Chanel Small Flap Bag: The Chanel Piece That Everyone Needs

the most timeless piece at Chanel
By: Nina Shahriman
March 9, 2022

When it comes to luxury goods, it’s best to really think about what you’re investing big bucks into. When it comes to selecting high-end pieces, I’m always searching for timeless ones that will never go out of style. Therefore, if you step into Chanel what should you reach for? Glitz got you- let’s talk about the most iconic bag that everyone needs to start or add to their collection: the Chanel Small Flap Bag.

Let’s Talk About The Chanel Small Flap Bag

Following her banishment from the fashion world after WWII, Coco chose to reintroduce the Chanel Flap Bag. Women used to carry their bags by hand, grasping them in their hands or wrapping their wrists through the straps. Coco made the chain straps on her design longer since she was tired of fumbling with and misplacing hers. Coco introduced the first shoulder bag for ladies in February 1955, dubbing it the Chanel 2.55 Flap Bag after the date of its introduction.

It was a ground-breaking design since it made it socially acceptable and trendy for ladies to carry their goods without using their hands. Coco contained several additional features that have now become legendary, in addition to its shoulder-length straps. She quilted the outside material to match her equestrian buddies’ jackets. She added an external pocket to hold her tip money and sealed the flap with a quick stitch. In the internal flap of the rectangular lock, there was a compartment lined with burgundy leather.

Each component of the Chanel 2.55 Flap Bag tells a unique tale about Coco, connecting its wearers to her on a personal level. The Classic Flap Bag was re-released after Karl Lagerfeld was named creative director. Lagerfeld preserved the majority of the original embellishments to pay honour to Coco and the house’s history, although he did make some modernised alterations. He changed the Mademoiselle lock with the ‘CC’ logo turn-lock in 1984, branding the Flap Bag and making it more Chanel-like. Lagerfeld began to offer it in several sizes as well. 

Lagerfeld eliminated the smaller internal flap six years later, in the 1990s, freeing up room in the Flap Bag’s main compartment for more things. The Chanel Single Flap Bag was the name given to this re-design.

Features Of The Chanel Small Flap Bag

The Chanel Small Flap Bag is available in a variety of hardware finishes, but the two that are part of the permanent collection are silver and gold. While the gold is traditional, the silver offers a more contemporary feel. The gold hardware on the bag, on the other hand, is a brighter yellow gold, which seems extremely opulent and ostentatious.

The CC turn-lock clasp is the most visible piece of hardware on the Small Flap Bag, and it’s surprisingly simple to operate. It takes little effort to close, and it feels safe. The Small Flap Bag has a shorter drop length and may be worn over the shoulder with the chain prolonged or doubled up.

The Chanel Small Flap Bag is structured, which is highlighted furthermore by the former caviar leather. Because it has a flat rectangular base, it should sit erect without any support.

The little patch pocket on the back is the final outside element to mention. The pocket was designed to contain little coins and was said to be inspired by Coco’s adoration for the Mona Lisa. When the outer flap is raised, two pockets are exposed. A slip pocket is inserted between the outer and inner flaps. Because it’s so little, just a few items will fit.