Which designer created the Chanel 2.55 handbag, launched in February 1955?

Coco Chanel created the Chanel 2.55 handbag, launched in February 1955.

The bag’s name refers to its launch date: February 1955. Chanel designed it with a quilted body, a chain strap, and a burgundy lining. The shoulder strap gave women a practical alternative to carrying a handbag by hand, while the quilted surface echoed equestrian influences associated with Chanel’s visual world.

The interior included compartments, including a zipped section commonly linked to Chanel’s desire for secure storage. Later versions and reinterpretations became central to the house’s accessories business, and the bag remains one of the most recognizable luxury handbags.

The 2.55 is often confused with the Classic Flap, a later style associated with Karl Lagerfeld’s redesign of Chanel’s flap bag. Both belong to Chanel, but the original 2.55 dates specifically to Coco Chanel’s 1955 design.