Louis Vuitton Alma Limited Edition Handbag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: DPTH0921LVALMA1stDibs: LU33613910912
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns.
In 1926, Chanel introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women.
Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag — a 1955 update of a 1920s-era design — with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes. Her collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. His collections for Chanel displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. Lagerfeld revived Chanel ballet flats and thoroughly embraced the classic logo's interlocking CCs, which took the form of a clasp featured on so many of the rare Chanel bags that are much sought after today.
Vintage Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel dresses, coats and other clothing of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s riffed on its iconography, accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. And as the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers, vintage Chanel bags of the 1990s are among the most prized of the brand’s offerings.
Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Goyard Customized Grey 'Girl with Balloon' Monogram St Louis PM BagBy GoyardLocated in London, GBCrafted from Goyardine Canvas, a coloured textile made from cotton, linen and hemp, this grey Monogram St Louis tote Bag is adorned with a design inspired by Banksy, Robert Indiana a...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Tote Bags
- Celine Cabas Denim Paris Tote BagBy CelineLocated in London, GBIntroducing the Cabas Horizontal Tote, the perfect blend of style and functionality. Crafted with a blue denim exterior, this tote features an eye-catching ivory and blue knit logo p...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Valentino Pink Rockstud Tote BagBy ValentinoLocated in London, GBExpertly crafted by Valentino Garavani, the Pink Tote Rockstud Bag boasts ancient architectural-inspired Rockstud embellishments. With a medium size, tonal stitching, and hand-painte...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Customized "Shark" Vintage Louis Vuitton Monogram Keepall BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in London, GBAdd some bite to your look with this hand-painted Louis Vuitton Shark Keepall travel bag from Rewind's Emotional Baggage collection, where iconic h...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Tote Bags
- Prada Oxygen Vitello Leather Front Pocket ToteBy PradaLocated in London, GB* White * Calf leather * Gold-tone logo lettering * Two long top handles * Top zip fastening * Main compartment * Internal zip-fastening pocket * Slip pocket to the front * Leather t...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Roma ToteBy Bottega VenetaLocated in London, GB* Light beige leather * Textured intrecciato finish * Single circular top handle * Detachable shoulder strap * Strap closure and push-lock fastening * Partitioned compartment * Inter...Category
2010s Tote Bags
- Hermes Blue Canvas Toile Herbag ToteBy HermèsLocated in Philadelphia, PAHermes Blue Canvas Toile Herbag Tote in excellent condition. Blue toile canvas exterior trimmed with palladium silver hardware and tan barenia leather. B...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Tote Bags
- Louis Vuitton Green Mini Lin Francoise Convertible ToteBy Louis VuittonLocated in Atlanta, GAFunky convertible LV that can be worn multiple ways depending on the look your'e going for and how much you have to carry. Crafted in green mini lin, with bass hardware, where as a t...Category
2010s French Tote Bags
- Rebecca Minkoff Mini Perry Ladies Handbag HS16EPBS16-001By Rebecca MinkoffLocated in New York, NYstriped polyester lining a major subject three pockets, one zipped compartment grained cowhide decorative pendant a magnetic lock pocket on the back, a magnetic lock pocket on the fr...Category
2010s American Tote Bags
- Chanel 2014 Runway Ombre Shopping Pop Art Gradient Large Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLQuilted metallic leather with resin details Includes: Box and authenticity card 2014 Interwoven retractable chain straps Single zip closure Microfiber interior lining One interior ma...Category
2010s Italian Tote Bags
- BOTTEGA VENETA taupe leather AYERS INTRECCIATO TOTE BagBy Bottega VenetaLocated in Zürich, CHBottega Veneta intrecciato 'Ayers/Nappa' tote shoulder bag in taupe leather and beige snakeskin. Opens with a magnetic button on top. Lined in suede. With a zipper pocket against the...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Tote Bags
- New W/ Tags Vintage Sonia Rykiel Cruise White Quilted Drawstring Backpack BagBy Sonia RykielLocated in Portland, ORWe love Sonia Rykiel and we were so happy to find this bag! We acquired this rare Sonia Rykiel Cruise bag when we handled the estate of a woman who had nothing but the best designer ...Category
1980s French Backpacks
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
From the Runway to Rihanna, These Chanel Pearl Sunglasses Are the Peak of ’90s Chic
This cheeky accessory is seriously fun.
With a Wink, Karl Lagerfeld Sent This Egg-Carton-Shaped Chanel Bag Down the Runway
For the brand’s 2014–15 ready-to-wear show in Paris, the designer was inspired by a most unexpected place: the supermarket.