Chanel Limited Edition

Limited edition Chanel bags are catnip to collectors and fashion lovers everywhere. The couture flourishes of Chanel designs and the meticulous effort invested in creating them — from the crisscross stitching of the house’s signature leather quilting, known as matelassage, to the luxuriant leather woven through the famous chain straps — continue to fascinate enthusiasts of the legendary French house all over the world.  

Vintage Chanel handbags and purses are some of the most well-known and sought-after accessories on the planet. With a subtle and chic aesthetic, many of the label's crossbody bags, shoulder bags, tote bags and other bags are popular with celebrities and fashion obsessives. And vintage Chanel limited edition bags — Votez Coco gold clutches, minaudières shaped like egg cartons, flap bags in red jersey, denim-quilted flap bags or any of the many coveted Chanel bags of the 1990s — are among the most prized of the brand’s offerings.

For its spectacular seasonal runway shows, Chanel designs special bags that are typically produced in smaller editions, making them all the more desirable and prompting long waiting lists for the most flamboyant creations. Many of the rare Chanel bags much sought after today are objects of pure fantasy conjured up by the late couturier Karl Lagerfeld, whose prolific tenure at the helm of Chanel lasted from 1983 to 2019.

Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, Lagerfeld was handed the reins in the early 1980s at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday. From his first collection at Chanel — after joining the brand — to the exquisite minaudières, handbags and purses such as the Chanel Vanity Case, the Chanel Diana bag and more, he injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. 

The luxury house’s best-known bag, the Classic Double Flap bag, includes Chanel’s signature quilting and leather interlaced through a chain strap. Some other iconic styles are the Gabrielle and Boy bags. (Designed by Lagerfeld, Chanel’s playful Boy Brick Lego bag has become a collector's item.)

Find a collection of limited edition Chanel bags for sale on 1stDibs.