From the Chanel 2.55 to the Classic Flap Bag

When we hear the name Chanel, we think of many things. Timeless elegance, luxury or classic design. Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel founded her fashion empire in 1909, and in 1955 she designed the 2.55 Classic Flap Bag. To this day, it is considered a fashion icon among bags and is the epitome of elegance. The bag owes its name to the year it was released, February 1955. Coco Chanel was inspired by the military bags of the time. But her life also influenced the design of the bag. The 2.55 and its design were a sensation at the time, as women did not carry their bags with a long strap to hang over their shoulders.

Chanel's design

The chain strap of the typical Chanel bag is inspired by her childhood in the orphanage. The sisters there wore lanyards made of similar chains. The burgundy leather of the Chanel inner bag resembles the color of her school uniform. Coco Chanel loved to go to horse races. For the 2.55, she was inspired by the quilted pattern of the jackets worn by the jockeys. This is how the classic quilted pattern of the 2.55 was created.

Originally, the Chanel 2.55 was only available in black or brown. In the 1980s, Karl Lagerfeld revised the design of the bag and designed the new clasp for the 2.55. With the CC clasp, he gave the bag a unique feature. The 2.55 not only got a new clasp, but also a new name. So the 2.55 became the Classic Flap Bag. With him, many variants of the bag came onto the market. There are around 30 different models every year. He constantly reinterpreted Coco Chanel's design and created unique bags. For special occasions, he always designed specials, such as the Valentine's Day bag .

The sophisticated layout of the Chanel bag offers plenty of storage space. Its rectangular shape means you can easily store your belongings in it. Inside the first flap you will find a zipped compartment, and the Chanel logo is embroidered on the second flap. The burgundy-colored inner compartment has three inside pockets in which you can easily store your keys or lipstick. On the front you will find another compartment between the two flaps. Coco Chanel used to store her love letters in this compartment; it is perfect for storing a pocket mirror. On the back there is a slip pocket with a crescent-shaped top edge. The shape of the slip pocket is reminiscent of the Mona Lisa's smile, which is why the compartment is often called Mona Lisa's smile.

Sizes of the Classic Flap Bag

The Classic Flap Bag is available in four different sizes: Mini, Medium, Jumbo or Maxi.

Mini

The Mini is the perfect size if you want to go out in the evening. You can store a small wallet, keys, cell phone and a lipstick in it.

medium

With its size, the Classic Flap Bag in medium is the perfect everyday companion. But it is also perfect for a cozy evening when you need a little more storage space. You can store your wallet, keys, cell phone and even a pocket diary in it. But your powder and lipstick also have a place here. The medium is the most popular version of the Chanel Classic Flap Bag.

jumbo

The Jumbo is perfect for a long day at work or for traveling. You can easily store your wallet, keys, cell phone, book or iPad in it. Your makeup bag also fits in the bag. To ensure that you have your passport and travel documents to hand when traveling, it is best to store them in the compartment between the two front flaps.

Maxi

The Maxi is the perfect companion if you need to store larger items such as an 11-inch MacBook or documents. It offers you optimal storage space. But there is also room for your wallet, keys, cell phone and make-up.