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.
CHANEL Rare Black Velvet Jacket with CC Logo Jewel Patch 46 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Ultimately Rare Black Velvet Jacket with CC Jewel Wheat Patch ~ As seen on Supermodel Claudia Schiffer, From Advertising Campaign of Spring 2010 ‘Countryside’ Collection ~ ...
CHANEL Iconic Jennie Kim Style Tweed Jacket Dress 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Iconic Tweed Jacket Dress — Spring 2020 by Virginie Viard ~ Immortalized in the Spring 2020 campaign, worn by Jennie Kim and other icons of modern myth, this piece transcen...
CHANEL 14K$ Statement Yellow Tweed Jacket with Chain Detail 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL — Statement Sunlight Reverie Jacket with Metallic Chain Link Trim – A Timeless Icon by Virginie Viard Spring 2020 Collection ~ — Boutique value: over $14,000 — yet its wort...
CHANEL Paris / Greece Runway Tweed Jacket with Jewel Belt 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
~ An ode to antiquity refracted through the prism of Paris, this Lesage tweed dress from Karl Lagerfeld’s Paris / GREECE 2018 Cruise Collection embodies couture as mythology — wove...
Chanel Navy Blue Silk Vintage Sailor Dress
By Chanel
Located in Oakland, CA
Vintage navy blue silk Chanel dress with white trim which has a nautical feel. The dress is navy blue with white trim. The placket below the scarf features hidden buttons. There are ...
CHANEL black 25S MESH & LEATHER HOBO WITH CHAIN Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel hobo bag in black open mesh with shiny lambskin leather trims and a quilted lambskin leather base, the interplay of textures lending this luxury Chanel bag a di...
Rare Chanel Iridescent Lizard Mini Bag
By Chanel
Located in Gazzaniga (BG), IT
Rare and sought after Chanel mini bag Chanel Mini chain evening bag Period: Contemporary Materials: Iridescent lizard leather, silver-tone metal Colours: Iridescent silver Dimensions...
Chanel Vintage S/S 1990 Black White Flower Bodysuit Onepiece Swimsuit
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Chanel
Located in Jersey City, NJ
Chanel Spring/Summer 1990 black and ivory flower embellished bodysuit/swimsuit, a rare and charming piece from Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic early 1990s era for the house. The piece featur...
CHANEL Rare Collectible Beige Fantasy Tweed Jacket 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL — Rare Collectible Beige Fantasy Tweed Jacket — A study in light, texture, and quiet authority — – This Chanel jacket does not announce itself — it shimmers into presence. –...
CHANEL Paris / Edinburgh Runway Navy Tartan Coat 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL – Paris / EDINBURGH Runway Coat — a sovereign relic of the Highlands, forged at the height of Lagerfeld’s narrative genius — a garment that does not simply adorn, but ascends ...
CHANEL 13K$ Paris / MONTE-CARLO Black Tweed Jacket 44 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Black Tweed Jacket with Gripoix CC Jewel Buttons — Paris / MONTE-CARLO Collection 2008 Métiers d’Art, Karl Lagerfeld — Runway-born and campaign-cited, this is the kind of ...
Pale pink knit Twin-set CHANEL
By Chanel
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Pale pink knit Twin-set . Knit composition: 85% rayon, 15% cashmere. SIZE 42 on tag but fit more likely 38/M
CHANEL Timeless Black Tweed Jacket with CC Buttons 44 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Black Shimmer Tweed Jacket – As Seen on Kate Moss – Commanding in its sculptural minimalism, this Chanel black shimmer tweed jacket embodies the elusive Parisian enigma that...
CHANEL Iconic CC Gripoix Buttons Burgundy Tweed Jacket 40 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Collectible Burgundy Lesage Tweed Jacket — Runway Fall/Winter 2011 “Lonely Day” Collection by Karl Lagerfeld — // Boutique value: approx. €13,000 · Museum-grade Runway piece...
CHANEL New 2017 Timeless CC Buttons Black Tweed Jacket
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Timeless, most wanted Chanel black tweed jacket from 2017 Fall ''OUTER SPACE'' Collection by Karl Lagerfeld. As seen on Lily Rose Depp in Ad Campaign! Size mark 38 FR. New, comes wit...
CHANEL Camellia Motif Lesage Tweed Jacket Coat 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Camellia-Motif Lesage Tweed Jacket- Coat — Mid-2000s Karl Lagerfeld— Exceptionally rare · archival-era collectible · motif echoed again in Fall 2024 — – A mid-2000s Lagerfe...
CHANEL Extremely Rare CC Eagle Buttons Black Tweed Jacket 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Legendary Black Tweed Jacket with Eagle Buttons — Métiers d’Art 2009 by Maestro Lagerfeld ~ It is not merely a garment but a cipher — a rare, priceless gem for the true conn...
Chanel Vintage Tennis Racket and Case
By Chanel
Located in London, GB
A rare vintage Chanel tennis racket featuring the iconic interlocking CC logo woven into the string bed. Finished in an elegant ivory-toned frame with a blue overgrip, this collectib...
CHANEL Relic Paris / MONACO Black Tweed Jacket 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Relic Chanel Collectible Black Shimmer Tweed Jacket — Paris / MONTE-CARLO Metiers d’Art Collection, by Karl Lagerfeld – A masterpiece born from the alchemy of light and thread, this...
CHANEL black quilted leather 16K 2.55 REISSUE MINI HANGER FLAP Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel 2.55 Reissue Hanger Flap Mini shoulder bag in black quilted aged calfskin leather. This rare runway iteration reimagines the house’s iconic silhouette with a st...
CHANEL Paris / London CC Crown Buttons Cashmere Cardigan 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
– Collector’s CHANEL Cashmere Cardigan from Runway of the Paris / LONDON Collection, by Karl Lagerfeld – A creation for the true Chanel connoisseur — This is not simply a cardigan ...
CHANEL 9K$ New Paris / Greece Shimmer Tweed Belted Dress 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Collectible Shimmer Tweed Dress — Paris / GREECE Cruise 2018 Collection · by Karl Lagerfeld Boutique Value: Over $8,000 – A radiant relic from Chanel’s Paris–Greece Cruis...
CHANEL 2022 New Timeless Little Black Tweed Jacket 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Timeless Little Black Jacket – Runway of the 2022 Métiers d’Art Collection by Virginie Viard – An eternal emblem of the Maison, this jacket embodies the distilled essence o...
CHANEL Rare Paris / MIAMI CC Hearts Black Tweed Jacket 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Paris / MIAMI Cruise Collection — “Coeur Noir” Black Tweed Jacket with CC Hearts Patches — A Rare and Collectible Masterpiece by Karl Lagerfeld — ~ A highly collectible, ti...
CHANEL 14K$ Paris / Bombay Tweed Jacket CC Gripoix Buttons 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Lesage Tweed Jacket with CC Gripoix Buttons — Paris / BOMBAY 2012 Métiers d’Art, Karl Lagerfeld ~ Boutique value: over $14,000 • — As seen on style icon Miroslava Duma, ...
CHANEL Runway AIRLINES Collection Tweed Jacket with CC Giant Buttons 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
– Minimalist CHANEL Navy Lesage Tweed Jacket with CC buttons — Runway of AIRLINES Collection by Karl Lagerfeld _ A study in precision and restraint, this navy tweed jacket from Karl...
Chanel 1993 Equestrian Elegy Museum Level Tweed Jacket 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Chanel 1993 Equestrian Elegy Tweed & Leather Jacket — Museum-Level Masterpiece ~ An ultimately rare, museum-worthy Chanel jacket from the historic Fall 1993 collection, immortalize...
CHANEL New Paris / CUBA Runway Orange Tweed Dress 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Crimson Lesage Tweed Dress — Runway of PARIS / CUBA Cruise 2017 Collection by Karl Lagerfeld — ~ A radiant artefact of the Maison’s Caribbean dreamscape — the collectible ...
CHANEL Sex & The City Iconic Grey Ribbon Tweed Jacket 40 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Steel-Grey Lurex Ribbon Tweed Jacket — Paris / LONDON 2008 Métiers d’Art, Karl Lagerfeld — As seen on Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City — As seen on Keira Knightley...
Chanel Spring 1991 Collection 25 Pink Tweed Blazer Jacket
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, Chanel
Located in London, GB
Incredible, documented Chanel pink tweed jacket from the Spring 1991 or number 25 collection. As seen on the runway and on Cindy Crawford on the cover of Vogue. In excellent vintage...
CHANEL Rare 1991 Supermodels Tweed and Denim Suit 44 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
A rare find for true Chanel connoisseurs! Tweed & Denim jacket and skirt suit set from Runway of 1991 Fall Collection! Price on other sources start from 6,000€ (!) Size mark 44 F...
CHANEL white black cotton 23C MONTE CARLO WIDE RIBBON TWEED Pants 36 XS
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel pants in white and black striped ribbon tweed. Woven in a textural polyamide (52%), cotton (27%), polyester (11%), and wool (10%) blend, these Chanel pants show...
Chanel Gold Tone and Acetate Metal Sunglasses
By Chanel
Located in Paris, FR
Chanel Gold-tone and acetate metal rectangular frame sunglasses featuring light brown lens, interlocking gold-toned “CC”. 100% acetate Circa 2010s Total width: 5.9in. (15cm) Width...
CHANEL Paris / VENICE Runway Black Tweed Skirt 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL — Paris / VENICE Cruise 2010 Runway Skirt – A quiet reliquary of power, restraint, and eternal line. — Boutique value: $3,840 — Venice, translated into tweed – This is no...
CHANEL 9K& New Chain Link Trim Black Tweed Dress 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Black Tweed Dress with Metallic Chain Trim Boutique price: over $9,200 Size: FR 36 · Condition: pristine, never worn Status: rare find · timeless collector’s piece A Cha...
CHANEL black leather 23P PICK ME UP TOP HANDLE VANITY Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel Pick Me Up Vanity Case bag in black quilted lambskin leather. Crafted from supple, smooth lambskin with the house’s signature diamond quilting, it features an e...
CHANEL black 21C CAPRI QUILTED JERSEY MICRO Belt Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
This 100% authentic Chanel 2021 Capri Quilted Jersey Micro Belt Bag in black is a chic and compact accessory that blends sporty elegance with iconic Chanel design. Crafted from soft ...
CHANEL iridescent green patent 2.55 REISSUE 226 DOUBLE WIDE FLAP Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel 2.55 Reissue 226 Large flap bag in iridescent bottle green quilted patent leather, crafted in the iconic structured silhouette with a luminous finish that shift...
CHANEL Exquisite Black Ribbon Tweed Skirt 46 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Chanel Black Ribbon Tweed Skirt – Rare Collectible Artifact — Boutique Value $4,630 – More than a garment, it is a relic of couture’s metaphysical script: a skirt that transform...
CHANEL New ROBOT Collection Statement Black Tweed Jacket 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Iconic Timeless Black Tweed Jacket Runway of the 2017 Spring Robot Collection by Karl Lagerfeld – One of the most coveted black jackets in all of Chanel’s history — as seen ...
CHANEL grey denim mini skirt FR 34
By Chanel
Located in Rubiera, RE
CHANEL Collection Spring 2011 Mini skirt Denim jeans, grey, distressed red Size FR 34 Made in Italy Flat measures: Length cm. 36 Waist cm. 34 Hip cm. 42 Very good cond...
CHANEL 11K$ Collectible Black Tweed Jacket with Chain Link Pattern 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Collectible Black & Silver Metallic Chain-Link Jacket — From the Iconic 2019 Spring Collection · by Karl Lagerfeld // Boutique Value: over $11,000 // – From the Advert...
White cotton tank-top with lace and crochet edge CHANEL
By Chanel
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
White cotton tank-top with lace and crochet edge . SIZE 44 /M
Chanel 2010 Veste Rose Pale FR40 Baby Pink Beige Cotton Tweed Jacket UK12 US10
By Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel
Located in PARIS, FR
Chanel jacket from 2010 by Karl Lagerfeld in pale powder pink cotton-blend tweed trimmed with ecru pink passementerie, straight cut, round neck fastened with four CC-branded jewel bu...
CHANEL Paris / Salzburg Rarest Blue Edelweiss Dress 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Collectible Edelweiss Knit Dress — Paris / SALZBURG Métiers d’Art 2015 Runway Collection · by Karl Lagerfeld — — worn by Cara Delevingne on Runway // Boutique Value: Over $...
Valentino Rare Runway Jeweled Hand Beaded Silk Chiffon Dress Gown Hard to find
By Chanel, Valentino Garavani
Located in Los Angeles, CA
From the 20th - 21st century the exquisite fashion of Valentino Garavani was embraced by society and fashionistas over the world. When he retired in 2008 his brand of elegance, exqu...
CHANEL Legendary ICON of Icons Black Tweed Jacket 40 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL – The Ultimate Little Black Jacket — The Icon of Icons. — ~ A garment that made history—and still shapes it. This is not just a jacket. This is the jacket. ~ The most icon...
Chanel Vintage Gold 1982 Coin CC Chain Link Belt
By Chanel
Located in Bellevue, WA
Vintage 1982 Chanel CC coin chain belt 100% authentic Made in France Gold Plated Measurements approx.: length of chain with coin attached 39" Very good condition overall aside from ...
A 2003 Chanel New Travel Line Beige Nylon and Brown Leather Tote Bag
By Chanel
Located in Aci Castello, IT
This incredibly chic vintage Chanel New Travel Line tote bag perfectly combines Parisian luxury with a sporty, functional design. Crafted in Italy, it features a durable, lightweight...
Chanel 14K$ Museum Level Bejewelled Tweed Ensemble 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Rare Lesage Tweed Suit with Swarovski Strass Embellishment — Iconic Runway & Advertising Campaign Relic — // Boutique value: over $14,000 // – A museum-level ensemble from Ch...
CHANEL RARE Camellias Brooch Tweed Ensemble
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
Rarest coral tweed suit from Ad Campaign with Supermodel Daria Verbowy - Coral tweed jacket with Camellia brooch and chain accent at hem - matching tweed skirt Size mark 38 FR. Prist...
CHANEL metallic pewter leather 2012 ACCORDION MINI FLAP Bag
By Chanel
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Chanel Mini Flap bag in metallic pewter aged calfskin leather. Designed in a refined, compact silhouette, this luminous piece features silver-tone hardware and a doubl...
CHANEL Rare Paris / HAMBURG Ribbon Tweed Jacket 36 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Bronze & Black Ribbon Tweed Jacket with — Paris/ HAMBURG 2018 Métiers d’Art, Karl Lagerfeld – Boutique value: over $14,000 Status: runway-provenanced · Métiers d’Art textil...
CHANEL 16K$ Jewel Embellished Black Tweed Jacket 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Museum-Grade Black Tweed Jacket with Jewel Embellishment — — Ad Campaign of Fall 2011 “Lonely Day” Collection by Karl Lagerfeld – With a boutique valuation originally surpas...
CHANEL 2006 Collectors Black Velvet Jacket with Chain Belt 40 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Rare Black Velvet Biker Jacket with Chain Link Belt — — Relic of the 2000s Karl Lagerfeld Era — ~ A museum-level Chanel rarity — A fragment of Lagerfeld’s vision for Chanel...
CHANEL New Timeless CC Turnlock Navy Cashmere Cardigan 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Eternal Navy Cashmere Cardigan with Iconic CC Turnlock Closures — A perennial Chanel archetype, resurfacing most recently in the Fall 2024 Collection — – A silhouette that ...
CHANEL 2022 Sunlit Yellow Boucle Dress with Logo Belt 38 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Bouclé Knit Dress with Logo Belt — Spring 2022, Virginie Viard —Highly coveted · modern house-code piece — This is a Viard-era piece with immediate recognizability: a mode...
CHANEL 2019 New Ad Campaign Lime Green Tweed Jacket 42 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL Spring 2019 Ad Campaign — “Lime Éclat” Lesage Tweed Jacket — A Chromatic Relic of Eternal Spring by Karl Lagerfeld — // A boutique masterpiece of over $12,000 in value, yet ...
CHANEL 1990 Rares Black Tweed Suit with CC Giant Camellia Button 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Rares Black Tweed Suit with CC Giant Camellia Button — Early 1990s Karl Lagerfeld Era • Collectors value: museum-level (connoisseur market) — An early-90s Lagerfeld relic ...
CHANEL 15K$ New CC Logo Black Silk Maxi Dress 34 FR
By Chanel
Located in Hong Kong, HK
CHANEL · Black Silk Maxi Dress with CC & Autumn Leaf Print — Fall 2018 Advertising Campaign, Karl Lagerfeld • Boutique value: over $15,000 · Billboard / Magazine-cited Icon — F...