Red Chanel Quilted

No, not all Chanel bags are quilted. Although the French luxury fashion house is known for its diamond-quilted leather, Chanel has released versions of its iconic handbags without this detail. For example, Chanel has released versions of its classic Flap Bag decked out in sequins and beads instead of quilting. Explore a wide range of Chanel bags on 1stDibs.

The Chanel quilted bag came out in February of 1955. Now revered all over the world, the 2.55 flap is what some experts suggest the first handbag to feature a shoulder strap. It was named for the month and the year of its proper debut.

When the pioneering French fashion designer Coco Chanel unveiled her now-iconic shoulder bag, she was actually reintroducing an accessory based on soldiers’ backpacks that she’d created in 1929. The 2.55 flap was a smashing success, a chic, rectangular accessory in soft quilted leather. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of vintage Chanel handbags.

Chanel started making quilted bags in the 1950s (Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel had been making handbags since the 1920s, but following WWII, she began to create quilted bags in a focused manner). The French luxury fashion house's signature diamond quilting debuted on its 2.55 Flap bag, which was introduced in February of 1955. Since the debut of the 2.55, Chanel's quilting has become iconic and now appears on many of its bags. On 1stDibs, shop a wide range of Chanel handbags.

Coco Chanel made the quilted purse known as the 2.55 to solve a problem. The handbags that were available during the early 20th century were often hard to carry because they only had handles. Chanel added a chain strap to the 2.55, giving women the freedom to sling it over their shoulders for easy carrying. As to why the 2.55 featured diamond quilting, she was enamored with the pattern, which she first encountered on saddle cloths, groom's jackets and horse blankets at a friend's stables, and introduced it to her designs in the 1920s. By the time the 2.55 debuted in 1955, diamond quilting had become synonymous with the French fashion house. On 1stDibs, explore a wide variety of Chanel bags.

No, not all Chanel bags are red inside. While red lining has become an iconic feature of many Chanel bags, it isn't universal. Some bags feature linings in bright colors that contrast dramatically with the exteriors, while others feature neutral hues like black, beige or cream. Explore a variety of Chanel bags on 1stDibs.