Chanel Gold-Tone Metal CC Keychain, Fall-Winter 1996-1997
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Length: 4.33 in (11 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Very good pre-loved condition.
- Seller Location:Geneva, CH
- Reference Number:
Karl Lagerfeld
More than a mere tastemaker, Karl Lagerfeld devoted himself to the continual pursuit of chic. “My life and my job,” the designer once said, “is to forget myself.” During his five-decade career designing shoes, handbags, evening dresses and other items for Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and many others, Lagerfeld was a quintessential chameleon, ever evolving to embody the times.
An outsize, instantly recognizable personality — his ponytail powdered like an 18th-century viscount, his eyes perpetually shielded by dark glasses, wearing fistfuls of chunky silver jewels — Lagerfeld was, above all, an avatar of style.
Born in Hamburg (in 1933, ’35, or ’38 by varying accounts), Karl Lagerfeld packed his bags for Paris in 1954. His design for a coat won him the International Wool Secretariat and landed him a job with the celebrated couturier Pierre Balmain. He went on to become the designer of Jean Patou, eventually realizing that his seemingly endless ideas could fuel a career as a designer-for-hire. As such, Lagerfeld lent his vision to everyone from Loewe and Max Mara to Krizia and Charles Jourdan, nimbly moving among a diverse range of styles. It was an unprecedented way of working in the days when freelance was still a dirty word.
During the late ’60s and ’70s, he refashioned Chloé to reflect the free spirit of the day and, beginning in 1965, joined forces with the Fendi family, taking it from sleepy furrier to fashion’s haute-est stratum. Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, in 1983 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday.
From Lagerfeld's first Chanel collection, he injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. He riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. Despite producing eight collections a year for Chanel, as well as four to five for Fendi, Lagerfeld never faltered in proposing new ideas each time he put pencil to paper.
Lagerfeld’s collections for Chanel, in particular, displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. From Watteau (Spring/Summer 1985 couture) and Serge Roche (Spring/Summer 1990 ready-to-wear) to hip-hop fly girls (Fall/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear), surfers (Spring/Summer 2003 ready-to-wear) and ancient Egypt (Pre-Fall 2019), Lagerfeld used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew.
Browse a collection of sophisticated designs by Karl Lagerfeld on 1stDibs, including handbags and evening gowns for Chanel, vintage cocktail dresses for Chloé and more.
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: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Gucci Printed Silk-Twill Square ScarfBy GucciLocated in Geneva, CHReminiscent of an iconic bag from a famous French fashion house, this scarf's print refers to the heritage of the House of Gucci : the manufacture of fine saddles and luxury equestrian accessories. Made in Italy from silk-twill printed in unusual color palettes, this late 80's - early 90's Gucci square scarf...Category
1990s Italian Scarves
- Chanel By Karl Lagerfeld Logo Plate & Medallion Coin Gold-Tone Chainlink BeltBy Chanel, Karl LagerfeldLocated in Geneva, CHTimeless late 80s Chanel gold plated metal chain-link belt with embossed "CC Chanel 31 Rue Cambon Paris" medallion and iconic "CHANEL" plate. The belt sits beautifully at mid-waist a...Category
1980s French Belts
- Iconic Versace Couture Printed stretch Leggings Pants, Fall-Winter 1991By Gianni Versace Couture, Gianni VersaceLocated in Geneva, CHFrom the coveted 1991 Fall-Winter Versace collection, these second-skin printed leggings are instantly recognizable as a design by Gianni Versace. Cut f...Category
1990s Italian Pants
- Exquisite Jean Louis Scherrer Couture Silk Chiffon & Lace-Trimmed DressBy Jean-Louis ScherrerLocated in Geneva, CHThis early 80's Scherrer haute couture dress could be a fabulous option for a bride-to-be. Made from delicate off-white lace which is underpinned with a refined color matching silk-c...Category
1980s French Evening Dresses
- 1980s Isabelle Allard Bows-Embellished Ruched Lace Dress & Removable Sleeves SetBy Isabelle AllardLocated in Geneva, CHBy the French designer Isabelle Allard, this 80's evening dress is sure to get you in the mood to party ! Made from metallic silver lace that's ruched throughout to emphasise the clo...Category
1980s French Evening Dresses
- Gucci By Tom Ford Squares GG Logo Silk-Jacquard Shirt, Spring-Summer 1998By Tom Ford, GucciLocated in Geneva, CHChic and timeless, this black shirt from the iconic 1998 Spring-Summer Gucci by Tom Ford collection will prove to be a staple in any wardrobe. Jacquard-woven with lustrous squares GG...Category
1990s Italian Chemises
- Vintage Gianni Versace UmbrellaBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Glasgow, GBVintage Gianni Versace umbrella from the eponymous brand. Golden brown toned wood shaft featuring a hooked wooden handle embellished with the signature cut out style medusa head logo...Category
1990s Italian Other
- Gucci Signature Web Leather Nylon Six Ring Key Holder GG-1118P-0013By GucciLocated in Downey, CAGucci Signature Web Leather Nylon Six Ring Key Holder GG-1118P-0013 This classic Gucci Black Leather and Nylon Six Ring Key Holder will be your new favorite accessory. It features s...Category
2010s Italian Other
- Louis Vuitton Brown Damier Print AgendaBy Louis VuittonLocated in West Palm Beach, FLLouis Vuitton Brown Damier Print Agenda/Planner. Featuring the iconic Damier print in brown, gold hardware and accompanied by gold pen. Planner is for the...Category
Early 2000s French Other
- RETNA Signature X Louis Vuitton LV Graffiti Collection Piece by LA Street ArtBy Louis VuittonLocated in Downey, CARETNA - Water Colours of Graffiti LV Collection, 2013 RETNA (Marquis Lewis), the internationally renowned street artist whose signature hieroglyphics are highly coveted by collector...Category
2010s Other
- IWC IWC Stainless 19mm Watch 2778By IWCLocated in Dix hills, NYDate Code/Serial Number: 1961484 Measurements: Open Length: 8" Width: .75" Height: 8" Circumference: 5"-7" OVERALL GOOD CONDITION ( 7/10 or B ) Signs of Wear: Exterior: Minor Sc...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Other
- Rolex Case Material : Stainless Steel Case Size : 42.2mm Gender : U96r630sBy RolexLocated in Dix hills, NYMeasurements: Length: 1.6" Width: .3" Height: 2" OVERALL GOOD- CONDITION ( 6.75/10 or B- ) Signs of Wear: Exterior: Very Minor Scratches Hardware: Minor Scratches, Minor Rubbing, Very Minor Tarnish Case Material : Stainless Steel Case Size : 42mm Gender : Unisex Watch Shape...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Other
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Remembering Fashion Designer, Collector and Supreme Tastemaker Karl Lagerfeld
The creative force behind brands like Chanel, Fendi and Chloé was as exacting in his interiors as he was in his clothing designs.
From the Runway to Rihanna, These Chanel Pearl Sunglasses Are the Peak of ’90s Chic
This cheeky accessory is seriously fun.