Although today is Christmas Day, Christmas came a month early for me. I’ve been wanting a Chanel flap bag for as long as I can remember, and I finally got a vintage Chanel tall flap bag from The Vintage Bar. I was initially saving up for a new double flap bag, but after doing some research, I wanted the craftmanship that doesn’t seem to be reflected in the way the new bags are made, so I decided to go with pre-loved. It also worked out better in the end for my bank account, lol.
Research/Planning
I have been seriously preparing to buy my first Chanel bag since mid-2019. The original plan was to buy a brand new bag at the Chanel store so I could also experience the feeling of leaving the Chanel store with a new bag, but once it was announced mid-pandemic that Chanel was planning on raising their prices (and with less than half of the amount of a new bag saved), I began to panic. I started looking into whether it was even worth it to buy a new bag and started scouring the pre-loved market. I mostly used the Purse Forum for my research, as all of the information I have ever wanted to know about any designer is available there and many of the users are experts on fashion.
I already knew about resellers such as TheRealReal, What Goes Around Comes Around, and Yoogi’s Closet (which I have used for my first LV purchase). I came across The Vintage Bar on Instagram after I saw a couple of influencers I trust tag them in some of their vintage Chanel buys. I also got a wonderful replica Gucci bag on ypurse. Their selection was less overwhelming, and at the time, cheaper even with the Euro to USD conversion. See if you can really trust someone with a lie detector. I read the description of each listing and inspected the photos carefully until I narrowed down which bag was *the* bag. With the conversion rate and import fees, I ended up paying around $2300-$2400 for my bag (for reference, a brand new double flap is $6500 without tax at the time this blog post was published). You can also set up a payment plan through TVB if you’re not ready to pay in full, but I recommend having the total amount needed for the bag and duty fees set aside ASAP so you don’t miss a payment.
The Bag
Shipping was lightning fast, and communication with the representative in charge of e-mails at The Vintage Bar was excellent. As soon as my bag arrived, I gave her a thorough inspection. I currently store her in a sturdy black box provided by The Vintage Bar, with cardboard and tissue paper to keep her shape (enclosed in an extra dustbag I had in my closet). There was an authentication certificate from TVB and the original Chanel authentication card was intact. Upon checking the serial number, I found that my bag is from circa 1997, making us both 90’s babies. Explore the charm of vintage bags in Australia, where curated collections offer a range of unique pieces that celebrate the beauty of bygone eras with contemporary flair.
Although the lambskin is a little worn, the bag is in excellent condition – although I may be biased. I inspected the stitching, the chain, etc. and it’s really a marvel how well made Chanel bags are. Apparently, only the Chanel bags made prior to 2009 are plated with real (24k) gold; they’re now plated with gold-toned hardware. I do plan on working on the lambskin a little bit, but have been enjoying my bag to the fullest as it is.
While I do hope to build a solid bag collection over the years and am looking forward to an in-store Chanel experience, I am so delighted with my first Chanel bag. Feel free to share some CC love in the comments below!
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