You’ve read all about differentiating between Classic Flap and the 2.55 in Part One of my Chanel “Know Your Bag” series. We came up with this second part because we noticed that there was some confusion when it came to the 11.12 bag and the Classic Flap.

While some of you may have probably read up on other sites that the 11.12 refers specifically to those flap bags with chevron quilting but yet still comes with the interlocking Cs clasp, this really isn’t the case at all. Perhaps this assumption stemmed from the 2015 ad campaign starring Kristen Stewart below, which featured her with the black chevron quilted flap bag with black hardware, resulting in labelling any flap bag with chevron quilting, the 11.12. 

But, if we go back to Chanel’s storied past, chevron quilting actually dates back to the 1960s, and introduced by Coco herself. We’ve also seen since this type of quilting with introduction of the Boy Chanel, which precedes the 11.12 Flap. So if we give it some thought, it really doesn’t make sense to refer only to chevron-quilted flap bags (to the exclusion of all other styles with this sort of quilting) as the 11.12… Furthermore, a quick search on Chanel’s official website, and you’d find both the diamond- and chevron- quilted flap bags filed under “Classic Handbags”.

What Karl and the folks at Chanel were actually using this campaign as a heads-up that all Classic Flap bags (i.e. those with the interlocking double C clasp), are to be referred to as the 11.12, in any other shape, size,  or form, regardless whether there’s chevron or classic diamond-shaped quilting, embellished, tweed, or sequinned. As for the 2.55, nothing has changed there; it’s still the one with the mademoiselle (rectangular) turnlock.

Despite this renaming, or rather, “rebranding”, most of us still refer to the bag as the Flap, myself included. I guess old habits die hard. LOL But, you know, I think all of us will continue to refer to them simply as “flap bags” and Chanel is totally okay with that too 😉

Hope this has cleared up some of your questions when you hear the term 11.12 being used!

Images: Chanel