Story & heritage

The quilted-leather handbag now known as the 2.55 was presented to the public in February 1955; in-house, the numeric form of that launch date became the bag's permanent name. Its shoulder strap — a chain that let the bag be carried on the shoulder or in the hand — was a genuine innovation for a couture handbag of its era.

In 2005, Karl Lagerfeld issued a faithful Reissue to mark the bag's 50th anniversary, restoring the original details that the Classic Flap had modernised: the rectangular Mademoiselle turnlock instead of the CC clasp, an all-metal bijoux chain rather than chain-and-leather, and a back pocket said to have held love letters. The Reissue is the purist's Chanel flap.

Materials & craft

The Reissue is cut from distressed aged calfskin, given a slightly creased, broken-in patina that distinguishes it instantly from the glossy caviar of the Classic Flap. The diamond (or chevron) quilting runs across the body; the chain is a flat, antiqued metal weave. The Mademoiselle lock is a simple rectangular turn-bar with no logo — a deliberately quieter signature than the interlocking CC.

How to choose & style

The 226 and 227 sizes are the most carried — large enough for a real day, faithful to the 1955 proportions. Aged calfskin in black or grey reads as discreet heritage rather than overt logo; the antiqued chain keeps the look soft. Choose the Reissue over the Classic Flap if you prefer the original's understatement: no visible monogram, just the architecture of the bag itself.