Monday, November 22, 2010

FASHION COMMANDMENT: CHANEL 2.55 HAND BAG

Ever had a handbag that made you feel so good that  all you could do is dream about one day owning it. One of my FAVORITE accessory pieces, would have to be the legendary Coco Chanel’s Chanel 2.55 handbag created in February 1955 (hence the name 2.55). The launch of this bag marked the beginning of a fashion revolution; the introduction of a chain strap, enabling women to carry their purse on their arm instead of in their hand. "At this time, when socialites were busy holding their glasses of champagne, eating canapés, and reading their theatre programmes, Chanel recognized a need for women to have their hands free." This bag screams sophistication, style, timelessness and glamour. Over the last 50 years we’ve seen the Chanel 2.55 transform in many colors and forms, while still being adored by modern woman like Madonna and Kate Moss. In 1983 Karl Lagerfeld took over creative leadership of the Chanel House, and in 2005 celebrated the handbag’s 50th anniversary. An ode to a wonderful creation, that will stay in history.

HER STORY
Coco Chanel (Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel) was  born in 1883 to a poor family in Saumur. During a brief career as a cafe and concet singers, she adopted the name Coco.
FAKE OR PHONY: THE CHANEL DETECTOR?!
The original Chanel 2.55 handbag can be identified in various ways: the lining is brown and is representative of the uniforms Chanel wore in a convent where she grew up. The inside has a zippered compartment where Chanel apparently concealed her love letters. There is a back pocket or flap where Chanel hid extra money. The shoulder strap is made of a gold chain, resembling the chains on which nuns at the convent where she grew up hung their keys. The front lock with the CC logo, called the Mademoiselle Lock, is the most popular of the trademarks.

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