From The Straits Times    |

When it comes to designer bags, Chanel is probably the most desired brand among bag aficionados. Classic designs, impeccable leather with solid hardware detailing; this iconic French fashion house just has a knack of making the ladies’ hearts go wild. 

It is also one of the few luxury bag brands with great resale value. Apart from being very consistent with its quality, Chanel has always made very strategic moves in terms of the quantity they produce and they way price their bags. That is why their prices have always held up — some designs have even gained value over time. 

Fashion is always about what’s new and trendy, but I’ve always had a soft spot for vintage pieces. One should know that buying vintage is never about being cheaper (sometimes it is more expensive than a spanking new bag), but the character and the exclusivity that comes with the bag. There might be some imperfections, but every mark and line on it on tells its story. 

These 3 online stores that I’ve found carry some of the very best vintage Chanel pieces online. Ah, I die! 


Image: Vintage Heirloom

1. Vintage Heirloom 
This London based vintage online store is founded by a husband and wife team, Kevin and Winnie McGee. Both of them are vintage specialists who goes around the world to hunt down rare, iconic pieces to be brought into their store. You don’t have to worry about the authenticity because they have a great returns policy and a free lifetime authenticity guarantee. Read more about it here


Image: Vintage Heirloom
Vintage Chanel mini basket bag, approximately $3,188

They ship internationally, but shipping fees are a little steep because we are located in Asia. They have some of their items stocked on international site FarFetch, so you might be able to save on shipping fees if your desired item is available there. 


Image: FarFetch 

2. What goes around comes around 
For the one with a very discerning style palette, this is the store you must visit. They probably carry the largest collection of vintage Chanel in the world! The owners of the store have painstakingly sourced and curated items from the 1860s all the way to the 1990s. 


Image: Shopbop
Chanel Classic 9” Bag, approximately $5,547 from Shopbop 

They have three stores located in New York and one in Los Angeles, so you might want to hit it up when you are there. To purchase directly from their site, you have to register with your email account. They also stock their items on more user friendly international sites like FarFetch and Shopbop


Image: Vintage Qoo

3. Vintage Qoo
The vintage culture is very strong in Japan because they were the biggest consumer of luxury items back in the 80s and 90s, so vintage stores in Japan are a dime a dozen. However, most of these stores don’t have a website, and even if they do, they are usually only in Japanese. 

For Vintage Qoo, they have a fully functional site in English and a very well maintained Instagram account that provides live updates on their new items and how you can style them. There’s an incredible selection of Chanel accessories because the owner of the store is a huge fan of Chanel. 


Image: Vintage Qoo
Chanel navy and white crossbody bag, approximately $2,085

They have stores in Tokyo, Osaka and in Hong Kong. Follow them on instagram to get live updates on their new items.