Remember the tweed jacket and the little black dress? Both are classics, and have firmly take their places in the fashion hall of fame. It seems that no matter what Chanel creates, their designs are always iconic and timeless. No wonder that it was Chanel who brought us the most iconic little handbag in the world: The 2.55 flap bag. Find out more about the illustrious Chanel handbag that is not only wanted by every fashionista, but also seen as a great investment at the same time.
The Straps
Coco Chanel herself came up with the idea of freeing up her hands by adding thin straps onto her bag. This way she could easily swing her bag onto her shoulders. The straps were inspired by the chains that the nuns would wear at the convent Chanel grew up in as a young girl. She created the bag in the early 1920s, but she did not introduce it to the world until 1929. In 1955, she updated the bag and put it back on the market, calling it the 2.55. In 2005, the brand released an the exact copy of the original to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
The Compartments
The bag compartments have an interesting story behind them. Coco Chanel wanted to create a small zipped compartment inside the bag's first design in order to hide her love letters! And on the outside of the bag, was an open compartment to easily put your spare change in.
The Turnlock
In the 80s, Karl Lagerfeld took over as head of design at Chanel. For the brand’s 50th anniversary celebration, he reissued the classic flap handbag and added the now iconic interlocking CC turn lock. The new lock was named the 'Mademoiselle Lock', supposedly because Coco never got married.
Image source: Purseblog
The Quilted Stitch
Coco Chanel was inspired by male stablehands when she designed the quilting. The purpose of the stitching was to create volume and to give the bag more shape. This design was so successful that the stitching has been used for almost every bag that came after the 2.55.
Different Models
When Chanel discovered that the bag was still popular after the release and re-release, they created an entire collection of different bags for all fashion lovers around the world. The collection came together with all kinds of bags in different sizes and colours. Nowadays there are two flap bag models: the classic flap bag and the 2.55 reissue style. The classic flap bag comes in six different sizes and is the modern version of the classic 2.55. The 2.55 reissue is the exact copy of Coco’s original and comes in five sizes. If you love vintage, this is the one to have!
Image source: Bragmybag
Worth Investing
Need more any justification for buying a Chanel handbag? Studies have shown that Chanel handbags have increased in value by more than 40 percent in the past seven years. Way back in 2010, the Chanel Medium Classic Flap, had a value of €2,850. By the end of 2015, it was already worth €4,900.
In our weekly Luxury Bags auction, we offer a variety of vintage designer bags that are worth investing in. Interested? Visit our auction now! Or perhaps you're already a lucky Chanel handbag owner and you'd like to cash in on your investment? Become a seller and offer your bag up for auction.
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