The Maxi, as it has been called since 2009, was originally named the 2.55 handbag. Though it transcends any period of time, two particularly defining eras for the 2.55 were the 1950s and 1980s - the first being when it was introduced and the second when it was re-issued after a brief hiatus. The bag’s original moniker referred to its birth date - February 1955 and its creator, Coco Chanel, who famously stated that “Fashion fades, only style remains the same,” intended the bag to be as practical as it was alluring and she drew upon many of her own personal experiences for its creative inspirations. For example, the instantly recognisable quilting was borrowed from jockeys’ coats, which Chanel had come to admire as an avid racing fan. The original burgundy interior lining matched the colour of the nuns’ uniforms in the convent where she was raised. And the renowned dual chain-and-interwoven-leather shoulder straps were inspired by the key ring that the convent’s Den-Mother wore to carry her keys. Furthermore, in typical naughty schoolgirl style, it is rumoured that Coco Chanel created the zippered pocket inside the front flap as a secret place to hide her love letters.
But the bag’s real appeal was never divine or romantic, rather it was rooted in female insight. Here was probably the first bag designed for glamorous and liberated women living increasingly fast-paced lifestyles. We may take such design features for granted nowadays, but the Maxi was actually the first luxury bag to employ shoulder straps so as to free up women’s hands. It also had an outer rear-side pocket for quick access to small change and notes, saving precious time and effort for women on the go. In short, the design of the Maxi was the product of progressive thinking, a characteristic trait of Coco Chanel’s, who as a result, was an anomaly in her day.
In the 1980s, the bag’s allure was further bolstered by Karl Lagerfeld’s reinterpretation of it for an era of widespread female liberation. With women entering the workforce in droves, the 2.55 became a feminine but functional version of a personal briefcase. A status symbol, too, given its well-known stature and price, without implying that the wearer was frivolous or pampered; On the contrary, it was a bag that many women bought for themselves with their own money.
By 2005, when Lagerfeld renamed it the Classic Maxi, with new larger sizes as well as a host of bold colours such as neon yellow, cherry-red, and turquoise, the social significance of the bag was of less importance than its place in fashion’s pantheon. Though the Classic Maxi may now be available in countless variations its structure, quilting and fundamental features have never changed. That’s because Coco Chanel’s judicious sexuality, irreverent nostalgia and intelligent realism combined so effectively in the Maxi. It will certainly retain it’s ‘It’ status for many more decades to come.
WHAT Chanel Classic Maxi
CREATED February 1955 (Hence the 2.55 Handbag)
PRICE 1,950 - 3,600 USD for the small to large lambskin models
WHY The first luxury handbag to ever have a shoulder strap, the Maxi is a simple and elegant masterpiece of design that is sure to remain an eternal ‘It’ bag.
www.chanel.com
