Chanel Women's Leather Shoulder Bag with Chain Handle, Mustard

Her name was Gabrielle, her nickname was Mademoiselle, but she will always be known as Coco. By transforming practicality into an aesthetic, she set women free and invented a unique style that is both utterly personal and universally recognized. Only the finest leather and the most noble materials meet Chanel's standards of quality. More than 100 operations, many of them manual, are necessary to bring about in the end a perfect leather product. A commitment to quality, an unparalleled attention to detail, a determination to avoid all false pretenses: every bag features real, useful pockets on the both the inside and outside.

As early as 1930, Mademoiselle Chanel was inspired to create a shoulder bag, thus freeing women's hands and radically changing their allure. She drew inspirations for the early models from soldiers' rucksacks and produced them in jersey lined with pertersham. An immediate success, this bag reached the height of its popularity in February of 1955, with the so-called 2.55 model.

With its quilted effect inspired by stable boys' jackets, eyelets through which the chain strap can be passed, golden turn lock closure, double CC top stitched into the lining, and perfect proportions, the Chanel bag was already destined to become a legend. Since then, it has been revamped thousands of times, daring to take on all possible forms, in all possible materials and colors.

Whether for love of symbols, precision, or superstition, Mademoiselle Chanel's life has been punctuated by a series of numbers that today comprise a universal set of references. Number 5, the eternal, unforgettable fragrance, and--in its wake--Numbers 19 and 22; 31 rue Cambon, the special place that witnessed first-hand Chanel's entire history; and the 2.55, the bag of mythic proportions that today is accompanied by the 2005, whose modernity pays tribute to the 3rd millennium.

Each Chanel leather product is unique and comes with an identity card that guarantees its authenticity. The card number is written on the inside of this product. A Chanel leather product is made to last, provided that you look after it. Humor its elegant line, never overloading it. Tread its delicate surface with the same care: do not expose the leather to sun or moisture or let it come into contact with make-up or perfume. Light-colored patent leather should not be placed adjacent to dark-colored materials (color migration phenomenon) for long periods of time. Small leather items are especially at risk for such migration. If the product is wet, dab it dry with a natural-colored, absorbent, non-fluffy cloth. When you're not using it, store it in its protective bag, preferably upright. Ideally, line it with tissue paper and place the chain straps inside so that they don't mark the leather. Its metallic parts can be polished with a shammy cloth; they can be regilded if necessary.

Since 1983, Karl Lagerfeld has been the driving force behind Chanel designs by perpetuating the values so dear to Mademoiselle Chanel: femininity, freedom, audacity, and modernity. The challenge is both to innovate and to surprise. He also takes inspiration from the spirit of times, and believes that "not too much reverence and a touch of humor are essential to the survival of myth." Each collection is like an aesthetic surprise of yet another new way of interpreting the Chanel style.