Chanel | Classic Flap Bag: Review

Hardware & Chain:

A handful of different hardware finishes are available for the Classic Flap but the two that are a part of the permanent collection are silver and gold. While the gold is classic, the silver has a more modern touch. However, the gold hardware paired with the Medium Classic Flap is one of a brighter, yellow gold, which feels quite bougie and garish. I’m not sure if it’s due to batch variation or the difference between the various sizes, but the gold hardware on my friend’s Jumbo/Large Classic Flap is more of a classy champagne gold. So ultimately, I chose silver and I’m very glad with my decision. I think with the silver, it’s easier to dress it up or dress it down whereas the gold doesn’t have the same kind of versatility.

Chanel | Classic Flap in Black Caviar Leather with Silver Hardware

The most prominent piece of hardware on the Classic Flap is the surprisingly easy-to-use CC turn-lock clasp. It takes no effort to shut and the closure feels secure. After the horrendous experience with the hardware on my Lady Dior bag (reviewed

Chanel | Classic Flap in Black Caviar Leather with Silver Hardware

With a shorter drop length (as compared to most of the other sizes), the Medium Classic Flap can only be worn over the shoulder, either with the chain lengthened or doubled up. I’ve always preferred to wear my bags crossbody so this was initially a big concern of mine. Interestingly, though, after getting used to wearing a shoulder bag, I had a hard time adjusting back to crossbody bags. So although the shorter chain length of the Medium size was a big concern of mine, it really didn’t turn out to be an issue at all. As a side note, however, a New York-based handbag repair/restoration company called Leather Surgeons offers the service to lengthen the Chanel chain/leather straps. I did a little research in this area beforehand but the cost, hassle, and risk involved just didn’t seem worthwhile to me.

Chanel | Classic Flap in Black Caviar Leather with Silver Hardware

As you can see above, the Chanel Classic Flap features the iconic chain interwoven with leather. Upon close examination, I noticed that two different pieces of leather are used to make one continuous strap. After reading several discussions on The Purse Forum, I found out that this is actually common practice. However, where the two different pieces of leather meet on my strap, I noticed some peeling (see photos below) only a week after purchase. I was quite appalled when I first discovered this and after some more research, I found out that this is apparently also not unheard of. For a $7000 bag, though, a problem like this really shouldn’t occur and this may be why some people are lamenting on the decline of craftsmanship of Chanel bags. However, as this has been the only issue I’ve experienced with the bag, I’m not super caught up.

Chanel | Classic Flap Strap Peeling

I had the option of bringing the bag to the boutique for repair but I figured that they were either going to glue the peeling bit back on, snip it off completely, or offer a full replacement of the strap, which would take months due to shipping to and from Paris (or whenever Chanel bag repairs occur in Europe). So to avoid unnecessary trouble, I decided to simply snip off the peeling bit with a pair of sharp cuticle clippers. I’m sure what I did would be considered sacrilegious by some but I’ve not experienced any more problems with the leather since. My word of advice here would be to examine the leather very carefully, along the entirety of the strap and on both of its sides before purchase. Ideally, the strap would be made of one continuous piece of leather but if more than one is used, make sure the seams are securely glued .

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Sideview

Exterior:

The Chanel Classic flap has a structured design and this is especially emphasized with the stiffer caviar leather. As you can see clearly in the profile shot of the bag above, the inner flap takes up quite a bit of room, thereby restricting the maximum capacity of the bag. So although the Medium size looks fairly large, you really can’t fit all that much inside.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Bottom View

The Classic Flap is designed with a flat rectangular base and therefore should sit upright without any support. However, because the double flap makes the bag a bit “front-heavy”, the bag can flop forward if the base is not perfectly constructed. While I was picking out my bag, I had noticed another one with a warped base that made the bag appear a bit lopsided. Therefore, when picking out your bag, make sure the bottom is completely leveled so that it sits flush against a flat surface.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Back View

The last exterior feature to note is the small patch pocket on the back. Said to have been inspired by Coco’s love for Mona Lisa (hence the slightly curved upper edge), the pocket was intended to hold small change. However, given its slim design and the fact that I rarely use cash nowadays, the pocket is pretty much useless. I can’t fit my cellphone inside and even a small card case will stretch it out. For those of you that like to save receipts, however, the pocket may be used for that.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Interior Pocket

Interior:
Two pockets are revealed when the outer flap is lifted. The first is a slip pocket sandwiched between the outer and inner flap. It’s very slim so only certain items will fit. You can use it for important documents but I only store a thin travel comb inside. This is probably one of my favorite features of the bag because it feels super cool and incognito.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Zippered Pocket

The second pocket revealed is the infamous zippered slip pocket where Coco reportedly hid her love letters. Unlike on the Chanel Wallet On Chains, this small pocket opens upwards and does not run the length of the flap. Therefore, it’s only about two inches deep. Since I don’t often drive, I store my single house key inside but I cannot imagine using the pocket for anything else.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Interior

Lots more are revealed with the lifting of the inner flap, starting with the gorgeous leather lining. The burgundy color was inspired by the uniform worn by Coco Chanel at the convent orphanage where she was raised. The leather feels super supple and the contrasting color makes it easy to locate things inside. Interestingly, the inner flap has a snap button closure. However, unless your bag is completely stuffed, it’s almost impossible to close the snaps. Therefore, I never bother shutting the snap button and the Chanel sales associate said that this is the case for most people.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Zippered Pocket

The first of the inner pockets is a roomy slip pocket just outside the main compartment. I can fit many things here, including my iPhone XS with an Otterbox Symmetry case, a small card case, or an assortment of makeup products. A similar pocket is found on my YSL Niki (reviewed here ) which I sometimes struggle with small things (ex. lip balm) slipping out of but because the Chanel inner flap creates a snug closure, nothing will fall out from this pocket, even when the bag is stored on its side.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Front Pocket

The main compartment, as you can see below, is smaller than expected. Aside from a full-sized wallet, an iPhone, and a sunglasses case, not much else will fit inside. However, because the bag already has so many other pockets, you can easily organize everything so they aren’t all bunched together in one compartment.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Main Compartment

One of the features I was really excited about is the set of three slip pockets on the back wall of the inner compartment designed for cards, makeup compact, and lipstick. The two larger pockets are decently sized but slim. With a compact slipped inside, I can really feel the leather stretching. This is even more pronounced with the lipstick pocket, which is also way too shallow to fit a regular-sized lip product. Because I don’t want the pockets to lose their shape, I’ve only been using the two larger ones for storing blotting paper and tissue packets.

Chanel | Medium Classic Flap | Interior

Summary:

The most prominent piece of hardware on the Classic Flap is the surprisingly easy-to-use CC turn-lock clasp. It takes no effort to shut and the closure feels secure. After the horrendous experience with the hardware on my Lady Dior bag (reviewed here ), I was very worried about getting scratches on the CC turn-lock, especially given the fact that the two pieces of metal are constantly coming in contact with one another. Thankfully, the Chanel hardware is a lot more scratch-resistant. With that said, I do notice some minor scratches, particularly at the top of the turning piece. However, these scratches are lot subtler and won’t be noticed unless examined up-close.With a shorter drop length (as compared to most of the other sizes), the Medium Classic Flap can only be worn over the shoulder, either with the chain lengthened or doubled up. I’ve always preferred to wear my bags crossbody so this was initially a big concern of mine. Interestingly, though, after getting used to wearing a shoulder bag, I had a hard time adjusting back to crossbody bags. So although the shorter chain length of the Medium size was a big concern of mine, it really didn’t turn out to be an issue at all. As a side note, however, a New York-based handbag repair/restoration company called Leather Surgeons offers the service to lengthen the Chanel chain/leather straps. I did a little research in this area beforehand but the cost, hassle, and risk involved just didn’t seem worthwhile to me.As you can see above, the Chanel Classic Flap features the iconic chain interwoven with leather. Upon close examination, I noticed that two different pieces of leather are used to make one continuous strap. After reading several discussions on The Purse Forum, I found out that this is actually common practice. However, where the two different pieces of leather meet on my strap, I noticed some peeling (see photos below) only a week after purchase. I was quite appalled when I first discovered this and after some more research, I found out that this is apparently also not unheard of. For a $7000 bag, though, a problem like this really shouldn’t occur and this may be why some people are lamenting on the decline of craftsmanship of Chanel bags. However, as this has been the only issue I’ve experienced with the bag, I’m not super caught up.I had the option of bringing the bag to the boutique for repair but I figured that they were either going to glue the peeling bit back on, snip it off completely, or offer a full replacement of the strap, which would take months due to shipping to and from Paris (or whenever Chanel bag repairs occur in Europe). So to avoid unnecessary trouble, I decided to simply snip off the peeling bit with a pair of sharp cuticle clippers. I’m sure what I did would be considered sacrilegious by some but I’ve not experienced any more problems with the leather since. My word of advice here would be to examine the leather very carefully, along the entirety of the strap and on both of its sides before purchase. Ideally, the strap would be made of one continuous piece of leather but if more than one is used, make sure the seams are securely glued .Two pockets are revealed when the outer flap is lifted. The first is a slip pocket sandwiched between the outer and inner flap. It’s very slim so only certain items will fit. You can use it for important documents but I only store a thin travel comb inside. This is probably one of my favorite features of the bag because it feels super cool and incognito.The second pocket revealed is the infamous zippered slip pocket where Coco reportedly hid her love letters. Unlike on the Chanel Wallet On Chains, this small pocket opens upwards and does not run the length of the flap. Therefore, it’s only about two inches deep. Since I don’t often drive, I store my single house key inside but I cannot imagine using the pocket for anything else.The main compartment, as you can see below, is smaller than expected. Aside from a full-sized wallet, an iPhone, and a sunglasses case, not much else will fit inside. However, because the bag already has so many other pockets, you can easily organize everything so they aren’t all bunched together in one compartment.