As a luxury European brand, it’s no surprise that Chanel makes their bags in France and Italy – two countries that are renowned around the world for their craftsmanship and high-quality leather goods.
Catherine Zeta-Jones, Poppy Delevingne, Eva Longoria, and Kris Jenner carry different styles of Chanel bag (Credit: Apega / Instar / WENN)
Not every Chanel item is made in these countries. The brand’s signature espadrille shoes are made in Spain, while their knitwear pieces are sometimes made in Scotland, France, and Italy.
Some of Chanel’s small leather goods and handbag accessories are made in Spain.
How Much Do Chanel Bags Cost?
Recording precise prices for Chanel bags is challenging due to the brand’s frequent price adjustments throughout the year. As soon as a bag’s price is documented in an article, it often increases, making it difficult to provide consistently accurate pricing information.
Over the years, Chanel has become more transparent about the pricing of its classic bags. A few years ago, most of their items were listed on the official website without a price.
Today, you can explore the fashion section of the brand’s official website and check out the prices for all of the brand’s current popular items.
If something that doesn’t have a price listed catches your eye, you can contact a Chanel fashion boutique directly to double-check the price.
(Top) Chanel Classic Small Flap Bag, (middle) Chanel Small Boy Flap Bag and Chanel WOC, (bottom) Chanel Gabrielle Small Hobo Bag and Chanel Classic Maxi Flap Bag
You can expect to pay around $6,200 for the Chanel Classic Small Flap Bag after the most recent January 2021 price increase. The Small Boy Flap Bag retails for $4,900, while the Chanel Classic Quilted WOC Bag will set you back $2,575.
Most of the Gabrielle bags vary in price between $4,400 and $4,700, depending on their size. One of the most expensive bags from Chanel is the Classic Maxi Flap Bag, which retails for $8,000.
The average Chanel price increase sees the bags increase between 4-7%. You’ll want to note that these increases are not uniform across the board, and certain bags will go up more than other styles.
Due to the price point of Chanel, you can expect a difference of at least $300-$400 after each price increase.
Best Places to Buy Chanel Bags
If you’re looking to buy a brand-new Chanel bag, your only choice is to purchase one directly from the brand itself. Chanel has boutiques across the world, and you can find them in almost every luxury department store, including Harrods and Selfridges.
You can sometimes find Chanel items at Bergdorf Goodman and other compatible US department stores. If you want the full Chanel experience, it’s always best to try and visit one of the brand’s stand-alone boutiques.
Kelly Osbourne carrying a Chanel paper bag while on a solo shopping trip in Los Angeles on November 18, 2020 (Credit: Apega / Instar / WENN)
When considering the purchase of a Chanel bag, keep in mind that they can be quite elusive. If you’re looking for a specific style or color, be prepared for potentially multiple visits to a boutique to locate the exact item you desire.
Popular colors, especially pastels and seasonal releases from Chanel, are highly sought after and often have a waitlist forming even before they officially become available in stores.
Unlike other luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermes, Chanel does not sell their items online. If you want to purchase an item from Chanel, you have to make the trip in-store or call up the store directly.
A Chanel stand-alone store in Los Angeles (Credit: Apega / Instar / WENN)
If you don’t want to pay full price for a classic Chanel bag, you have another option. One of the easiest ways to get your hands on a Chanel bag is to purchase one from the resale market.
If you’re considering buying pre-loved, you’ll want to research how to spot a fake Chanel bag. Fakes are getting even more elaborate, with these organizations now creating copies of everything from the box to the dust bag and receipt.
While it’s harder to fake vintage bags, you still want to be on the lookout and know what to look for.
Vestiaire Collective is one of the most popular luxury resale sites online. The website offers everything from classic Chanel bags to ready-to-wear pieces, with thousands of styles and options.
You can often save at least a few hundred dollars by buying your bag from the pre-loved market.
Rachel Bilson, Ashanti, and Ariana Grande shopping at Chanel stores in Los Angeles (Credit: Apega / Instar / WENN)
If you’re not confident about your abilities to authenticate a bag through photographs, there are a few ways to give yourself extra peace of mind.
The website promotes both ‘trusted’ and ‘expert’ sellers with a track record of selling authentic pieces. You can also pay an additional fee on some listings for the company to authenticate the item to give you an extra layer of security.
While the popular luxury website Farfetch doesn’t stock brand-new Chanel bags, they are starting to carry pre-owned pieces. The website offers a variety of recent releases, as well as vintage bags from the 1980s and 1990s.
If you’ve researched how to authenticate vintage Chanel bags, it’s worth checking your local consignment stores. Sometimes, you can find a hidden treasure or a bargain hiding in plain sight.
Beware that there will be more fakes than genuine bags, so you’ll always want to triple-check any bag you come across with a Chanel logo.