Chanel and Cappuccino

3 min read

I sat in a café with my cappuccino and I was staring at my Chanel Classic Flap.

I thought about why it took me so long to get this handbag.

Each of us had our stories to ponder when we finally coveted our holy grail item.

With mine, I was already earning good money in my teens due to my foray into fashion modeling. Later on after my undergrad studies, I started careers in two different industries - broadcast journalism and a management role in a fortune 500 company. And yet I still hesitated to buy the Chanel Classic flap.

The Classic Flap iconic chain is made in n gold and silver tone metal, interlaced with leather.

At that time I was not akin to the idea of splurging a few thousand dollars on a handbag. I wanted to wait when I felt my family needs were secure and my daughter was in college.

Through the years I had seen the Chanel price increase drastically. And each time I felt a nagging feeling that perhaps it would have been wiser to not put off the purchase for over two decades.

But I knew in my heart that committing to a buy in those earlier years was not the right time.

[Images by Coco Chanel]

And then the day came a few years ago. I felt the stars were aligned and I was meant to finally covet the handbag Coco Chanel designed back in February of 1955 and Karl Lagerfeld spruced with his own design element thirty years later.

When I unboxed the beautiful ebony box with the white ribbon and Camelia flower, I only felt glee. The buyer's remorse never came. I had waited a long time and now my holy grail bag was mine.

"Created by Karl Lagerfeld upon his arrival in 1983, the 11.12 handbag reinterprets the iconic 2.55 handbag."

So today as I took a sip of my coffee, I cannot resist a smile as I look at my large Chanel Classic flap. It was more than a stylish utilitarian piece of fashion accessory. It had the legacy of Coco Chanel, a self-made woman with no formal fashion design background, who was brazen enough to create the first shoulder handbag.

Someday my daughter will carry this Chanel Classic flap and then pass it on along to her next of kin, and so forth. I am hopeful that along with the inheritance through the future lineage it would also include the story that it was once owned by their ancestor who felt such joy when she gifted herself a personal trophy to commemorate her years of hard work.

About the Chanel Classic Flap:

TRIVIA:

1. The Chanel Classic Flap comes in 6 sizes with the following dimensions:

Mini , 6.5” x 2.5” x 5.5”
New Mini, 8” x 2” x 5”
Small, 9.25” x 2.5” x 5.5”
Medium, 10” x 2.5” x 6”
Jumbo, 12” x 3.5” x 8.25”
Maxi, 13” x 4” x 9”

2. The Classic Flap is distinct. While it carries the original design of the 2.55 handbag created by Coco Chanel, it has the interlocking CC closure that Karl Lagerfeld designed in the 1980s based on the original 'Mademoiselle Lock'.

3. The price of the Chanel Classic Flap keeps going up. The original 2.55 flap bag designed by Coco Chanel back in February 1955 (hence the '2.55' name') is priced at $220.

[Image by Stylecaster]

Where to Buy Your Chanel Bag:

On my way to get my Tiffany Bean necklace repaired, I stumble upon the Neiman Marcus store when they have a mini Chanel boutique inside. I ask to see the Classic Flap and they happen to have all sizes, from the Maxi, Jumbo, Medium, and Small.

With my 5'11" inch frame, the one that fits me the best was the Jumbo. The length of the strap is also long enough to wear as a crossbody. I tell the Sales Associate I want to take photographs and sleep on this decision since it is my first time to see the handbags in person.

I share more of this story in a future post, but I do end up getting the handbag in a Chanel boutique. This was the year 2018.

Going the Pre-Loved Route:

Buying pre-loved is a lot more common than it was before.

There are a plethora of used market platforms, from the classic eBay, to the new Poshmark, Tradesy, Vestiaire Collective, Facebook Groups, and many more.

The two who stand out because of authentication services (which is a an absolute prerequisite) and sale guarantees are Fashionphile and The Real Real.