The House of Chanel (Chanel S.A.) originated in 1909, when Gabrielle Chanel opened a millinery shop at 160 Boulevard Malesherbes, the ground floor of the Parisian flat of the socialite and textile businessman Étienne Balsan, of whom she was mistress.
The House of Chanel also presented leather handbags with either gold-colour chains or metal-and-leather chains, which allowed carrying the handbag from the shoulder or in hand. The quilted-leather handbag was presented to the public in February 1955. In-house, the numeric version of the launching date “2.55” for that line of handbags became the internal “appellation” for that model of quilted-leather handbag. Chanel classic handbag in quilted-leather, with adjustable double-chains, to wear it on the arm or at the shoulder. The original Chanel 2.55 double flap bag designed by Coco Chanel featured a simple rectangular shaped lock. This lock was named the Mademoiselle lock, which translated to “Miss”. This name was picked as a reminder that Coco Chanel never got married.
In the 80s Karl Lagerfeld decided to change the design of the original 2.55. He changed the Mademoiselle lock for an interlocking CC lock, using the world-famous Chanel logo. And so, creating the Chanel Classic Flap Bag like we know it today. The lock is one of the main features to tell the difference between a 2.55 or a Classic Flap Bag.
Beginning in the 1990s, all authentic Chanel handbags were numbered.
*Source Wikipedia – Chanel Handbags
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