Chanel Vintage Crocodile Bag
View Similar Items
Chanel Vintage Crocodile Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Athens, GA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU99739439942
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness. As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity. In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key. Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings. Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- Chanel Burgundy Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Burgundy Tote Bag. Caviar leather. Excellent condition. Tote bag includes leather pouch inside. Great tote bag for everyday and travel. Interi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Tote Bags
$3,999 - Chanel White BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel White Bag. Antique gold hardware. Winter white leather bag. Excellent condition. Can be worn as a shoulder bag or longer. Interior clean. Looks...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
$4,900 - Chanel Silver Metallic Jumbo BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Silver Metallic Jumbo Double Flap Bag. Excellent condition. Unique silver lambskin leather bag. Silver hardware. Classic style bag with rare silver leather. Collector's piece....Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel Medium Double Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Medium Double Flap Bag. Black lambskin leather bag. Gold hardware. Vintage Chanel Bag. 24 kt gold plated hardware. Light indentions on leather. Side pocket has light wear and ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Large 2019 Grey BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Grey 2022 Bag. Large size. Soft leather with two-tone hardware. Excellent like brand new condition. Interior clean. Light grey color that will go with everything. Microchip in...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Shoulder Bags
$7,500 - Chanel Multi-Color Jumbo BagBy ChanelLocated in Athens, GAChanel Multi-Color Jumbo Bag. Cream, black, tan with black leather chain strap. Most wanted size jumbo. Can be worn crossbody or doubled as a shoulder bag...Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
$7,950
- Pre-Loved Celine Yellow Beige Canvas Coated PVC Plastic Macadam Tote BagBy CelineLocated in New York, NYCeline Yellow Beige Canvas Coated PVC Plastic Macadam Tote Bag Bag is in Excellent condition Inside is Beige canvas , Very Clean , Zippered Hanging pocket with slip pockets. Measu...Category
2010s Chinese Tote Bags
- LOUIS VUITTON Limited Edition Blanc Monogram Sabbia Besace BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in New York, NYThis is an authentic, pre-owned LOUIS VUITTON The vintage-inspired Cruise 2011 Monogram Sabbia bags are made from cotton based jacquard fabric that underwent a subtle coloration pro...Category
2010s Unknown Shoulder Bags
- Vintage bag hand-embroidered light green and leather from the 1950, USALocated in Stuttgart, DEA hand embroidered bag all around. Colorful roses with buds and leaves on a light green background. Inside lined light leather with a zipper compa...Category
1940s American Shoulder Bags
$477 Sale Price25% Off - Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Gm Leather Tote Tivoli Shoulder Bag LV-0602N-0016By Louis VuittonLocated in Downey, CALouis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Gm Leather Tote Tivoli Shoulder Bag LV-0602N-0016 The Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas Tivoli GM has fashion and functionality all rolled into one. With its adjustable side gussets and roomy capacity, it is perfect for taking to the office or going shopping. The shoulder straps are functional and comfortable, making this bag easy to carry all over town. The popular demand for bigger totes...Category
2010s French Tote Bags
- CHANEL Golden Brown Caviar Leather Vintage Timeless Shoulder ToteBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Golden Brown Caviar Leather Vintage Timeless Shoulder Tote Xupes Reference: CB863 Serial Number: 5620651 Age (Circa): 1998 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag Authenticity Deta...Category
1990s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- LOUIS VUITTON Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Bucket BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLOUIS VUITTON Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Bucket Bag Serial Number: FL0086 Age (Circa): 2006 Authenticity Details: Date Stamp (Made in France) Gender: Ladies Typ...Category
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.