Every season, the show-stopping piece that comes down the Chanel runway, is none other than the Novelty Minaudières. Usually made of a combination of plexiglas and acrylic, these three-dimensional stunners come in the most adorable shapes and designs, and correspond to the seasonal collection’s theme, or, in the cases of the Métier’s d’Art collections, something that’s unique or significant to a particular city or country which the collection is named after.

These novelty minaudières are every Chanel collector’s dream. Produced in extremely limited quantities (sometimes with the option of different colourways to choose from), they’re usually only offered to their VVIP customers, and because there are just only a handful of them available globally, they certainly don’t come cheap. If you think Judith Leiber’s Swarovski-encrusted minaudières are expensive, well, Chanel’s pearl-covered seashell from 2012 was priced at US$43,000! Anyhoo, since a lot of us are massive fans of these rare beauties, we thought we’d give you the complete guide to Chanel’s novelty minaudieres, in chronological order, beginning 2004 (with some gaps in between) right up to Karl Lagerfeld’s last one for Chanel before his passing! Ready, Set, prepare yourselves for a visual feast! 😉

Cassette and Record Clutch Spring/Summer 2004

Rubik’s Cube Clutch Spring/Summer 2004

Spring/Summer 2005

Gold Bar Clutch 2006

 

Lambskin Paper Bag Totes

Spring/Summer 2009

 

Fall 2009

Matryoshka Doll
Métiers d’Art Paris-Moscow 2oo9

 

Spring/Summer 2010

China Doll Minaudiere
Métiers d’Art Paris-Shanghai 2010

 

Chanel Takeaway Box
Métiers d’Art Paris-Shanghai 2010

Ice Cube Bag and Clutch Fall/Winter 2010

Book Clutch Spring/Summer 2011

 

Beaded Pearl Shell Clutch and Pearlescent Shell Clutch
Spring/Summer 2012

 

Chanel Indian Doll Clutch, Paris-Bombay Metièrs d’Art 2012

Quilted Watering Can, Cruise 2012

 

Fall/Winter 2012

Spring/Summer 2013:  Cage Flap, Hoop Bag, Lego Clutch

 

Globe Clutches, Fall/Winter 2013

 

Chanel No.5 Perfume Bottle Clutch, Cruise 2014

 

Drawing Portfolio & Frame Flap Bag, Spring/Summer 2014

 

 Meat Package Flap Bag, Lait de Coco Milk Carton Bag, Shopping Basket
Fall/Winter 2014

 

Embroidered Money Clutch, Strass Pistol Minaudière, & Belt Buckle Minaudière
Métiers d’Art 2014

 

Jerrycan, Premiere Watch Minaudière, & Pearl Minaudière, Paris-Dubai Cruise 2015

Ladies First Clutch, Spring/Summer 2015

 

Brasserie Gabrielle Plates Minaudière, Compact Minaudière,& No.5 Striped Strass Evening Bag
Fall/Winter 2015

Turtle Shell Minaudière, Cruise 2016

Playing Card Minaudière and Dice Minaudière
Pre-Collection Spring 2016

Trolley Minaudière, Spring 2016

 

Marbled No.5 Perfume Bottle Minaudière, Métiers d’Art Paris-Rome 2016

 

Movie Camera Minaudière, Métiers d’Art Paris-Rome 2016

 

Robot Minaudière, Spring/Summer 2017

 

Rocket Minaudière, Fall/Winter 2017

 

Dare To Disturb Sequin Evening Bag, Room Key Card Minaudière, & Striped Perfume Bottle Minaudière
Métiers d’Art 2017

 

Cigar Box Clutch, Habana Brick Clutch, Wood Evening Bag
Cruise 2017

Spring/Summer 2018

Camellia Evening Bag & Log Minaudiere, Fall/Winter 2018

Owl Filigree Evening Bag, Cruise 2018

Shipping Containers Minaudière Métiers d’Art Paris-Hamburg 2018

Beach Ball Minaudière, Spring/Summer 19

 

Lifesaver Bag, “La Pausa” Cruise 2019

Scarab Minaudière, Métiers d’Art Paris-New York 2019

and Karl’s final one before his passing … the Ski Gondola, Fall/Winter 2019

 

Which of these are your favourites?

 

Images: Chanel, Vogue Runway