4 Vintage Chanel Bags to Add to Your Collection

Designer handbags from the world's highly valued brands fall into this category. Thus, a bag from Chanel that is 10 years or older – especially from a line of handbags that has been phased out and is no longer in production – is not just any old Chanel bag but a vintage Chanel bag.

You’re in the right place if you love Chanel and are collecting Chanel bags. Read on for a list of the Chanel vintage bags you may want to make a place for in your closet.

1- Chanel Barbie Vanity Round

The round Chanel Vanity looks like the forerunner and inspiration of today’s popular circle bags. Even in black, it is the perfect Barbie bag.

The Barbie vanity round bag from Chanel originated in the 1990s. It has all the quintessential Chanel design elements, specifically the black leather with the distinctive diamond quilted pattern and the immediately identifiable interlocking CC logo in contrasting white.

The round Vanity looks like it belongs to another age, the age of classic cinema represented by glamorous stars like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly. It has two zipper heads that you can use to unzip the bag all the way around for convenient access to its contents. A metal top handle also makes for easy carrying.

Karl Lagerfeld revived the Chanel Vanity in 2016, retaining its vintage design but updating it for function, including the addition of multiple compartments and a strap for carrying on the shoulder. Even with its newer iteration, the round Chanel Vanity of the ‘90s remains a classic and deserves its place in this list of vintage Chanel bags to look for and collect.

2. Chanel Plexiglass Robot Minaudière

Luxury designer brands tend to have a sleek and sophisticated aesthetic, but there are outliers. One of them is the Chanel Plexiglass Robot Minaudière bag. Made in 2017, it’s not exactly vintage yet, but it’s definitely worth collecting.

Essentially, the Plexiglass Robot Minaudière is a tall clutch bag with rhinestone details and a metal chain (e.g., silver, ruthenium). It is interesting but looks nothing like the luxury handbags you might be accustomed to seeing.

Instead, it references a robot – the name clues you in –  with rhinestone swirls for eyes and a metal rectangular clasp for a mouth. It has a body made of plexiglass (i.e., acrylic) with wrench-like arms on the sides. Where the body meets the arms, there’s a round flange that bears the interlocking CC logo.

The Chanel robot bag may not be ideal for a formal dinner, but it should make for an excellent statement at a cosplaying, comic convention or tech event. Moreover, if you’re collecting Chanel bags, this novelty Chanel bag automatically merits a place.

3. Chanel Diana

Chanel Diana, produced from 1989 to 1995, is one of Karl Lagerfeld’s most popular designs. It was named after Diana, the Princess of Wales, after the royal was photographed wearing the bag. The Diana line was revived in 2015, but its contemporary version is not identical to the vintage Diana.

The Diana is a clutch flap leather bag with a quilted pattern, but it differs significantly from the Classic Flap bag. For one, the Diana has a single flap, while the Classic can have two flaps on the Double Classic: an external and an internal flap.

The flap on the Diana has a rounded bottom instead of the near-straight bottom edge on the external flap of the Classic Flap. Additionally, the overlapping CC logo turn-lock on the Diana is found on the front flap rather than on a piece of leather protruding from the bottom edge of the external flap, which is the case on the Classic. Finally, the Diana’s quilted pattern does not extend to the edges of the flap and the sides of the bag body. In contrast, the Classic Flap has a quilted pattern all around. 

4. Chanel Classic Flap

This is a trademark Chanel bag and one of Karl Lagerfeld's most iconic designs for Maison de Chanel. It debuted in 1983, the year Lagerfeld joined Chanel, and it was instrumental in reviving the house as a force to be reckoned with in the luxury fashion industry.

As mentioned earlier, the Classic Flap bag can come in single and double-flap variants. It can come in many different leather types (with diamond or chevron quilting), hardware (e.g., gold, silver, etc.), colors (black, burgundy, white, pink, etc.), and sizes.

The Classic Flap's charm lies in its versatility. It can go with anything, say, a Poupette St. Barth summertime dress or a Dior black short wool and silk dress. It is also easily one of the most recognizable Chanel bags. As such, a Classic Flap from the ‘80s and ‘90s is a must-have for any Chanel bag collector.

- Make Room for These Chanel Bags

Chanel is one of the world’s most renowned luxury fashion brands. If you’re collecting Chanel bags, make sure to leave a spot each for the Vanity, Plexiglass Robot Minaudière, Diana, and Classic Flap.