A love letter to the super chic Chanel 1996 Vanity Box Bag. ‘Impractical Girls Club Loves’ is our weekly column devoted to one shopping obsession.
New, Matthieu Blazy era Chanel is great–but there’s something kind of magical about some of Karl Lagerfeld’s work that truly can never be replicated. Lagerfeld’s mind seamlessly melded new with old, often imbuing a subtle sense of humor into his best pieces; especially the accessories. Maybe what set him apart most during his early years was that his work was so distinct: you instantly knew it was a Lagerfeld piece. Today, much of the high-end luxury brands have a sameness about them. Which brings us to one of my favorite, underrated bags: the Chanel 1996 Vanity Box Bag, which debuted on the Chanel spring 1996 runway.
We are a reader-supported publication. We don’t run ads so you get the best content possible. Sign up for $5/month to show support and get access to exclusive stories.
This incredible box bag (look at it in pink!) has a rare timelessness that instantly places it in different eras. It has a 1920s, 1940s, 1960s and 1990s look about it all at once. The train case shape is streamlined with the perfect little leather handle, and the signature quilting is brought to life with the sleek shininess of the gorgeous patent leather. To finish off the design, silver mirror-finish hardware lines the top of the case, embossed with “Chanel Paris” and topped off with a retro-inspired clasp.
The bag itself actually fits many things! The largest size iPhone! A big wallet! Makeup! And space for more. It’s not a cheap purchase by any means; it’s a splurge and something you’d likely keep as a fashion history piece. But given we’ve been seeing viral videos of people buying current season Chanel makeup vanities, which range to the mid $3,000s – it’s a better deal. This 1996 gem can be found for close to $1,000 if you know how to shop and use a platform that accepts offers, like Poshmark (this one is priced lowest). The black version is the most easy to find but we prefer any of the colorful hues, like the golden, light mustard yellow version we recently picked up. This lime green version, which is very fairly priced, is our favorite. If anyone sees the eggplant version Sybil Buck carried down the runway, you know where to find us.
We use affiliate links where possible, which means we may get a small commission from things you buy.
We use affiliate links where possible, which means we may get a small commission from things you buy.
Leave a Comment