Chanel Handbags and Purses (Page 2)

Images via Chanel

The posting of any Chanel collection brings a wide range of responses – joy, rage, the sounds of overcome shoppers fainting and terrified credit cards weeping. Sometimes, it also brings consternation from fans of the traditional Chanel aesthetic – where have our classics gone? What is Uncle Karl doing with our beloved brand?

For those of you who fall into that last group, Chanel Cruise 2012 Handbags should be a sight for sore eyes. Even with the addition of the Boy Chanel bags and a few new takes on the quilted flap, most of these designs are the sort of stuff that quickens the pace of a Chanel fangirl’s heart. Be careful, the pictures after the jump may cause spontaneous shopping – after all, these bags are available now at your friendly local Chanel boutique.

Images via Style.com

For those underwhelmed by the sea-themed bags from Chanel Spring 2012, we have a treat for you today. Chanel Métiers d’Art 2012 debuted in a exquisite show in Paris’ Grand Palais earlier this week, and the intricately detailed handbags that accompanied the India-influenced collection will likely wow Chanel lovers and casual fans alike.

If you want a great explanation of the multiple reasons why this collection’s India reference was such a brilliant move by Karl Lagerfeld, Style.com’s review really nails it – the last days of the Raj are a fitting metaphor for the current political and economic climate, not to mention that the inspiration is a relevant comment on how fashion manufacturing has changed in recent years. Or, if you just want to see the bags already, hurry up, geez – they’re after the jump.

Oh, to be Lady Gaga. The world adores you, designers pine to make ornate crazy couture items for you, and you have by far the coolest and most moving commercial (Google Chrome) on TV this year.

But the main reason I am envying Lady Gaga right now is because Karl Lagerfeld designed a one-of-a-kind Chanel bag to be paired with her Chanel Haute Couture white tweed dress with black trim. Accessorizing her dress are Chanel pearls, camelias and bows while her white bag features one black and one white flower applique. If you wonder why Lady Gaga had this amazing Chanel moment, it is because of the launch of Gaga’s Workshop for Barneys NY.

Mother Nature decided to send a downpour of rain with a mix of wind and a sprinkling of downright nasty to NYC today. I’ve been stuck inside desperately trying to find a way to boost my spirit and keep me moving while the weather is so drab.

This Chanel bag will bring a smile and an intense sense of yearning to everyone who sets their eyes on it. No matter what it looks like outside my window, the Chanel Classic Flap in Gold Alligator makes everything right in my world today.

Images via Vogue.com

No matter the season, you can always count on Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel show for at least one thing: a very strong theme. For Chanel Spring 2012, you had to look no further than Kaiser Karl’s seashell clutches to find the oceanic common thread that ran through the entire collection. Or maybe it would be more accurate to say that Lagerfeld was inspired by the shore; after all, the runway was lined with sand.

I’m not sure how many times a woman will have an opportunity to wear a conch shell-shaped clutch in her sartorial life, but if you’ve got a beach wedding on the horizon any time in, oh, the next ten years, I’d hazard a guess that these are the best bags you’ll find to carry to such an event. As always, Chanel will do lots of non-runway bags if you’re looking for something a little less literal, but a few of these bags make me long for a beach vacation something fierce.

Our friends over at StyledOn are having a giveaway so perfect for our readers that we’d be remiss not to mention it. Up for grabs is a brand new Chanel Classic Flap Bag in black leather with gold hardware, which lately can be tricky to track down even if you have the cash to pay full price. Don’t even get me started on how often “full price” seems to change these days…

If you don’t have the funds or you’d like to save yourself the irritation entirely, take a look at StyledOn’s Facebook page for details on how to enter. (It’s fairly standard, if you’ve been through the online contest rigamarole before.) But hurry, because the contest is over on October 9!