Celine and Chanel are two top French fashion houses, known for beautiful bags and womenswear, but which brand is right for you? Find out in this Celine vs Chanel article.
If you are looking for luxury ready-to-wear clothing with that ultra-chic French look, then Celine and Chanel are both incredible brands in the fashion industry to go for.
Celine is an incredible French luxury brand that has become known for stunning womenswear and accessories; the popular brand had developed a minimalist aesthetic while Phoebe Philo was the creative director, but has undergone drastic changes now that Hedi Slimane is the creative director. Celine now has a more glamorous, edgy vibe, for a striking look.
On the other hand, Chanel is one of the top fashion houses in the world. It has a long history and is well known for creating the little black dress, diamond-quilted shoulder bags, and matching tweed jackets and skirts. If you love a classic, timeless look, then Chanel is the perfect brand as they mix their history and heritage with more contemporary colors, styles and silhouettes to create fantastic collections each season.
Since both these luxury brands are so stunning, it is difficult to choose between them – that’s where we come in. This article is going to consider the history of each brand, and the differences between them and take a look at some of the best-selling pieces before coming to a conclusion on Celine vs Chanel.
So if you are wondering whether your next designer handbag should be from Celine vs Chanel, you are in the right place.
Celine vs Chanel
The History of Celine
The luxury French fashion house, Celine, was founded by Céline Vipiana, alongside her husband Richard, in 1945. Initially, the brand was a made-to-measure children’s shoe business with a boutique located at 52 rue Malte in Paris. The very first logo for this children’s brand was a red elephant motif, which was designed by the cartoonist Raymond Peynet and remain a symbol of the brand for decades.
Then, in 1960, the positioning of Celine changed to focus on women’s ready-to-wear clothing, with a sportswear approach that put practicality at the forefront. Their range of stylish and functional clothing included wool skirt suits, pastel-toned denim, and smart shirts, while leather goods were added to the brand a few years later.
This meant the modern French woman has a whole range of beautiful clothing and accessories to choose from. In 1963, a shoe collection was added to the French brand, then a year later the very first Celine fragrance was launched, named‘ Vent Fou’.
The chic design aesthetic of the Celine brand meant that the business grew quickly, and by the 1970s, Celine was international. There were Celine stores all across the world offering sophisticated womenswear. In 1973, the brand decided to create a new logo to step away from its origins. The design was of intertwined Cs that were intended to reference the Arc de Triomphe in Paris – hence why the Celine logo canvas is known as ‘Triomphe’.
Céline Vipiana stepped down as the creative director in 1997, just after the brand became integrated into Bernard Arnault’s LVMH luxury conglomerate, and Michael Kors stepped into the role. Kors continued to create elegant and practical clothing with a sportswear glam edge, which proved popular with Celine fans.
In 2008, Phoebe Philo was appointed creative director of Celine, and during her ten-year tenure, Philo ensure Celine was the top brand for busy working women who wanted stunning, easy-to-wear clothing. In 2018, Hedi Slimane became the creative director, completely changing the aesthetic of the brand, with more of an edgy, rock, youth culture focus.
The History of Chanel
The luxury fashion brand Chanel was founded by couturière Gabrielle Chanel in 1910. Initially, Chanel began as a millinery store, but as Chanel’s designs became popular, the brand expanded into ready-to-wear fashion. The Chanel collections proved to be a pivotal moment in the history of women’s fashion – she wanted to free women from the corset and create clothes that women were able to move in.
Chanel’s ready-to-wear collection included practical skirts, trousers, and blouses, that were easy to wear and flattering. Much focus went into the choice of fabrics and colors of Chanel’s collections, flannel, jersey, and linen were often used as these fabrics were easy to move in, while black, grey, and navy hues were commonly used as these shades were versatile.
During the 1920s, Chanel created the iconic little black dress. By choosing black, she went against the designs of her fellow fashion designers, who were creating brightly colored clothes, while the silhouette was minimalist and versatile – making the little black dress the perfect stylish piece for any woman.
During the Second World War, the house of Chanel was closed, but in 1953, Coco Chanel was inspired by Christian Dior’s New Look Collection and began to create ready-to-wear collections again. Leather handbags were added to the collection after the war, which was very popular, they featured chain link straps that allowed women to carry their bags in their hands or on the shoulder.
These chain straps have since become a defining element of Chanel’s designs – a timeless classic that has remained eternally fashionable. Karl Lagerfeld took over the fashion house as Chief Designer in 1971 and is seen as a key figure who helped to make Chanel the world-renowned brand it is today. His impressive collections took the fashion world by storm, with their unbelievable locations and elaborate sets.
Virginie Viard, who had been working at Chanel since the 1990s, took over the role of Chief Designer in 2019 – she has added her own twists to the iconic luxury goods and made sure Chanel remains one of the most famous brands in the world.
Differences between Celine Vs Chanel
To help us to work out which brand is best for you, we need to take a look at the key differences between these two brands. The price range and brand exclusivity, among other aspects, are going to be important to take into account when deciding which brand to go for.
1. Price Range
Let’s begin with the price range. Celine bags range between $990 and $6,000, however, there are some bags crafted from exotic skins which can be sold for as much as $22,300.
Chanel has recently undergone a price increase so their bags are on offer for between $2,950 and $11,500, although, similar to Celine, the exotic skin bag is much more expensive. These price points show how Chanel bags are the more expensive option.
2. Brand aesthetic
The brand aesthetics of Celine and Chanel is also very different, and this may affect which brand best suits your personal style.
Celine has a more paired-back, minimalist style, with a focus placed on the silhouette and materials of the bag. The Triomphe bags are embellished with the Celine logo, while most other Celine bags only have a very small Celine brand name on the exterior. This means Celine is a great brand to go for if you do not want the logo mania to look.
Chanel bags, on the other hand, have a very distinctive look and are a status symbol. Most leather bags are quilted in a diamond pattern and feature the leather threaded chain link strap. While almost all Chanel bags are decorated with a large Chanel logo brand name, making these bags instantly recognizable as Chanel. Everyone knows the look of a Chanel bag and so they are the ideal brand to go for if you want a glam, luxurious look.
The luxury bags from these two brands are crafted from a wide range of materials – it is important to think about the materials used and whether it will suit your lifestyle and how much you plan to use the bag.
Most Celine bags are made from calfskin, which is available in multiple different finishes, including shiny, natural, smooth, laminated, grained, and drummed. There are also suede, coated canvas, raffia, lambskin, lizard skin, and crocodile skin bags available.
Chanel bags are most often made from leather, this could be calfskin, lambskin, or caviar leather, although there are exotic skins available as well. There are also denim and tweed Chanel handbags too.
There have been some changes at Chanel that have made their handbags and leather goods more exclusive. Chanel has limited the number of bags one person can buy in a year and limited numbers of some Chanel bags in certain leathers are made each year.
This means if you are looking for a specific bag in a certain color and leather, you may have to join a waiting list to get your hands on your dream bag. There is no such system at Celine so you can easily get your hands on your favorite Celine bag without having to wait.
Since the availability of Chanel bags is now limited, the best place to buy a Chanel bag easily is through a resale site – there are lots of different Chanel classic bags available so you may be able to find your perfect Chanel bag on the resale market.
Best Selling bags from Celine Vs Chanel
Both Celine and Chanel create some of the most iconic handbags and so choosing just one bag can be difficult! We have brought together a few of the best sellers from Celine vs Chanel to make it a little easier for you to find your ideal new designer bag to add to your collection.
1. Shoulder bags
If you are looking for a minimalist, paired-back everyday handbag, then the Celine Smooth Calfskin Medium Classic Box Flap Bag is the perfect bag for you!
This stunning handbag is crafted from buttery soft calfskin leather in this gorgeous pale blue shade and then finished with sparkling silver hardware. The square silhouette is timeless, while the only embellishment in the exterior is the silver press lock.
This lock opens to reveal a partitioned interior, fitted with zipper and patch pockets so you can stay well organized, plus, the interior is lined in matching leather for a luxe finish.
The classic Chanel flap bag is a world-famous handbag that is in high demand! The classic, timeless design has ensured that this beautiful handbag has stood the test of time and is a must-have in any luxury bag collection.
The classic flap bag is available in different sizes, colors, and types of leather so there is an option for everyone. We love the sophisticated, versatile look of this black lambskin flap bag, which is finished with gleaming gold hardware.
The interior is lined with black smooth leather and is fitted with a zipper and patch pocket so you can easily find everything you need.
2. tote bags
The Celine Luggage Tote is one of the fashion house’s most iconic bags and a very popular style, with its trapeze silhouette and decorative leather trim.
The Luggage tote is now available in multiple different sizes and colorways so you can find the perfect edition of this tote to fit your lifestyle. This red drummed calfskin Luggage tote is ideal if you want to add a pop of color to your look.
The bag features expandable sides, rolled leather top handles, and wavy leather trim on the exterior for an eye-catching look. The interior of the tote is lined with red suede and then fitted with a zipper and patch pocket.
We love the chic and elegant look of the Chanel Small Deauville Tote, and its size makes it perfect for busy days out.
This edition of the Deauville tote is crafted from pink lurex boucle, which looks incredible and is durable too, but this classic tote bag is available in many different colors and materials. The exterior of the bag is decorated with the Chanel advertisement logo to add a little history and heritage to the tote.
The gold chain shoulder straps are fitted with leather shoulder pads to guarantee comfort, while the interior of the bag is fitted with zipper and patch pockets.
3. Crossbody bags
This Triomphe Canvas Mini Triomphe bag is so classically Celine, with the logo-decorated coated canvas and gleaming gold hardware.
The compact size of this bag and the neutral hues means this crossbody bag is super versatile and an ideal everyday handbag for running errands. The bag is crafted from dark brown coated canvas and then embellished with a large gold Celine logo for a super striking look.
This bag is finished with a tan calfskin crossbody strap, which is adjustable, and a well-organized leather interior. The inside of the bag is partitioned, making it really easy to stay organized.
The Chanel 19 Flap bag is another highly sought-after handbag from the French fashion house. This crossbody bag has a bold, glamorous look with a mix of metals and a pale pink leather exterior.
This bag is made from supple lambskin for a luxurious feel and is then decorated with a gold chain CC logo and chunky gold strap, fitted with a leather shoulder pad, which is embellished with a dark silver chain.
There is an exterior pocket on the outside of the bag, while the front flap then opens to a fabric-lined interior, with a zipper pocket.
4. Top handle bags
The Celine Grained Calfskin Mini Belt Bag is so sophisticated and would make the ideal work bag.
This bag has a boxy silhouette, which is finished with a front flap, held in place by a knotted belt, a leather top handle, and a longer shoulder strap.
The longer strap is detachable so the bag can be styled in many different ways, while there is a handy zipper pocket on the back of the bag for those items you need to be able to quickly grab. The roomy interior is lined with suede and fitted with a wall pocket so you can keep all of your work items organized!
The Chanel Mini Coco Flap bag in this gorgeous pale lilac leather is so cute and totally irresistible! The bag is crafted from caviar leather for a durable exterior and then embellished with gleaming gold hardware.
The leather has been quilted in the classic Chanel diamond pattern, while the bag is finished with a rolled leather top handle and leather-threaded gold chain strap, which is fitted with a shoulder pad to ensure comfort.
The front flap secures with a CC logo turn lock, which allows easy access to the pale purple partitioned interior, fitted with a handy little pocket.
Both Celine and Chanel have so many gorgeous bags and incredible clothes available that it is so difficult to choose between these two brands!
If you have a slightly smaller budget and want a timeless, minimalist handbag, then Celine is the brand for you! All of their handbags are so stylish and sophisticated and made with luxurious yet durable materials so you know they will stand the test of time.
If you have more money to spend and want a stunning, iconic handbag, then Chanel is the brand you need! Chanel bags may be a little more pricey and difficult to get hold of, but the style of a Chanel bag is classic and a piece in your wardrobe you will cherish forever.
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