FIT FOR ROYALTY: THE CHANEL DIANA FLAP BAG

Chanel’s vintage Classic Flap, with its curved front flap and wide bordered quilting, is as iconic as it is fashion forward–a true classic style with enough of a twist to always appear fresh and different. Designed by Karl Lagerfeld & produced from 1989 through the mid-90s, this style was a core classic of the brand, released season after season in a plethora of novelty fashion colors and materials to complement the ready-to-wear line. 

This bag is most commonly seen in classic black lambskin, but was also produced in the rare grained Caviar calfskin, as well as a range of extra-rare materials such as nubby natural canvas, bright patent leather, and luxe satin. Roomy and practical with a single flap and one retractable chain, this bag is beloved due to its easy silhouette and its ability to be worn over the shoulder or crossbody.

Today, this style is most often referred to as the Diana Flap, so called because its status as a fashion favorite of Lady Di caused it to become rabidly desired by Chanel collectors. The then-Princess was photographed wearing the bag in black lambskin in 1996, a year before her untimely death. Shortly after sporting this iconic look, her divorce from Prince Charles was made official and she was famously rumored as declaring she would never wear Chanel again, as its CC logo reminded her of the initials of her ex-husband and his lover, Camilla Bowles.

Nevertheless, this bag became such a vintage favorite that Chanel decided to reissue it in a slightly altered form, under the fitting name Vintage Chic Flap, in early 2015. With a slight makeover to the hardware and an added leather portion to the strap for easy wear, the style was offered both in lambskin leather and jersey fabric and underscored the Diana Flap's relevance in a new era. Although if you ask us, with its ultra-luxe materials and gold-plated hardware, there’s something extra special about the original…

Scroll down to shop our collection of vintage Chanel Diana Flaps.