VINTAGE CHANEL IN 1980'S? older Chanel bags

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plilippé

Member
Oct 12, 2009
339
1
I hope this is the right place to post...I wonder if any of you ladies have any chanel bags from the 70's (pre Lagerfield) or perhaps they did not make them then.... what about 80's - do you remember how much you paid for one back then. - you know when you were a todler...:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
I don't know about 1970's but My mother has a CHANEL black quilted flap bag from the 80's. It's quite small and I think she paid £300 for it, though I could be wrong. I will try to get some decent pictures to post, does anyone else know what people used to pay for CHANEL back then? I am also very interested to know.....
 
I don't remember the price in the 80s - but the original 2.55 sold in 1955 for USD $220 in my grandparents boutique.

The Hermes Kelly was $200 in 1963.

My grandmother first introduced me to some of the most gorgeous fashion, and classic couture. She believed in having a summer and winter wardrobe, and so twice a year, my mother and I would go over and help her. We would go through her closet and pack up everything. Then, we would go to the wardrobe and unpack all of her bags, shoes, gloves, hats, dresses, suits, skirts and blouses. She would tell us stories of each of the pieces, when she received it, and how she got it.
She told about being fitted by Gabrielle Chanel for a black dress back when she and my Grandfather were in Paris, and how she received another bag as a gift from an admirer (my grandfather) and how she refused it because it was far too much. She would be considered fast if she accepted a gift like that! (He saved it, and gave it to her after they were married)
I just loved the history, and feeling like I was part of what was being made. I understood my place in fashion - how fashion affects me, and how I can change fashion.
This was copied from member VINTAGE Leather who posted it in another threat. Thought it was absolutely wonderful - will add the link to the thread later, as I don't seem to be able to do it with my iPhone.
 
WOW love this little story. Can't wait for the link!

Thanks for sharing!

I don't remember the price in the 80s - but the original 2.55 sold in 1955 for USD $220 in my grandparents boutique.

The Hermes Kelly was $200 in 1963.

My grandmother first introduced me to some of the most gorgeous fashion, and classic couture. She believed in having a summer and winter wardrobe, and so twice a year, my mother and I would go over and help her. We would go through her closet and pack up everything. Then, we would go to the wardrobe and unpack all of her bags, shoes, gloves, hats, dresses, suits, skirts and blouses. She would tell us stories of each of the pieces, when she received it, and how she got it.
She told about being fitted by Gabrielle Chanel for a black dress back when she and my Grandfather were in Paris, and how she received another bag as a gift from an admirer (my grandfather) and how she refused it because it was far too much. She would be considered fast if she accepted a gift like that! (He saved it, and gave it to her after they were married)
I just loved the history, and feeling like I was part of what was being made. I understood my place in fashion - how fashion affects me, and how I can change fashion.
This was copied from member VINTAGE Leather who posted it in another threat. Thought it was absolutely wonderful - will add the link to the thread later, as I don't seem to be able to do it with my iPhone.
 
this is what i have so far: thank you so much!
ladysarah thinks: 80's. It's quite small bag and I think she paid £300
jmen: very early 90s, the medium black lamb sold for approximately $1150.
vintage leather: original 2.55 sold in 1955 for USD $220

anymore inside info? is there no one here in the chanel forum who actually bought a bag in the early 80's?
 
got this info from vintage leather who was kind enough to email me THANK YOU
'' They made Chanel bags in the 70s - Actually, if I were you, I'd look to see if your library (or ebay!) has a collection of Vouge magazines, or other fashion magazines from the 70s. They often will include prices in the description.
I asked my mother, and her response was "do you remember where you were shopping 30-40 years ago? let alone how much you paid?" she remembers that the price was comparable to other fashion houses, but not much more information than that. I would have to guess in the $3-400 range, but that is just an estimate based on old BV receipts. My aunt refused to buy Chanel (only H and LV for her!) so she had no insights to offer."

so I guess if no one else knows we have a very young demographic here... perhaps check with grandmama?:biggrin:
 
Keep in mind Chanel made quite a few smaller purses that had zip tops (ala camera bag) with leather fringe tassels. As stated earlier, when my DH bought me my first black lamb medium flap (every early 90s) it was around $1150-$1200. (Keep in mind the original reissue, if I'm not mistaken, was jersey versus today's leather.) During the spell of the price increases of several years badk, SAs who worked in the boutique then and now said prices went up at some point, came back down again. Quite a number of us have seen the price increases, 4 of them it seems to me, in a relatively short period of time, perhaps in the course of 2 years. Reasons cited were the value of the dollar. If that is indeed the rationale, the USD is not doing well, has not done well, and is not expected to resume it's place as leader in the world economy. (Not my theory but those who are leaders of financial companies. BRIC, Brazil, Russia, India and China are the leaders of the pack and not in order, I might add but that's the acronym being used.) This begs the question: how will this affect prices in the US?