Fascinating Story On History Of Reissue

Claudia

formerly Purse-onality
Nov 10, 2006
2,400
9
Ladies! When Maxaluna and i were at NM today, admiring the Reissue, the SA Sabrina, who took a break from her usual businesslike but friendly and sweet demeanor, to become a Chanel Reissue educator for us! She told us all about the history of the 2.55 Reissue...some of the facts are really interesting and may not be well known (most people do know that "2.55" refers to Feb. 1955 when the bag first was issued) Coca Chanel grew up in an orphanage/convent, therefore, the double (or is it triple?) chain shoulder strap comes from when, in the orphanage, the childrens' caretakers there would dangle keys from their waists with the same type of chains as on the Reissue..............also, the zippered compartment on the inside of the front flap of the Reissue is where Coco sequestered her love letters, as she was having an affair. The brownish red color of the inside represents the color of Coco and the rest of the children's uniforms (the nuns' were black with white trim: thus, the packaging on Chanel parfum/au de parfum/au de toilette). The back outside flap of the Reissue represents where Coco would stash extra money..........
we just wanted to share this with our PF sisters lol
:heart:
 
I love Chanel! Very interesting about the chains. She was definitely an innovator. I know also this fact: Coco's favorite flower is the Camelia because it is naturally odorless, so she can wear her flower brooch without the smell interfering with her parfum.

I read somewhere that Coco made the leather lining of her 2.55 red/burgundy so that she can find her lipstick easier, hence the contrast. I suppose her bag had black lining.
 
thanks for sharing this information, purse_onality! i knew about the love letters part but not about the inside color of the flaps. this is why i just love the reissue. it has so much history behind it!