Chanel has been an obsession of mine since childhood. Pretty early on, I knew I wanted to have a life in fashion and a biography on Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was one of the only fashion books available at the local library growing up. Reading about her stern character, how she rose from nothing, and the way she revolutionized many aspects of women’s fashion, made her an ultimate hero for me. My respect for Chanel as a brand and a business still stands true to this day. Chanel is a private company, but if rumors are true, one of the most successful fashion brands of all time. Karl Lagerfeld pumped out fabulous and creative collections and product for Chanel for 20+ years, and I feel like the hype and quality for Chanel will never descend. Why is it so expensive? Like Hermes, it is one of the few brands that never took production to China and is consistent in working with artisans for both samples and production. If one of their specialty factories or partners is on the verge of going under, Chanel simply buys them. One can never question the quality of a Chanel product, which is probably why their aftermarket sales are so strong. I have purchased both new and used Chanel for over two decades now and no product has ever fallen apart. If you want the best, if you want a true investment piece for your wardrobe, if you want something you can hand down like a family heirloom for generations? Go Chanel. It’s beyond trends, and simply the best.

What to buy?

Handbags and small leather goods like wallets are my number one recommendation. I own a 2.55 in black patent leather that I have had since 2004 and love so much. It still looks brand new. I also have a wallet on chain that I love as well as a card holder style wallet. I also love their shoes, although they won’t hold as much value if you intend to sell later. I live in my Chanel shearling boots for winter, and my loafer slipper flats year round. I really want the sling backs and a pair of classic flats, as well as a pair of booties. Chanel boucle jackets are also a classic, as well as all of the sunglasses, costume jewelry and hair accessories. I LOVE my satin hair bow I got a few years back and I really want to add a brooch to my collection.

Where to buy it?

chanel.com is the ultimate source, but you have to have a purchase at a Chanel boutique and be registered in their system if you want to shop with them through their customer service 800 number. Complicated I know, but I imagine this is their way of keeping copycat factories and fraud folks from ordering styles to knock off. Or bots from shopping the collections and messing up the opportunities to shop for their real clients in the boutiques they own across the world. My best advice would be to get a personal shopper in the boutique nearest you and then reach out to them whenever you are looking to purchase a new piece. These kinds of shopper relationships go a long way. Chanel also has in-store boutiques in many department stores worldwide. In the USA, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus all have Chanel boutiques, so you can also reach out to an associate at any of these places to build a relationship to shop. If you need help finding Chanel in another country, comment below, and I can help you find it! If you are looking for used Chanel, checkout The Real Real, Moonstone Vintage LA, Resurrection, What Comes Around and Treasures of NYC. I don’t recommend Ebay or Poshmark for this one as you want to buy from a company who will make sure the item is authentic. Which does NOT happen on Poshmark or ebay, and there is a HUGE fake Chanel market out there.