2011 Chanel Reissue Handbag 2.55 Calfskin Double Flap
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:PARIS, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2787222672472
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns.
In 1926, Chanel introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women.
Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag — a 1955 update of a 1920s-era design — with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes. Her collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. His collections for Chanel displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. Lagerfeld revived Chanel ballet flats and thoroughly embraced the classic logo's interlocking CCs, which took the form of a clasp featured on so many of the rare Chanel bags that are much sought after today.
Vintage Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel dresses, coats and other clothing of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s riffed on its iconography, accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. And as the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers, vintage Chanel bags of the 1990s are among the most prized of the brand’s offerings.
Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: PARIS, France
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- 2009 Louis Vuitton Montorgueil Handbag Monogram Canvas PMBy Louis VuittonLocated in PARIS, FR2009 Louis Vuitton Montorgueil Handbag Monogram Canvas PM - Very good condition. Shows very slight signs of wear over time. - Louis Vuitton...Category
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- 1999 Tote Bag Chanel Fabrics In Pink MonogramBy ChanelLocated in PARIS, FR1999 Tote Bag Chanel Fabrics In Pink Monogram - Good condition. Shows traces of wear over time. - Pale pink Chanel tote bag - Two beige leather s...Category
1990s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Fendi Monogram Beige And White HandbagBy FendiLocated in PARIS, FRFendi Monogram Beige And White Handbag - Good condition It shows signs of wear over time. - Fendi Handbag - Beige double F monogram - White leather ha...Category
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- 1991 Opera Louis Vuitton Red Leather HandbagBy Louis Vuitton Supreme, Louis VuittonLocated in PARIS, FR1991 Opera Louis Vuitton Red Leather Handbag - Very good condition. It shows very slight signs of wear over time. - Louis Vuitton Opera Handbag ...Category
1990s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Mini Handbag Black LeatherBy HermèsLocated in PARIS, FRHermès Mini Handbag Black Leather - Very good condition. Shows very slight signs of wear over time. - Hermes Handbag - Black leather - Black le...Category
1990s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Gucci Lurex Golden Monogram HandbagBy GucciLocated in PARIS, FRGucci Lurex Golden Monogram Handbag - Very good condition. Shows very slight signs of wear over time. - Gucci Handbag - Colour : Golden - Lurex g...Category
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Bright Purple Lambskin Small 19 Bag with Mixed metal HardwareBy ChanelLocated in Palm Beach, FLThis authentic Chanel Purple Lambskin Small 19 Bag is in pristine condition. Released in 2019, the pillowy soft oversized quilts and mixed metals are a beautiful addition to the cla...Category
2010s European Structured Shoulder Bags
- Louis Vuitton Blue Escale Monogram Coated Canvas & Blue Calfskin Leather NéoNoéBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLouis Vuitton Blue Escale Monogram Coated Canvas & Blue Calfskin Leather NéoNoé MM Brand- Louis Vuitton Model- NéoNoé MM Product Type- Shoulder Serial Number- SP**** Age- Circa 2020...Category
2010s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Bottega Veneta Dustry Rose Lambskin Small Shoulder Bag w/ Suede LiningBy Bottega VenetaLocated in West Palm Beach, FLBottega Veneta Dustry Rose Lambskin Small Shoulder Bag w/ Suede Lining. This lovely bag is in good condition with some wear consistent with its age and a zipper that is worn. It fe...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoulder Bags
- Jimmy Choo Metallic Large Hobo ToteBy Jimmy ChooLocated in West Palm Beach, FLJimmy Choo Metallic Large Hobo Tote has a bronze/gold tone to it. The leather has that distressed look to it. The top of the bag has a V Shaped dual zip closure with a hanging leathe...Category
2010s Italian Hobo Bags
- Hermes Constance 18 Bag Black Matte Alligator Gold Hardware and MirrorBy HermèsLocated in Miami, FLMightychic offers an Hermes 18 Constance bag featured in Black Matte Alligator. Removeable mirror with alligator tab. Rich with Gold hardware. The ef...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Dior Diorama MIni White Leather BagBy Christian DiorLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITMini shoulder bag by Dior, model Diorama, made of white leather with silver hardware embellished with silver sequins. Equipped with a flap closure with button, internally lined in w...Category
2010s French Shoulder Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
From the Runway to Rihanna, These Chanel Pearl Sunglasses Are the Peak of ’90s Chic
This cheeky accessory is seriously fun.
With a Wink, Karl Lagerfeld Sent This Egg-Carton-Shaped Chanel Bag Down the Runway
For the brand’s 2014–15 ready-to-wear show in Paris, the designer was inspired by a most unexpected place: the supermarket.