Chanel Evening Bags and Minaudières

Vintage Chanel handbags and purses are some of the most well-known and sought-after accessories in the world. With a subtle and chic aesthetic, many of the legendary French house’s crossbody bags, shoulder bags, tote bags and other bags are popular among celebrities and fashion obsessives.

Crafted from top-quality materials, Chanel’s elegant iconic purses are coveted not only for their timelessness but also for their high resale value. The brand’s best-known bag, the Classic Double Flap bag, includes Chanel’s signature quilting and leather interlaced through a chain strap. Chanel Classic flap bags have been going strong since Karl Lagerfeld updated the beloved 2.55 handbag in the 1980s with the addition of the interlocking double Cs on the flap.

Other iconic bag styles are the Gabrielle and Boy bags. (Also designed by Lagerfeld, Chanel’s playful Boy Brick Lego bag has become a collector's item.) 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.

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. The widely hunted rare Chanel bags and many of the other bags much sought after today are objects of pure fantasy conjured up by the late couturier Lagerfeld, whose prolific tenure at the helm of the house lasted from 1983 to 2019.

Just like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands, Chanel has had to fight counterfeiters who manufacture and sell fake bags under its name. These days, provenance is as essential for Chanel bags as it is for a Chagall painting. And with forgeries improving, it's worth knowing how to spot a fake Chanel bag.

Find a collection of vintage Chanel totes, clutches, minaudières and other bags on 1stDibs today.