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they brought opulence
back to the fashionstarved women of Europe.
During this time fashion
houses began to realize
that while not every
woman can fit into a
couture gown, a purse is
one-size-fits-all. An
accessory like a handbag
would allow more women
to buy into the fantasy that
couture designs created
and would make the
designer products
attractive to a much larger
market than they had ever
been before..
It was during this time in
the mid to late fifties that
many iconic designer bags
rose to popularity.
The Chanel 2.55, so
named because it was
released in February 1955,
was the first popular
shoulder bag. Coco
Joy feelings magazine
Chanel first made these
bags from jersey, but
seeing they could sell as
luxury items, soon
switched to leather. The
original quilted design
with long gilt chain has
changed little since its
inception.