medium style IDs beginning 5774751 have been made in several colorways, and the line has been produced in nappa, lambskin, suede, shiny calfskin, nylon and textile.
This entry tracks the black chevron-quilted Medium with the YSL monogram. The current black Medium pairs black leather with matte black hardware; check the hardware finish, the style ID and the chain length when comparing examples. Because the leather is soft lambskin, one reviewer found it more durable than expected but not scratch-free.
Seasons of a soft bag
Once established, the Puffer was reworked season after season. For Fall/Winter 2021 Saint Laurent made the Loulou Puffer in soft shearling in pink, green, purple and neutrals, and seasonal versions have followed in suede and other materials. The family also grew to include a Puffer clutch and pouch.
Retail prices have climbed. One price list gave the Medium Puffer in lambskin at $2,900 in the United States, the Small at $2,600 and the Toy at $1,950. In October 2026 Saint Laurent listed the black lambskin Medium at $3,650, the Small in lambskin at $3,300 and the Toy in lambskin at $2,490.
The Vaccarello signature
The original Loulou gave Vaccarello a bag of his own a year into the job, and the Puffer pushed that padded look to its softest, a counterpart to the structured bags of the Slimane years.
One early Loulou owner called it a fresh take on the classic flap and observed by 2020 that the puffy flap was everywhere. In 2026 it remained in Saint Laurent's lineup in all three sizes.
The numbers
- Dimensions
- 13.7 x 9 x 5.3 in (34.8 x 22.9 x 13.5 cm)
- Material
- Lambskin with chevron quilt overstitching; grosgrain lining
- Hardware
- Matte black brass on the current black Medium
- Closure
- Magnetic snap tab
- Strap
- Sliding chain, 11 to 18.8 in
- Interior
- One zipped pocket
- Made in
- Italy
- Production quantity
- Not published
Timeline
Loulou de la Falaise is born in England.
De la Falaise joins Yves Saint Laurent's couture house.
Yves Saint Laurent retires; de la Falaise starts her own label.
Loulou de la Falaise dies in Gisors, France.
Anthony Vaccarello is appointed creative director of Saint Laurent.
The Loulou is introduced for Spring 2017.
Earliest date given for the Loulou Puffer's launch (around 2018 to 2019).
The Loulou is sold in four sizes, Toy to Large.
The Loulou Puffer appears in shearling for Fall/Winter 2021.
Saint Laurent lists the black lambskin Puffer Medium at $3,650.
The world in 2022
The Hunga Tonga volcano erupts, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific.
The Winter Olympics open in Beijing.
Russia launches its invasion of Ukraine.
Queen Elizabeth II dies after 70 years on the throne.
Japan holds a state funeral for Shinzo Abe.
Argentina beats France in the World Cup final in Qatar.
Price record
| Date | Price | Kind |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | $3,650 | Asking price, not a saleRetail at Saint Laurent in the U.S. for the Puffer Medium in black lambskin with matte black hardware (style 5774751EL081000). |
This is an asking price, not a sale. It is what a seller wanted on the date shown. Asking prices often sit above what buyers pay, but an ask is not a ceiling: a sale can land on either side of it. It is not a value.
By reference price, Saint Laurent Loulou Puffer Medium is number 85 of 100 in the handbags entries of the FLOAT 100. 19 of those 100 rest on a realized sale; the rest carry an asking price or a guide value, and each page says which. Rank within the FLOAT 100 itself (86 here) is editorial: how much an object defines its field, not price alone.
Did you know
- The Puffer was inspired by the quilted puffer jacket.
- Loulou de la Falaise, for whom the line is said to be named, designed jewelry and accessories for Yves Saint Laurent for three decades.
- De la Falaise objected to being called a muse and said she often worked until 2 a.m.
- Saint Laurent made the Loulou Puffer in pink, green and purple shearling for Fall/Winter 2021.
- The Puffer's chain slides so the same bag can be worn short on the shoulder or long across the body.
- Anthony Vaccarello studied sculpture before switching to fashion.
How this page is made
- The figure
- One reference price, shown with its own kind. FLOAT does not average it with anything or adjust it for time.
- Realized or not
- A realized price is a completed sale. An asking price, an estimate and a price-guide value are not sales, and are labeled as such wherever they appear.
- The story
- Researched from published records and checked fact by fact. Updated Oct 3, 2026.
- Archive
- Oct 5, 2026