Chanel
Chanel 2.55 bag (1955)Founded in 1909 by Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel as a millinery shop on the ground floor of her lover’s flat, Chanel is a high fashion house that specializes in haute couture and ready-to-wear clothes, luxury goods and fashion accessories. Chanel revolutionized fashion by replacing corset-silhouettes with garments that were functional and at the same time flattering to the woman’s figure. Her little black dress, the perfume No.5 and the Chanel Suit will also be featured on Wikiconic.
The Chanel 2.55 bag was created in 1955 (in February, that is how it got its name) and is still one of the most iconic luxury handbags. The bag is best recognized by its diamond shaped quilting, and the pocket on the inside flap where Coco Chanel used to keep her love letters. At the time, most women carried their handbags in their hands, but with the simple design feature of a chain strap – a novelty – it allowed them to hang the bag over their shoulders. There are two versions of the lock on the 2.55, the Mademoiselle lock which has a rectangular shape, and a version with interlocking C’s. The Chanel 2.55 bag continues to be one of the best-selling handbags for the brand.
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