April 9, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Vanessa

Vintage Chanel Handbags
Chanel bags are truly timeless. They have represented luxury and fashion for over 50 years. A 50 year old Chanel bag is more desirable today then it was then. A Chanel bag serves as an antique item…a collectors product, something to hand down to your daughter and granddaughter. Vintage Chanel handbags are some of the most highly demanded products at antique shows and vintage shops. People know that buying a vintage Chanel bag will serve as a highly fashionable product and will be well worth the money. The vintage bags are generally cheaper than brand new ones but are hard to come across.

I came across a few Chanel vintage bags on ebay.com including the bag in the top right that can be purchased for $755.00. I’ve never purchased anything from this seller so I can’t make any guarantees. But the bag looks to be authentic and in good condition.

Clearly, a Chanel bag is a smart investment. You can get 20 years of usage out of it and sell it for almost as much as you paid for it. You can also pass it down to a loved one who would love the bag more than you. Just recently Victoria Beckham was seen shopping at a vintage store in L.A. looking at a vintage Chanel bag…if someone like Victoria—who can have any bag in the world that she wants—is looking at Chanel vintage bags, then you know they are wanted!

So ladies, hold on to your Chanels! Someday you may be able to sell them for a good amount of money or pass them down to your daughters who may covet them more than you.

[ The Bag Forum: Vintage Chanel Handbags ]

April 8, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Deysa

Chanel Puzzle Bag
Chanel never fails to presents fabulous and luxurious or fun and unusual handbags each season. Whether you love them or dislike them, either way, their pieces are sure to leave an empty slot in your bill compartment, or a dent on your plastic card.

For Spring/Summer 2008, one of the many designs Chanel introduces in their accessories is the Coco Puzzle Bag line. Basically what this line presents is puzzle quilting on lovely Chanel lambskin patent leather. It’s crackled, it’s shiny, and it’s Chanel! What do you girls think? Is this a fabulous and luxurious must-have piece? Or is it rather diverse? I must admit it is rather unique, since not many designers have had the idea of putting together a handbag like they would a jigsaw puzzle. I feel that if it weren’t for that dangling double C adornment, I wouldn’t think of this bag as being a Chanel piece. Chanel did include their famous interwoven leather and chain shoulder strap, and a variety of different hues of leathers, including electric blue (pictured above), classic black, and more. Although it’s a pretty bag, and nowhere near my spending budget, I think I would rather invest in a classic quilted Chanel bag, instead.

Find authentic Chanel at your local Chanel boutique or online via eBay

[ The Bag Forum: Chanel Puzzle Bag ]

March 30, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Deysa

Chanel Bags available at YOOX
Are you craving Chanel, but don’t want to pay full price? eBay is one website where you can score authentic Chanel via the internet, and for a limited time only check out YOOX (dot com), they just got in a piece or two of authentic (and in good condition) Chanel.

The Chanel listed above is the one that caught my attention the most. It has so many classy details I just love about Chanel. First of all, this Chanel is made out of smooth quilted chocolate brown nappa leather, (dark brown being a nice substitute for a solid black leather bag). Chanel’s signature logo closure was also applied to this bag, a detail I truly adore. Something that isn’t really appealing to me would have to be the single nappa leather strap; it seems so boring, in my opinion. I most definitely prefer Chanel’s classic metal and interwoven leather chain straps. It seems like Chanel was starting that chain and leather strap feature on this bag, but never finished! As I mentioned before, this bag is not brand new, instead YOOX’s claims it is in good condition. If you are interested in this Chanel, make sure you read up on its specific flaws before buying. Although, something in the back of my head is saying, “Who cares… its CHANEL”!

Buy this Chanel before it’s gone, here: YOOX.COM

[ The Bag Forum: Chanel Designer Bags available at YOOX ]

March 24, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Vanessa

Chanel Metallic Crackled Bag
Bling bling for sure. This bag can be spotted from a mile away. Chanel’s new metallic crackled calfskin flap bag from the Spring/Summer ‘08 line gleams of gold and with the silver accent oozes shimmer. This bag is a far cry away from Chanel’s usual basic quilted leather bag but maintains the tradition with its simple shape, chain strap, and Chanel logo buckle.

This bag is the link between classic chick and funky couture. It is the perfect bag with an evening dress, to funk up a pair of jeans, or to glam up for a night out on the town. Its funky enough to stand out on its own but simple enough to wear with any outfit. Many times, such shiny, metallic bags can look kind of cheap and be the quick trend of a season but this bag is made of the finest quality and boasts of exceptional detail. It is one of those bags that can be carried on and off for years. With this bag, Chanel has truly upheld its tradition of always offering something old with something new.

end note: Haute Couture also wrote about this bag, see what she said here: Chanel Metallic Gilt Leather Bag

March 12, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Jennifer

Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada Handbag Sale Begins NOW
The DecadesTwo Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada Sale Event at HauteLook just started.

Sale ends in less than 15 hours!

GO! GO! GO!

March 6, 2008
post written by Bag Bliss blogger: Jennifer

DecadesTwo + HauteLook Sale Event: Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada
Mark your calendars and set those alarm clocks - on Wednesday the 12th the DecadesTwo Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada Sale Event at HauteLook kicks off. What’s to expect? Unbelievable vintage pieces on sale! And the best part is you don’t have to go anywhere - no traveling to LA or New York. Just log on to hautelook.

This is one sale you don’t want to miss. The last Decades Two sale that took place on the HauteLook site was pretty amazing. I picked up the light grey Chanel Cruise Boucle Blazer, which looked so much better once I received it - totally blew me away. I’m hoping there will be more blazers this second time around, I will definitely have to snatch up at least one of those. Also last time there were no bags for sale, this time around I hope they have added them. (*crossing my fingers*)

Starts March 12th at 8:am PST / 11:am EST

Remember Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Prada — on sale!

About HauteLook

A club which organizes 48-72 hour on-line private sales for top brands in the fashion industry, and is a sale platform through which premium brands reach their customers directly. As a result, HauteLook members receive discounts of up to 75% off of original retail prices. These event driven sales are reserved exclusively for HauteLook members - that’s why you should join!

Signing up for an HauteLook membership is free. To become a member and begin receiving invitations to upcoming sales, click on this link: HauteLook.com

About DecadesTwo

In just eight years, business partners Christos Garkinos and Cameron Silver have built decadestwo into an international retail destination. Having enjoyed great critical and commercial success since the store’s inception, the owners recently doubled the boutique’s size, celebrating with a fashionably grand re-opening in July 2007. Profiled in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, decadestwo builds on the brand of decades, the vintage couture boutique sensation created by fashion visionary Silver.While decades carries upscale vintage designs from the 1930’s to 1990’s that often appear on the red carpets of awards season, its sister store, decadestwo, carries a carefully-edited selection of contemporary clothing and accessories (mostly 1990s to present day) and caters to a clientele seeking a highly unique shopping experience.

The cornerstone to the success of decadestwo is three-fold:

A large number of the consignors are celebrities, iconic fashionistas and exuberant shoppers who are passionate about clothing.

The boutique is highly-selective, accepting only 20% of what consignors bring and offers labels such as Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloe, Marc Jacobs and emerging designers.

Everyday shoppers enjoy savings of up to 80% off of original prices.

Drawing on his 20 years of brand marketing experience in Hollywood, Garkinos initially created the concept and the provided the seed money for decadestwo in 1999. He joined the venture full time six years ago. With over 1800 consigners and a thriving clientele, Garkinos and Silver have built up a remarkable global network of consumers that, as Garkinos says, “passionately hunt, gather and recycle” clothing. The company also has strong presence on eBay as well as their own website and blog.

As Garkinos says, “We’ve become a fashion victim of our own success! We now have over 1800 consignors worldwide and are happily inundated with the fab items we receive.”

See you there

Click Here to Register

UPDATE: I just received official confirmation that this sale is only for accessories: handbags and jewelry! No clothes this time around.

February 11, 2008

Vintage Chanel Sale Event!
Mark your calendars and set those alarm clocks - Tomorrow morning the DecadesTwo Chanel Sale Event at HauteLook kicks off. What’s to expect? Unbelievable vintage pieces on sale! Including vintage designer chanel handbags. And the best part is you don’t have to go anywhere - no traveling to LA or New York. Just log on to hautelook.

This is one sale you don’t want to miss.

Starts February 12th at 8:am PST / 11:am EST

About HauteLook

A club which organizes 48-72 hour on-line private sales for top brands in the fashion industry, and is a sale platform through which premium brands reach their customers directly. As a result, HauteLook members receive discounts of up to 75% off of original retail prices. These event driven sales are reserved exclusively for HauteLook members - that’s why you should join!

Signing up for an HauteLook membership is free. To become a member and begin receiving invitations to upcoming sales, click on this link: HauteLook.com


Click Here to Register

About DecadesTwo

In just eight years, business partners Christos Garkinos and Cameron Silver have built decadestwo into an international retail destination. Having enjoyed great critical and commercial success since the store’s inception, the owners recently doubled the boutique’s size, celebrating with a fashionably grand re-opening in July 2007. Profiled in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, decadestwo builds on the brand of decades, the vintage couture boutique sensation created by fashion visionary Silver.While decades carries upscale vintage designs from the 1930’s to 1990’s that often appear on the red carpets of awards season, its sister store, decadestwo, carries a carefully-edited selection of contemporary clothing and accessories (mostly 1990s to present day) and caters to a clientele seeking a highly unique shopping experience.

The cornerstone to the success of decadestwo is three-fold:

A large number of the consignors are celebrities, iconic fashionistas and exuberant shoppers who are passionate about clothing.

The boutique is highly-selective, accepting only 20% of what consignors bring and offers labels such as Balenciaga, Chanel, Chloe, Marc Jacobs and emerging designers.

Everyday shoppers enjoy savings of up to 80% off of original prices.

Drawing on his 20 years of brand marketing experience in Hollywood, Garkinos initially created the concept and the provided the seed money for decadestwo in 1999. He joined the venture full time six years ago. With over 1800 consigners and a thriving clientele, Garkinos and Silver have built up a remarkable global network of consumers that, as Garkinos says, “passionately hunt, gather and recycle” clothing. The company also has strong presence on eBay as well as their own website and blog.

As Garkinos says, “We’ve become a fashion victim of our own success! We now have over 1800 consignors worldwide and are happily inundated with the fab items we receive.”

See you there

update Mrs. Lafleire said: So there were no designer handbags at this sale. (*sigh of disappointment*) But there are some nice Chanel pieces from a couple seasons ago. Mostly jackets and skirts. Jennifer snatch up a Chanel Cruise 2006 Boucle Blazer with Camellia Brooch for only $1200 (reg $5480). In the beginning everything ’sold out’ pretty quickly. However, every now and then if you go back to the site you will notice that an item is available again. My only guess is that someone had it in their shopping bag for a couple hours then changed their mind.

February 5, 2007

Chanel Metallic Gilt Leather Bag
Ever wonder what looks best with your silver-tone or gold-tone hardware designer bag…

Gold metals:
> Beige and olive-toned complexions.
> Hair colors range widely, from dark brunettes through pale blondes, but tend toward honeyed and red tones - from rich chocolate browns to pale honey blondes.
> The eyes may be any color, but are most often darker shades and tend toward shades of brown and hazel.
> Looks best in rich, warm colors of clothing and accessories. Yellows, oranges, browns, reds, even warmer shades of purple can look good. If lighter shades of color are desired, it’s best to go with bright shades as opposed to pastels.

Silver metals:
> Ivory and cream-toned complexions.
> Hair colors tend to be cooler, ash tones, although the hair can range from dark (blue-black) to very pale blondes (platinum or bright yellow blonde).
> Eye colors can, of course, vary through the normal spectrum, but do tend toward pale blue and green.
> Look best in cooler colors of clothing and accessories. Blues, greens, soft grays, and cool violets. Light shades - pastels and muted colors - are especially flattering, although deep jewel-tones of Emerald green and Amethyst violet are great choices for festive occasions.

What looks best with Chanel’s new Metallic Gilt Leather Bag? Everything! I don’t know about you guys but I never mix gold and silver jewelry together – like a gold hardware bag and silver jewelry, I could not do. Which is why I am so in-love with this bag, it features not just silver but gold as well. Price: $2,700

January 3, 2008

Chanel Designer Handbag Sale
I just got word from our buddies over at Bag Borrow or Steal that they have added a couple new gently-carried Chanel designer handbags for sale in the outlet section, marked up to 26% off.

Above are just a couple of the chanel purses for sale, check out their site to get the full list.

Top Left: Chanel Small Flap Clutch. This sophisticated evening clutch features the signature Chanel ‘CC’ and smooth genuine leather, with a long leather tweed strap. Interior features credit card slots, and zip pockets. Dimensions: 8″ length x 1″ width x 5″ height. Price: $875 $650

Top Right: Chanel Classic Black Fabric Bag. This classic black Chanel handbag in tweed and ribbon fabric features signature chain strap, hematite hardware, signature double C closure and an interior zip pocket. Dimensions: 9″ length x 1 1/2″ width x 4″ height. Price: $1,985 $1,495

Bottom Left: Chanel ‘Luxe’ Metallic Flap Bag. All the hallmarks of Chanel style in a very updated metallic bronze color. Leather and chain shoulder strap. Flap front closure with signature logo on front. Tan leather interior, inside zip pocket. Dimensions: 10″ length x 3″ width x 5″ height; 9″ drop handle. Price: $1,840 $1,425

Bottom Right: Chanel ‘Modern Chain’ Classic Bag. Timeless, chic, elegant — everything you would expect from Chanel. This gorgeous bag features quilted black leather accented with a silvertone CC logo and braided chain-and-leather strap. The snap flap opens to a supple black leather interior, zip pocket, and open compartment. Dimensions: 10″ length x 2″ width x 6″ height; 8″ drop handle. Price: $1,525 $1,150

Discover the Chanel Designer Bag Sale

December 29, 2007

WWD: Top 12 Designer Handbag Brands of 2007
WWD recently published their top 12 picks for 2007, and I am so disappointed. I mean who did they interview? Label whores? When I think of last years best sellers, or even memorable bags that could have been found on the lists of thousands of handbag fans, I wouldn’t pick a bag by some of the designers below. Coach number 1? How can that be. And Ralph Lauren? The only bag that comes to mind is the birkin-looking Ricky bag. I have nothing against the brands below, I’m a fan of a couple, but I don’t think this list is very accurate.

Click here to continue reading this post and view the top 12 list.

December 11, 2007

Tuesday Fashion Bits
Every Tuesday from here on out, we here at Bag Bliss will post the weekly highlighted fashion bits from our sister site The Fashion Row. Gift ideas, new collections, designer news, and so much more. So in case you missed it, here is what we have this week…

The Dishwasher Safe Swarovski Crystal Chandelier

Armani and Julia Roberts paired up to create the Armani RED Bracelet line.

Moschino is currently undergoing a name change and a complete re-branding of the Moschino Jeans Line.

Doused in Swarovski crystals, the limited edition Bond No. 9 Perfume is available for this season only.

Discover the Swiss-made quartz movement Hermes watch line.

Who does it best? Roberto Cavalli vs Chanel — Who’s got the best Mirror Bangle?

The purple crocodile cased limited edition Prada Perfume. Only 100 made and sold exclusively.

Calling all size 7 UGGS fans, discover the celebrity designed UGGS for a Cause.

Fortune teller inspired Coco Chanel to name her forever classic N°5 perfume.

December 5, 2007

Private Vintage Designer Chanel Collection up for Sale
Holly Brubach, Style editor at The New York Times and fashion writer has opened the door to her private Chanel collection and placed some of her items up for sale.

Early November Yoox featured the first wave of Holly Brubach’s vintage Chanel collection, which by the way sold out within days if not hours. Now for a limited time at Yoox you can discover part 2!!!

Her vintage Chanel collection, which includes jewelry, brooches, clothing, and handbags, can currently spotted up for auction at Yoox.com.

You better go quickly, last time the items sold out within less than a couple days!

November 13, 2007

Private Vintage Designer Chanel Collection up for Auction
Holly Brubach, Style editor at The New York Times and fashion writer has opened the door to her private Chanel collection and placed some of her items up for auction.

Her vintage Chanel collection, which includes jewelry, brooches, clothing, and handbags, can currently spotted up for auction at Yoox.com.

You better go quickly, there are only a few vintage designer Chanel handbags left!

October 24, 2007

Haute Couture Edition: How Much is That Chanel Designer Handbag in the Window
It’s the first of many editions of TBF’er Haute Couture review of how much is that designer handbag in the window. Every Wednesday Haute Couture is going to use her expertise and purse wisdom to deliver the latest information, including pricing and details on the latest designer handbags.

The first edition of Haute Couture’s weekly scoop belongs to the fabulous house of Chanel and their new purses. Pictured below is the first wave of Chanel purses…

The Chanel Ice Cube Bag
The bubbly quilted bag in PVC with the memorable braided of silver leather shoulder strap.
Price: $1,640

The Chanel Walk of Fame Purse
This is the lamb leather bag à couture smocking in coral. Personally I can not wait for the black version.
Price: $2,068

The Chanel 2.55 Reissue Wallet
A perfect purse piece for any chanel admirer, it’s the 2.55 wallet in black quilted leather.
Price: $613

The Classic Chanel Rhodoid Handbag
Quilted bag embroidered with strass, in striped denim and white rhodoid.
Price: $3,352

The Chanel Classic Crinkle Handbag
The scrunch bag by Chanel is dressed in couture pleated leather.
Price: $2,068

final word: Chanel enthusiasts, plan for a price increase this November. I know, isn’t this insane?! This is like their third price increase this year!