A Chanel Classic bag isn’t just a luxury accessory. It’s a work of art and a piece of history; something that requires care, maintenance, and lots of TLC.
Derived from Coco Chanel’s original creation, the 2.55 bag, the Chanel Classic bag boasts a timeless aesthetic with the quilted exterior and compact design, paired with a long chain shoulder strap and the interlocking CC clasp.
From a luxury market perspective, it’s one of the most popular handbags that you can buy, owing in no small part to its evolution and place in the Chanel brand’s history. Coco Chanel first created the 2.55 bag back in 1955, using inspiration from soldiers’ bags in the army, which had long shoulder straps for hands-free carrying. She famously used quilted fabric on the exterior of the 2.55 bag to create a luxe finish, and integrated different pockets to store all her personal items.
The 2.55 was the bag that Coco Chanel wanted to create – and the Classic bag is a more modern interpretation with several minor adjustments and added details.
Why Proper Maintenance Is So Important
The Chanel Classic bag was brought to the market under the leadership of Karl Lagerfeld, who upheld many of the design features from the original 2.55 but with some changes.
He added, for example, the interlocking CC clasp, and wove a leather strip into the chain strap.
Both bags are considered icons from the Chanel range today and are widely responsible for keeping Chanel at the forefront of the luxury industry.
And it’s because of this coveted status and the demand that follows each Chanel Classic and original 2.55 bag that maintenance and storage are so important. If you want your Chanel Classic bag to look picture perfect every time you wear it out, to hold its value, and to remain your go-to luxury accessory for years to come, you need to know how to take care of it.
Because the materials used are so high in quality, and the craftsmanship behind each bag is so well put together, the same high level of detail is required when cleaning and looking after your bag. Which leads us on to the next section of this article…
How to Clean a Chanel Bag
A stylish Chanel bag is one that looks clean and well kept.
Whether you plan to hold on to your bag and pass it down to the next generation in your own family as a part of your legacy, or you hope to one day sell your Chanel bag and perhaps choose a replacement from a boutique reseller, it’s important that you maintain its original and authentic quality.
Cleaning is a big part of that, with the Chanel brand’s own care tips telling owners to wipe their bag with a soft cloth that will remove dust and grime but without damaging the leather. Most care products should be avoided, even those that state that they are suitable for leather, because they can degrade the soft texture and finish of the bag. Instead, running a soft cloth in a circular motion should be a sufficient way to clean the bag – with more serious stains or damage best tackled in a Chanel store or local boutique.
While we’re on the topic of cleaning, it’s important to note as well that lambskin is notoriously delicate and is the most fragile of all the leathers used by Chanel. The cleaning of a lambskin bag should therefore be done with even more care, moving away from products and simply harnessing a soft cloth.
Where and How Should You Store a Chanel Bag?
Interestingly, Chanel states that the five main care tips for any authentic bag include wearing and using the bag, protecting it from adverse weather conditions, caring for it with regular wiping and cleaning, storing it properly, and enjoying and appreciating its unique finish and quality.
So much of owning a Chanel Classic bag in particular is about revelling in its history and the prominence of the bag as part of Chanel’s story. Appreciating the bag means not just enjoying its structure and taking care to wear your bag with pride, but it also means noticing the intricate craftsmanship and the little details that hark back to each designer and their influence.
For that reason, much of the advice from Chanel involves how best to maintain your bag while using it. For example, one of the tips regarding usage is to avoid prolonged contact between a light coloured bag and dark clothing. The bag should also be kept out of water as much as possible, including rain.
When it comes to storage, a Chanel Classic bag should always be stored standing up, in its original dust bag. Not only is this bag the ideal fabric and weight to protect your handbag, but it is also an accessory that any potential future buyer will expect to be included with the handbag itself. Adding some tissue paper around the clasp and any hardware helps to protect these features from the elements too.
Should You Keep or Sell Your Chanel Classic Bag?
Now that we understand a bit more about Chanel Classic bag maintenance, it’s time to ask the question: should you buy a Chanel Classic bag to keep and enjoy yourself, or as an opportunity for a resale?
Like so many luxury brands on the market, the Chanel Classic bag commands sufficient attention that owners have no problem reselling a bag they no longer want. The lack of supply, particularly for authentic Classic bags from all generations since its first release, means that demand is always unable to be met.
As such, getting your hands on a Chanel Classic bag is difficult – and so, when you do, many decide to hold on to the bag and care for it themselves, enjoying their link to Chanel’s great and varied history.