CHANEL XL Jumbo Maxi 2.55 34CM Flap Lambskin Handbag
View Similar Items
CHANEL XL Jumbo Maxi 2.55 34CM Flap Lambskin Handbag
About the Item
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. 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. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes.
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. 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.
- HERMES Escapade Black Chevre Leather Palladium Hardware HandbagBy HermèsLocated in Holland, PAHERMES BLACK CHEVRE LEATHER ESCAPADE HANDBAG *Please note, color may not be fully representative of handbag based on monitor and lighting. This handbag is black. This bag is in A-, excellent condition. Features chevre leather exterior and smooth interior. Slit pocket interior. Exterior: Peeling slightly on one corner. Interior: Slight smoke smell. Stamps: We cannot find the stamp but button is stamped Hermes with Hermes Made in France stamps...Category
1990s French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Evelyne GM gold Clemence leather GHW shoulder bag, 1998By Evelyne GM, HermèsLocated in Holland, PAHERMES EVELYNE GM GOLD CLEMENCE LEATHER GHW SHOULDER BAG, 1998 Comes with dustbag. This bag is in good condition. Features sturdy and supple leather...Category
1990s French Shoulder Bags
- Hermes Evelyne GM gold Clemence leather GHW shoulder bag, 1997By Hermès, Evelyne GMLocated in Holland, PAHERMES EVELYNE GM GOLD CLEMENCE LEATHER GHW SHOULDER BAG, 1997 This bag is in good condition. Features sturdy and supple leather exterior with sueded lea...Category
1990s French Shoulder Bags
- Hermes Evelyne GM red Epsom leather GHW shoulder bag, 1994By Evelyne GM, HermèsLocated in Holland, PAHERMES EVELYNE GM RED EPSOM LEATHER GHW SHOULDER BAG, 1994 This bag is in GOOD condition. Features soft leather exterior with sueded leather interior. Tr...Category
1990s French Shoulder Bags
- HERMES Evelyne PM Natural Light Barenia Leather SHW Shoulder Bag, 2000By HermèsLocated in Holland, PAHERMES EVELYNE PM NATURAL LIGHT BARENIA LEATHER SHW SHOULDER BAG, 2000 This bag is in GREAT condition. Features the gorgeous natural barenia, beautifully aging leather (though ve...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Shoulder Bags
- HERMES Evelyne PM Navy Epsom Leather SHW Shoulder Bag, 2006By HermèsLocated in Holland, PAHERMES EVELYNE PM NAVY EPSOM LEATHER SHW SHOULDER BAG, 2006, OK This bag is in OK condition. Features the navy epsom leather. Please note, color can vary greatly from monitor ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Contemporary Shoulder Bags
- 2015 Chanel Rare black Classic flap enamel crossbody top handle bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLVery rare piece the same collection in a larger size as bag seen on kate middleton Lambskin leather comes with dust bag and authenticity card. In like...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- 2008 Chanel Mademoiselle patent leather frame bagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLWorn by Kim K. in a larger version In excellent condition minor wrinkles to patent leather on bottom of bag. Can be worn as a wrist satchel, top handle bag or a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Fendi Monogram Blue PochetteLocated in New York, NYLength: 11 Inches Height: 6 Inches Material: CanvasCategory
1990s Top Handle Bags
- Moschino Vintage Red Present Gift Box Leather BagBy MoschinoLocated in Concord, NCMoschino vintage whimsical red present gift box top handle bag. Red metallic leather with a velvet bow. To open the bag, the top lifts up but is attached to the bag by the leather st...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Luxury Black Matte Authentic Crocodile Leather HandbagLocated in Newport Coast, CALuxurious Matte Black Authentic Crocodile Handbag! A Stunning bag Matte Black Authentic Crocodile Designer Handbag signed c..R.I. Interior has a large zippered pocket, a small ce...Category
Early 2000s Central Asian Top Handle Bags
- Pablo Picasso Vintage Bi Color Kelly Flap BagBy Pablo PicassoLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style bag from Pablo Picassi is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is made of blac...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags