Style & Scandal Unite in the Chanel 2.55

After sixteen years of retirement, Coco Chanel re-entered the fashion world. She created a fashion statement with her newest design, the Chanel 2.55. She’d decided that women had entirely too much to do with their hands, and shouldn’t have to be bothered with carrying a purse. The designer, with a sharp eye for forward-thinking fashion, had realized that a little thing like a purse could become a fashion icon.
 
Chanel infused her revolutionary new bag with many personal touches. She drew on her memories and her life experiences to create what would become one of the most recognizable accessories in the fashion history. To give her purses portability, Chanel added chains to her creation – an idea previously utilized on soldier’s bags and bicycle porter bags. She feminized the chains by offering the purses in evening appropriate materials (such as silks) as well as day-to- day practical textiles. Every item made by Chanel goes through her “secret” quilting process, borrowed from the horse track and her love for racing, and the 2.55 was no exception.  This article would become one of the most sought-after fashion accessories in the world.

The bag was debuted on Coco’s arm in February of 1955, and it was a direct reflection of her personality.  The inside of the bag was lined with a reddish/brown fabric, mimicking the color of the uniforms the children wore during her days in the orphanage. The double chain strap was inspired by the caretakers who would dangle keys from chains wrapped around their waists. Chanel’s feminization of the chains was embodied when she stated, “I know women – women adore chains.” The marvelous straps allowed Parisian women to keep their purses close to them without busying their hands while they perused theater programs, toasted champagne flutes, or enjoyed canapés.

There was a little pocket on the back, where spare money could be stored, and the 2.55 boasted the now famous “Mademoiselle” lock, so named because Chanel remained single throughout her life. Beneath the lock the front flap was ensconced a secret pocket, and it was there that Ms. Chanel kept love letters from her many admirers. Adding a twist of scandal to the times, it was rumored that Nazi spy Hans Gunter von Dinklage was among her lovers.

Karl Lagerfeld took over the creative design aspect of Chanel in 1983, and in 2005 he created a fashion frenzy when he released the Reissue Chanel 2.55. This would be a commemorative Chanel purse, modeled exactly as the 1955 original. Gone were the leather woven chain and double C clasp, having been replaced with the double chains and the Mademoiselle lock. The Reissue name was intended for ONLY the 2005 handbags to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original, but over time the Reissue has become the common name for all of Chanel’s Classic flap purses.

The Chanel 2.55 has become a timeless classic. From Katherine Hepburn and Grace Kelly to modern starlets like Katherine Heigel and Mischa Barton, the bag exudes class and status wherever it goes, firmly established as the “it” bag of the century. The iconic Chanel handbag has been found on the arms of royalty and stardom alike, but common women have also appreciated the style and culture it commands.

Continuing to grab the attention of the fashion world, Chanel’s style is often imitated. From street vendors to the internet, “knock offs” can be acquired easily, and for far less than the market value of Chanel originals.  Ms. Chanel once stated, “I would shed tears the day no one copied me”. As the old adage goes, “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.”