Our handbag specialists are dedicated to sourcing the most desirable Chanel bags from collectors around the world.
If you want to buy vintage designer goods, read our guide on what you should consider before taking the plunge.
Chanel is the French luxury fashion brand we all know and love. It was founded on 1910 by Coco Chanel and today it focuses on woman’s high fashion, ready to wear clothes, luxury goods, perfumes, accessories and leather goods. And Chanel’s most iconic bag is the Classic Flap Bag!
All variants of The Flap Bag featured gold, black or silver metallic chain straps and when resources grew scarce, leather straps were intertwined and/or used as a stylish alternative.
Like everything else Chanel does, the date code needs to look the part - if you see a cheaply put-together date code with funky writing, this is a red flag.
The iconic Chanel flap bag is a wonderful addition to any fashion wardrobe. See more of our favorite Chanel treasures in our article about the pieces we are coveting from the new Chanel collection.
Many Flap Bags even feature an uncommon hidden zipper compartment, rumoured to have been used by Coco to hide love letters during one of many glorious periods in her love life.
Detailed explanations on decoding the Chanel serial numbers, examining hardware features , and distinguishing between Caviar and Lambskin leather underscore the guide's thoroughness.
Handles/Strap: Chanel invented a new style of shoulder strap inspired by men’s military satchels, who wore them across their chest. The gold-linking all metal chain was light yet strong, wearable on the shoulder or across the chest, so that a woman’s hands could remain free.
Bags that are vintage Chanel bags a good investment are marked with the phrase "Made in Paris" should be avoided because they could be fakes. Genuine bags are those that are marked with the phrases "Made in France" or "Made in Italy." Additionally, you should be wary of bags that have flat or puffy quilts and leather of low quality.
Seven digit serial number printed on white sticker covered with clear tape with two Chanel logos."X" cut-lines prevent sticker from being removed without damage. "CHANEL" appears on rightright side of the sticker. Dark line appears on left side of sticker. Gold speckles appear throughout sticker.
Eight digit serial number printed on white sticker covered with clear tape with two Chanel logos."X" cut-lines prevent sticker from being removed without damage. "CHANEL" appears on rightright side of the sticker. Dark line appears on left side of sticker. Gold speckles appear throughout sticker.
However, these serial number stickers can detach from vintage Chanel bags upon usage. Similarly, authentication cards can sometimes be misplaced too. So, their absence does not mean your bag is necessarily fake.
Another aspect of how to authenticate a Chanel bag is paying close attention to the design details. Authentic Chanel bags feature meticulous design elements such as the double C logo, chain straps, and iconic quilting patterns.