The Chanel 2.55: Chic Style & an Air of Mystery

A name synonymous with haute couture means never having to carry your own purse. At least that’s the statement Coco Chanel made when she swept Paris fashion world with the Chanel 2.55 after sixteen years of retirement. Making her re-entrance in society, Chanel decided she’d had enough of losing dainty little handbags at gatherings. A woman with an eye toward the times, she realized that women had better things to do than keep track of a purse. Chanel also had the wisdom to see that like her clothing, her handbags could become class and status symbols.

Borrowing on her life experiences, she combined her passion for style with her own memories, and even early childhood tragedy, to create what would ultimately become one of the most recognizable fashion icons in all of history. Utilizing the idea of straps – a notion previously used for soldiers bags and female bicycle porter’s bags – Chanel created a sensation with her feminized chain straps. The handbag designs were available for evening in silk materials and also more practical textiles suitable for day. Like everything made by Chanel, the purse boasted the “secret” quilting process that was influenced by her appreciation for horse racing. The Chanel handbag would become, and remain, one of the most sought after fashion accessories in the world.

Coco debuted the bag in February of 1955 – hence the name – and her fingerprint was firmly imprinted. She lined the inside of the bag with a reddish/brown material, reminiscent of her childhood days in the orphanage and the color of the uniforms the children wore. Another reminder was the double chain strap. Caretakers at the orphanage would dangle keys from chains worn around their waists to entertain the children. Chanel borrowed the simple but dainty chains from the nuns, stating, “I know women – women adore chains.” The chain straps allowed busy women to secure their purses over the arms, freeing their hands for more important tasks. On the back of the Chanel purse, a secret pocket stored extra money, and more secrets were tucked away inside the front flap that bore the trademark “Mademoiselle” lock. Inside that flap was another secret pocket, where it rumored the lady hid notes from admirers, the most scandalous from Hans Gunter von Dinklage, a Nazi spy.

In 2005, Karl Lagerfeld, who took over the creative design of Chanel in 1983, released the Reissue Chanel 2.55 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the handbag. The Reissue was designed exactly as Mademoiselle Chanel originally created it in 1955. Two chain straps replaced the chain and woven leather strap, and the iconic double C was replaced with the original Mademoiselle lock, so named because Ms. Chanel never married. The Reissue name was intended for the 2005 replicas of the original, but has become the common name for all of the Classic Flap Chanel purses.

Modern celebrities and timeless silver screen stars of the past have made the 2.55 the iconic bag of the century. Transcending culture and style, time and class, the 2.55 has proven to the world that a handbag can certainly be an icon. Carried on the arms of women like Katherine Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Katherine Heigel, and Mischa Barton, the Chanel handbag gained instant status. It even commands attention if you aren’t among the Hollywood elite, but one of many women who have an eye for style and fashion.

Often imitated, Chanel’s style continues to command the attention of the fashion industry. Original Chanel accessories top the market in price, but “knock offs” Chanel handbags can be found on the Internet and in busy downtown street markets. It has been said that imitation is the greatest form of flatters, and Ms. Chanel agrees this point: “I would shed tears the day no one copied me.”