A Brief History of the Quilted Chanel 2.55 Bag

Coco Chanel with her 2.55 bag, image from Stylefrizz.com

Chanel is one of our favorite houses, and we’re always thrilled to see an iconic 2.55 bag come through our shop – they’re perfect for every occasion from weekend brunch to evening black-tie.

The bag, named after its creation in February 1955, is actually one of the first handbags to feature a strap. Coco Chanel is reported to have been tired of carrying her purse around, so she added a shoulder strap. The chain straps and quilted leather, reminiscent of horse harnesses and quilted materials worn by stable hands, are said to have been influenced by Chanel’s love of horseback riding.

The original 2.55 bags were burgundy, a reference to the color of Coco’s school uniform. The zippered interior compartment that we so conveniently use to stash lip gloss and extra cash is actually said to have been included as a spot to keep love letters. The bags feature two different styles of locks: the classic Mademoiselle lock, or the classic interlocked CC closure.

There’s a reason why even vintage 2.55 bags are in such great shape: they undergo an extremely vigorous quality control testing, including placing the bags in a room at 95% humidity and 140 degrees for 3 days.

Chanel bags are an investment in more ways than one: they are incredibly versatile and iconic, they’re built to last, their price increases every two years, and their value will increase over time. Have you added it to your style wish list as yet?

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Sources: Glamour; StyleFrizz

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