I am lucky enough to own my very own Chanel bag and boy do I love it! The leather, the hardware, the weight … it just all very blissfully luxurious, like a warm towel after a cold swim, or like that first hug from your mom after two weeks at sleep-away camp. The perfect combination of longing and design is embodied in the Chanel 2.55, and now it’s time we see how it’s all put together.
The iconic purse has been around since February, 1955 (get it? 2.55?) and it has remained a classic and enduring addition to any wardrobe, from high society, to celebrities, to hipsters with a credit card. There’s nothing cheap about the 2.55, and at close to three thousand bucks, some might assume it’s stitched up with 18KT gold thread.
While there aren’t any commodities involved in the bag, the care, the materials, and of course, the legacy, all contribute to its insane price point. The Chanel-savvy over at the PurseBlog were lucky enough to attend an event that featured one of Chanel’s purse makers at work. Their photos are almost as beautiful as the final product and show the creation of the of the structure of the bag, the delicate suturing of the iconic double Cs, and the fastening of the beloved hardware. It’s cool if you start drooling, I know I am.
I was surprised to see in the photos that a sewing machine is used. I blindly assumed the purse would be hand-sewn, like an Hermes. While the photos certainly demonstrate how human the process is, the machine threw me off a bit. Does it change much? No, not really. The handbag is still flawless and covetable. The craftsmanship and attention to quality and detail is what make the bag timeless, and if it takes a machine to make it so, so be it. There’s nothing in the photos of the birth of a Chanel bag that looks unnatural or cold — the creation still looks organic and made with love. But then again, I compared a Chanel bag to a hug from mom, so my affection for the purse may be obscuring the truth.
What do you think of the making of a Chanel purse, and were you surprised a sewing machine is used?
Photos courtesy of PurseBlog.
BubblesPop 