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The History of Chanel Bags: From Coco to Matthieu Blazy
Founded in 1910, Chanel is a byword for effortless Parisian chic. As the house’s founder Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel declared, ‘Fashion passes, style remains’ – and no place does this ring truer than at Chanel. From gamine bouclé jackets and pearl-strewn jewels to a quilted 2.55 bag or the heady scent of Chanel N°5, the signatures of the brand are instantly recognisable – and eternally glamorous.
From cabaret to the rue Cambon
The global brand power of Chanel today is all the more extraordinary for the story of its founder. Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was born in 1883 in the French town of Saumur, and experienced a childhood of poverty and tragedy. Coco was illegitimate, and when her mother died of tuberculosis when she was 12, she and her two sisters were abandoned by their father and sent to live in a strict Catholic orphanage.
It was Coco’s enduring ambition, talent and charm which saw her reroute her destiny. After several years working as a seamstress and part-time cabaret singer, she opened her first millinery shop, Chanel Modes, on the rue Cambon in Paris in 1910, aided by her lover of the time, Boy Capel (after whom the Boy Bag is named). Coco’s refreshingly modern designs, compared with the old-fashioned frippery of traditional couture houses, instantly made their mark on the streets of Paris.
The tale of the 2.55
Although Coco had previously designed bags (her first was released in 1929), it wasn’t until February 1955 that she cemented Chanel’s place in handbag history with the invention of the aptly named 2.55. Fashioned in a neat rectangular box shape, the 2.55’s revolutionary long chain shoulder strap – a design first – gave its wearer an insouciant hands-free independence, especially when compared to the cumbersome clutches of before. Its practicality extended to the details too, with a back slip pocket, hidden zip pocket – added by Coco to store secret love letters – and a surprisingly roomy central compartment. So many stories from Coco’s history are lovingly interwoven into the 2.55’s design – from the deep burgundy interior, inspired by her uniform at the orphanage, to the diamond quilting, a throwback to her fondness for equestrian sports. Think of the 2.55 as the Little Black Dress of the bag world (which, coincidentally, Coco also invented) – a perennial favourite on the secondary market, and always in style.
Along came Karl
Chanel is a unique fashion house in that it is synonymous not only with the legend of Coco Chanel, but also with the genius of the late, great Karl Lagerfeld, who joined the company in 1983 and remained as creative director for nearly 30 years. This dual brand persona can be seen in the evolution of the 2.55. The original 2.55 carried the ‘Mademoiselle’ twist-lock clasp (so named because Coco never married). It was only upon the arrival of Karl, fresh from working at Chloé and Fendi, that the bag gained its iconic double CC lock as part of a 50th-anniversary reissue – an inspired innovation during the logo-centric decade of the ‘80s.
Collectors take note: Karl’s reinterpretation of the 2.55, with the double CC lock and interwoven chain strap, is now referred to as the Timeless Classic Flap. The Reissue 2.55 harks back to Coco Chanel’s original design, with a Mademoiselle lock, chain-link strap, and often a slightly more ‘worn’ finish to the leather. The majority of both Reissue 2.55s and Timeless Classic Flap bags all have double flaps (an exterior and interior closure), however the Timeless Classic Flap was also once offered in a single flap version (with no interior closure) – this has now been discontinued, so look out for them on SACLÀB as a collector’s item.
Before his passing in early 2019, Karl Lagerfeld collaborated with his longtime right-hand woman, Virginie Viard, on one final, monumental gift to the handbag world: the Chanel 19. Named after the year of its debut (and paying homage to Coco’s legendary 2.55), the Chanel 19 serves as the ultimate bridge between the brand’s two creative eras.
Virginie’s vision
Following Karl’s passing on February 19, 2019, Virginie Viard took the creative reins, bringing a distinctly wearable, woman-centric perspective to the house. Viard mastered the art of slouchy, effortless luxury, most notably introducing the Chanel 22. Released in 2022, this lightweight, ultra-supple tote-sack combined shiny crumpled calfskin with a chunky chain-link strap, capturing the hearts of a younger, on-the-go generation.
Her five-year tenure as Artistic Director concluded in June 2024, wrapping up a remarkable three-decade legacy of devotion to the house. By softening the brand’s traditionally sharp edges, Viard successfully doubled ready-to-wear sales and left behind a modern blueprint of relaxed luxury. She stepped down with Chanel’s commercial growth at an all-time high, beautifully setting the stage for the next creative evolution.
Matthieu Blazy’s “New Classics”
The Chanel lineage evolved yet again with the blockbuster appointment of Matthieu Blazy as Artistic Director in December 2024. Fresh from his celebrated tenure at Bottega Veneta, Blazy wasted no time injecting the historic house with a bolt of architectural futurism and high-fashion momentum. Blazy’s era has already birthed its own roster of immediate resale icons, colloquially dubbed his “new classics”.
Chief among these is the highly anticipated Preppy Coco (also known as the Chanel 26). It effortlessly reimagines collegiate structure through a high-luxury lens. However, if you are looking for the ultimate modern investment piece, all eyes are on Blazy’s stunning CC Maxi bag. This oversized statement piece has triggered a massive wave of FOMO on the secondary market, especially in the non-quilted calfskin finish. Due to extreme boutique scarcity, the CC Maxi is already commanding astronomical premiums, trading for up to €16,000 on the resale market. If you spot one on SACLÀB, do not hesitate; it is the ultimate symbol of Chanel’s exciting new chapter.
Other models to invest in
Alongside the aforementioned Reissue 2.55 and Timeless Classic Flap, there are a number of other iconic Chanel styles to watch out for on the secondhand market.
With a dash of rock ‘n’ roll attitude, the Boy Bag is an edgy alternative to the 2.55. It offers a boxier cut, outlined in ribbed leather, with tough-luxe chain detailing and a double CC brick lock clasp. It’s a bold style, which Chanel has reinvented in many incredible limited-edition colourways, materials and embellishments over time – all highly collectible.
Archival Runway Editions & Discontinued Icons
Runway special editions from Chanel are a joy to behold, serving as the canvas where the house’s imagination truly runs wild. For collectors tracking historical value, the market splits into two highly lucrative categories: vintage runway rarities and discontinued icons.
Highlights from the Karl Lagerfeld Runway Archives
Under Karl Lagerfeld’s tenure, the runway was a theatrical stage that birthed some of the most famous novelty bags in fashion history. Highly sought-after pieces on the secondary market include:
- The ‘Lait de Coco’ Milk Carton: Crafted in striking silver leather.
- The N°5 Perfume Bottle Clutch: A transparent, collector-favorite Perspex design.
- Graffiti-Sprayed Classics: Distressed canvas Boy Bags and rucksacks that perfectly captured a streetwear edge.
The discontinued lines to snap up now
Beyond limited runway releases, smart collectors frequently target discontinued production models because their fixed supply naturally drives up long-term resale value.
- The Grand Shopping Tote (GST): A roomy, quilted classic featuring two chain handles and a prominent embossed double CC logo. It remains a top-tier investment piece because it is no longer sold in boutiques.
- The Cambon Line: This mid-2000s staple, famed for its offset, contrasting CC logo and bright neon interiors, still ranks incredibly high among nostalgic collectors. Rumors are currently swirling across the fashion industry that Blazy might be planning a highly anticipated archival comeback for the Cambon line, making original vintage pieces a very clever buy right now.
Exotic evolution
In 2018, Chanel made a surprising announcement – they would no longer be using exotic skins in any of their products. A longtime prolific user of the likes of snakeskin, alligator and even sharkskin, the brand’s president of fashion Bruno Pavlovsky CITED that ‘it has become more difficult and complex to be able to source and have the right ethics’. Whether ethical concerns were the real reason for the move, or issues with Chanel’s supply chain were simply too debilitating, it has had a marked effect on the secondary market for the brand. A lack of supply naturally translates to an increase in rarity, so a Chanel bag made with exotic skins should be snapped up if you see one on SACLÀB.
