Spotted in Chelsea: 2.55 Chic by the Chanel Boutique

What can I say about the 2.55 without sounding banal, because it has already been said a million times (better, and probably by the likes of Cathy Horyn)? Well, remember that SATC episode where Samantha justifies her obsession with wanting a Birkin by saying to Carrie, “When I’m tooling around town with that bag, then I’ll know I’ve made it”? It’s something that’s always stuck to remind me that the bag we’re carrying conveys a message. I contemplated this while trying to write something novel about the 2.55. I mean, it’s clearly beautiful, elegant, timeless and the like. It’s also safe to say that it is globally the most coveted It-bag. But what does it say?

There is certainly a status element. Its owner has definitely made it, but they’ve also chosen a classic over many other expensive, gaudy, over-the-top statement bags. They’ve stuck to wholesome, and don’t need to overcompensate.

This lucky lady carrying her black Chanel 2.55 is an interior designer and lives in Chelsea. She was just running past the Chanel boutique, one of three in London. She pairs her 2.55 with London staples: a fitted black blazer, a Breton shirt, skinny jeans, and ballet flats. You’d be right in thinking that these are also, in fact, Paris staples. With so many French expats living in across the channel, Parisian style has rapidly permeated the London look.