Rare Vintage Chanel Runway PVC Wide Brimmed Hat
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 5 in (12.7 cm)Depth: 17 in (43.18 cm)Length: 18 in (45.72 cm)
- Place of Origin:Germany
- Period:
- Condition:New vintage condition.
- Seller Location:Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2311213515382
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
More than a mere tastemaker, Karl Lagerfeld devoted himself to the continual pursuit of chic. “My life and my job,” the designer once said, “is to forget myself.” From his first collection at Chanel — after joining the brand in the early 1980s — he injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. Vintage Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel handbags, evening dresses, coats, jewelry and other clothing and accessories riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment.
During his five-decade career as a designer for Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and many others, Lagerfeld was a quintessential chameleon, ever evolving to embody the times. An outsize, instantly recognizable personality — his ponytail powdered like an 18th-century viscount, his eyes perpetually shielded by dark glasses, wearing fistfuls of chunky silver jewels — Lagerfeld was, above all, an avatar of style.
Born in Hamburg (in 1933, ’35, or ’38 by varying accounts), Karl Lagerfeld packed his bags for Paris in 1954. His design for a coat won him the International Wool Secretariat and landed him a job with the celebrated couturier Pierre Balmain. He went on to become the designer of Jean Patou, eventually realizing that his seemingly endless ideas could fuel a career as a designer-for-hire. As such, Lagerfeld lent his vision to everyone from Loewe and Max Mara to Krizia and Charles Jourdan, nimbly moving among a diverse range of styles. It was an unprecedented way of working in the days when freelance was still a dirty word.
During the late ’60s and ’70s, Lagerfeld refashioned Chloé to reflect the free spirit of the day and, beginning in 1965, joined forces with the Fendi family, taking it from sleepy furrier to fashion’s haute-est stratum. Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, in 1983 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday.
Lagerfeld’s collections for the brand displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. From Watteau (Spring/Summer 1985 couture) and Serge Roche (Spring/Summer 1990 ready-to-wear) to hip-hop fly girls (Fall/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear), surfers (Spring/Summer 2003 ready-to-wear) and ancient Egypt (Pre-Fall 2019), Lagerfeld used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew. And many of the rare Chanel bags much sought after today are objects of pure fantasy conjured up by the late couturier.
Despite producing eight collections a year for Chanel, as well as four to five for Fendi, Lagerfeld never faltered in proposing new ideas each time he put pencil to paper.
Find vintage Karl Lagerfeld Chanel day dresses, jackets, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns.
In 1926, Chanel introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women.
Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag — a 1955 update of a 1920s-era design — with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. Her collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Pablo Picasso Vintage Bi Color Kelly Flap BagBy Pablo PicassoLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style bag from Pablo Picassi is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is made of blac...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Judith Leiber Rare Vintage Alligator Kelly Flap BagBy Judith LeiberLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe Vintage Kelly Flap style Alligator bag from Judith Leiber is one of the famed luxury goods house's most coveted and exclusive items. This flap bag is ba...Category
1980s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Vintage Rare Chanel Plush Terry Cloth Maxi Weekender Travel Beach Shopper ToteBy ChanelLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Chanel always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. The rare bag takes timeless creation to a new level of sophistication and charm. Made from the finest materials that you would expect from the Chanel House...Category
1990s Italian Tote Bags
- New Rare Limited Edition Louis Vuitton Pink shoesBy Louis VuittonLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLPurposely created to exude style and provide comfort wherever you go, this pair of sneakers by Louis Vuitton is absolutely worth the buy! They have been finely crafted from perforate...Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- Vintage Louis Vuitton Taiga Leather Pilot BriefcaseBy Louis VuittonLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in travel bag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Louis Vuitton always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. The beautiful circa 2004 briefcase take...Category
Early 2000s French Briefcases and Attachés
- Judith Leiber Vintage Silk Crystals Flap 2-Way Clutch Shoulder Tassel BagBy Judith LeiberLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Judith Leiber always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. This beautiful bag takes timeless creation...Category
1990s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Gianni Versace 1990s Black Leather Medusa HatBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Scottsdale, AZAdd a touch of 90s Versace to your look with this amazing Gianni Versace hat! Circa early 1990s, this hat is crafted from ultra soft black leather and feat...Category
1990s Italian Hats
- 1960s Christian Dior Black Felt Derby HatBy Christian DiorLocated in Scottsdale, AZThe Perfect Winter Hat Has Arrived! Circa 1960s, this Dior derby style hat features a porkpie brim. The crown of the hat and the outer trim of the brim are...Category
1960s Italian Hats
- 1980s Amen Wardy Rhinestone Bow HatBy Amen WardyLocated in Scottsdale, AZThe Most Adorable 80s Hat Is Here! Made of black Wool, this wide brim derby hat features a unique slit in the brim and crown and is decorated with a rhineston...Category
1980s Unknown Hats
- Hats by Gertrude Ostrich Feather Pillbox HatLocated in Scottsdale, AZSnag a vintage gem today! This is a pillbox hat from the 1960's in pristine condition and it doesn't get any better than that! Feel your best and most soph...Category
1960s American Hats
- Hermes Wool Fisherman HatBy HermèsLocated in Scottsdale, AZCommand your wardrobe with this Hermes Wool Fisherman hat. This wool silk blend hat is perfect for winter and fall festivities. It will offer you the warmth and comfort you need for the winter months without sacrificing you any style points. Pair with your favorite Chanel tweed or Ysl trench coat...Category
2010s French Hats
- Black Hermes Bucket HatBy HermèsLocated in Scottsdale, AZAdjustable to your liking, this hat is great for any weather. During fall is the perfect time to add some spice into your wardrobe. Since the black bucket hat can be worn many different ways, it is an amazing piece to have. From a YSL blazer to Chanel sundress...Category
2010s French Hats
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
How the Chanel Jacket Forever Changed What Women Wear
The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.
Remembering Fashion Designer, Collector and Supreme Tastemaker Karl Lagerfeld
The creative force behind brands like Chanel, Fendi and Chloé was as exacting in his interiors as he was in his clothing designs.