Why are Chanel handbags so expensive?

French-born Coco Chanel began her infamous brand at the age of 20 in Paris, originally selling hats and then shortly moving onto clothing. Around five years later she introduced the iconic Chanel suit with collarless jackets and well-fitting skirts, which truly were revolutionary for the time. Chanel took inspiration from menswear and focusing hugely on comfort. Goodbye corsets! She also took the traditional black colour associated with mourning and transformed it into the chic little black dress - a design which is still iconic and worn by thousands of women today. About a decade after her death in 1971, Karl Lagerfeld took control of the company and adapted it into the Chanel we know today.

Quality over everything is key when it comes to a high priced item, and Chanel is no exception. The leather used on a handbag can make or break the outcome, and Chanel knows this, using only the highest quality buttery soft lambskin, or caviar leather.

The interior is just as thought out as the exterior and the most iconic feature of this would be the burgundy colour leather on the inside. Coco Chanel was raised by nuns throughout her childhood who taught her how to sew and basically inspired the Chanel brand. It is said that the burgundy colour is a homage to them as it is the colour her carers wore - a piece of meaningful history which has inspired endless Chanel bags for years to follow.

The hardware on a Chanel bag is between 22-24K gold plated solid brass, making it heavy and you can feel it. The weight adds to the price and the feel of luxury. They also use iconic flat head gold screws to fasten all the hard wear to the bags.

Chanel bags never go out of style and are a constant icon of wealth and the elite. Having Chanel bags on the shoulders of the rich and famous has definitely increased the demand for the product and with the brand only making a limited number of bags, an increasing waitlist is inevitable, which in turn, automatically increases the price.

A Chanel is an investment piece as since 2010 the value of a Chanel has increased by 70%, and the prices will only go higher as they hold a strong value as they get older. The Chanel 2.55, named after the date it was released, February 1955, is still one of the most popular and iconic bags. With these bags being so sought after, and sometimes hard to get hold of, selling pre-loved Chanel bags is usually pain-free as they are snapped up right away and you can always get a good return on your investment.

Finally, one of the most important reasons why a Chanel bag is so expensive is the time and process it takes to make the bag from start to finish. There are 180 steps in total to making the Chanel 2.55 plus a number of lengthy quality control checks.

Now with all that in mind, would you consider saving up to invest in an iconic Chanel handbag? For Christmas 2021 as it has been such a tough year Sign of the Times wanted to spread some Christmas joy with our 12 days of Chanel campaign. We will drop one Chanel flap bag every day for 12 days at 12 pm from December 1st to 12th 2021. Each preloved piece is a perfect addition to your wardrobe or handbag collection. With the recent Chanel price increases, purchasing a new Chanel bag at a fraction of the price on the resale market is the smartest way to shop these investment bags. Stay tuned every day to see which Chanel bag drops each day! We also offer a payment plan should you wish to spread the cost of your investment.