Finally, THE Ode to CHANEL


Ahh but an ode to Chanel bags is looooong overdue. Thebaghag must oblige! 🙂 So without further ado, CHANEL 🙂

Chanel’s most famous quilted bag with chain straps was created and released to the bag-loving public on February 1955, hence getting the bag baptized as the Chanel 2.55 (02/1955). The original quilted bag had no distinguishing logos on its exterior body, as the designer’s identifying mark was actually stitched on the interior. But truly, the bag did not reach iconic status until Chanel’s new designer Karl Lagerfeld revamped the old classic 2.55 look in the 80s by jazzing up the bag with the massive intertwining Cs (the now famous double Cs) on the front. This design was likewise produced in different sizes, from clutches all the way to the humongous (jumbo) tote. It was such a success that it prompted other older fashion houses to “revive their best iconic features and fine-tune them into handbags, especially after overlicensing in the ’70s had diluted their names by spreading logos far and wide.” (p9, Handbags, A.Johnson) Think of the Gucci brand back in the 70s. Overlicensed the name and cheapened the brand *I was a wee young ‘un but I remember seeing that brand all over on luggages etc that just looked plain cheap. Seriously!*.

Back to Chanel. I remember all too clearly, it was in 1992 when I first saw the black Chanel 2.55 in the mini square shape, with single chain-leather strap. I fell in love with the bag– and seeing it in every single fashion magazine made my “amour” for the bag all the more intense. This was to be the very first bag that I had paid for with the money I had saved (from my college allowance from the parentals hehe). I would always head over to Maiden Lane Chanel boutique in Union Square, San Francisco almost every weekend just to see the bag. At that time, that bag cost US$900. I was really in love with the quilt, the chain-leather strap– in other words, the whole package. (Well I was also in love with their clothes even though they were more “matronly”– hello, heavy tweed.. but can’t afford a jacket.. US$4000 up!!). Three months of saving and patiently waiting for the bag to be brought into my home, I remember finally going with my Hong Kongese friend Sarah to Chanel. It was right after our last class (and we braved the rush hour traffic!). We got to the boutique at 6:30pm and woops, the boutique was already closed. Frustrating? Not really. So we hopped over to I.Magnin’s *before it went to department store heaven* to look for one. And there she was. ONE left. There also was the 2.55’s sister– the Chanel vertical (which had vertical lines down the bag, in the same shape as the quilted). There was also yet another “sister”, which had the chevron pattern on a similar shape. The black quilted baby went home with the happy baghag (moi), and I was about US$1,000 poorer, but oh, remember, that night also marked the end of my “starvation” *muwahaha I can use my allowance to have dinners out again haha*. And I happily toted that bag whenever we had dinners out with friends (yeah, think Mrs.T in sweatpants and a Chanel 2.55 haha).
If I’m not mistaken, it was also during that same year that the Chanel quilted backpack was also released. And I do know this– stores nationwide ran out of this style, and almost every young rich thang had this backpack on their backs! Later on, the style even came out in metallic colors like silver and gold. I was sooo loving it too. It was just pretty!

Somewhere in between, are these other expensive (and saleable) bags that Chanel made– i.e. bags which also had the distinctive interlocking Cs logo on the exterior of the bag, whether it be stitched or be in gold hardware as turnlocks. Even the brand “Chanel” spelled across a bag is saleable! Chanel bags (and especially the quilted 2.55) became a status symbol for the successful who’s who in high society and in low society (hahaha i.e. me, the struggling student who has caviar taste with fishball budget). They even translated the classic quilted leather design into tweed versions!Then there was the same classic 2.55 design, but in “flattened” quilt and matte leather and brass hardware. Anything that resembled the Classic 2.55 in some way, sold– FAST.

And then remember the Chanel Cambon bags? These were designed to lure in the younger generation with the spending power. The signature intertwined Cs are as visible as ever, placed strategically on the side of the bag, and marrying that signature with quilts. It was indeed very popular– from the pochette style, to the bowling bag, to the bucket, and of course to the coveted reporter bag with multi-pocketed exteriors that, in reality, gave the bag quite a bulk, and made it hard to carry. Nevertheless, the bag still left much room for it to be desired by many. I remember walking to Chanel Bellagio in Vegas and asking for the bag. It was sold out. (The Wertheimers of Chanel must be so veddy veddy happy *and sooo veddy veddy rich!!*)

Then, after 50 years of the 2.55, Lagerfeld once again stepped up to the plate to reinvent the bag that had become signature Chanel. This time, he reverted the design back to its classic sort-of non-descript style and came very, very close to the original form– discreet, and unmonogrammed. But of course baghags the world over, knew this bag all too well 🙂 It became known as the 2.55 reissue. And it was sold out once more.

2005 was the year of the bag, and designers like Chloe, Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs were popping out “iconic” status bags like rabbits. And Chanel had the 2.55 reissue. *I don’t want to confuse our baghags, so let me refer to the 2.55 with the logo as the “Classic 2.55” and the one without as the “2.55 Reissue”.*

The clamor for Chanel bags did not end in 2005. There was a re-emergence in the demand for the vintage Classic 2.55. Even the verticals were selling like hotcakes. Just when the vintage shops thought, the birth of the Motorcycle bags and Paddington bags marked the death of vintage Chanel 2.55s and the like, were they surprised to find out that people too, wanted those Chanels. And you see the prices of Chanel vintage bags climb to amounts that would already rival that of new designer bags (take note, Premier designer ones too).

The jumbo size of the 90s was retired, and resized *and the SAs call it large actually*(and the logo also shrunk, much to my disappointment actually), which is what you and I would see nowadays on the shelves of Chanel boutiques that still stock them (most boutiques don’t even have them in stock!). Colors I have seen are teal, gray, white, red, plum. And of course, the classic black in either gold hardware or silver hardware (I prefer the gold!) Medium sized ones are likewise popular especially those bubblegum pink and other brighter colors– there were also patent leather styles in white and navy (which were both so nice!). And then there is the 2.55 Reissue in distressed silver leather (which we saw on Ms.S) 😀 as well as a distressed gold one. (Seen in the current ad campaign)

There is also the Classic 2.55 medium in a metallic leather which is seen in the bag background. It is gorgeous! Here’s a closeup of the bag, as a lucky lady Ms.J became a proud owner of it on Valentines’ Day (thanks to her uber generous DH :D). *photo taken by Ms.JB*

Other noteworthy bags : Chanel Cerf Tote which is such a classic bag, the Chanel metallic bowler, and the most recent one that baghags are clamoring for– the Coco Cabas bag (enormongous totes in leather that can fit your house *hehe*). The 1st edition of this bag came in vinyl and was under US$1000 and natch, with the huge logo in the front and priced below US$1k, never really hit the shelves because they got sold out before they were even sold! Then there is the current Chanel (sorta) jumbo flap bag which has the zippered bottom *very heavy!*. Then, the upcoming collection will feature those “naked” (clear) Chanel bags.
Chanel Classic 2.55s cost anywhere from US$1,700 up. Caviar leather is slightly cheaper than Lambskin. Both leathers are very popular these days. And most of the large sized ones are not in stock (at least from the Chanel boutiques I’ve called and gone to).

Coco Chanel may have died in 1971, but her legacy lives on through her bags. The Chanel 2.55 now ranks among the Hermes birkin and Hermes Kelly as an iconic must-have bag that will remain timeless and classic for years and fashion eons to come. Long live Chanel 🙂

Baghags: I hope you thoroughly enjoyed this post. And more importantly, I hope my “reportage” on the CHANEL bags is accurate (or at least close to accurate). I welcome feedback on this (or corrections if any *hehe*). Have a wonderful week ahead! 🙂 I have to start working on 2 articles I have due this week *or I’m in serious trouble with my editors again haha… (yes, this unreliable and irresponsible baghag actually has work this week! Whoa!)

xx

No Comments Yet
  1. maybe submit this as one of the articles? hahaha 🙂

    after reading this, i so wish that i didn’t let hub’s reaction stop me from getting the 2.55! next time i get to hold it, i won’t let it go anymore. 😀

  2. Hi Mrs. T! I LOVED this Chanel post. Very informative. Are those two colored Chanels your beloved bags? Was wondering if the one beside the plum was grey, and how much? Hope you don’t mind. Thanks!

  3. you go mrs T! great post! been waiting for this post in centuries!
    love that metallic bowler! please consider me when you want to resell it, 1st in line, meeeh!!!!

    reign

  4. hi,love yur metallic bowler,too… would you know more or less how much a metallic reissue would set me back? saw it in a mag and love it,too… So was considering either a metallic reissue or LV mirroir??

    –jsg

  5. wow! I really learned a lot from this entry 🙂 But i still don’t get the difference between an original chanel and the reissue (call me stupid hahaha)

    niko

  6. The “vertical” quilt Chanels were known (and indeed have been updated and re-released several seasons ago, not unlike the reissue) as the “mademoiselle” bags, just FYI 🙂

  7. Just got my first Chanel bag. its
    pure white , leather, long straps
    logo, its HUGE. IF you can believe
    I only paid $23 for it at a antiques and collectible place.
    YOU know I am loVING GIRLS

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