Chanel in South Africa: A Gift Guide to the House

Chanel was founded in Paris by Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, and the house still centres on rue Cambon, where her salons and apartment were. Her idea was radical for its time. Women's clothes should be comfortable, practical and quietly confident, borrowing freely from menswear and sportswear.

That thinking produced a set of codes that still define almost everything the house makes:

• Tweed, used for the collarless, braid-trimmed jacket
• Quilting, the diamond stitch that marks the leather goods
• The chain, threaded with leather on bag straps and echoed in jewellery
• The camellia, Gabrielle Chanel's favourite flower
• Pearls, worn in generous, layered strands
• Black and beige, the colour pairing behind the two-tone shoe
• The interlocking CC, the house's monogram

Knowing these codes helps you choose. A gift that carries one of them clearly reads as Chanel, even without a visible logo.

The most famous Chanel object is the quilted flap bag. The 2.55, named for its February 1955 date, has a rectangular "Mademoiselle" turn-lock, while the Classic Flap carries the interlocking CC clasp. Both hang from a chain shoulder strap and have become reference points for the whole category. Our guide to Chanel bags covers the sizes, leathers and styles in detail.

Beyond the bags, a few pieces are reliable signatures:

• The two-tone slingback, beige with a black toe cap, designed to make the foot look longer
• Ballet flats with the contrast toe, an everyday classic
• Costume jewellery, from pearl drops to CC studs; see Chanel earrings for the main styles
• Silk scarves and twillies, often printed with house motifs
• Sunglasses, a practical gift for South African summers, explored in our Chanel sunglasses guide

The house also makes ready-to-wear, the tweed jacket above all, though clothing is a harder gift to get right because of fit.

For someone receiving their first piece from the house, smaller and more personal usually works better than large and statement. A few practical guidelines:

1. Start with accessories. Earrings, a scarf or sunglasses carry the house codes clearly and need no sizing.
2. Match their everyday style. Someone who wears gold daily will reach for gold-tone jewellery; a minimalist may prefer a discreet stud to a large logo.
3. Save bags for milestones. A flap bag suits a significant birthday, an anniversary or a graduation, and it rewards some research into size and leather.
4. Be cautious with shoes and clothing. Chanel sizing follows European conventions, so confirm their size with a pair they already own.

If you are still deciding between houses or categories, our gifts for her guide is a good place to compare ideas.

Chanel prices set at the house level are converted into rand, so the exchange rate has a direct effect on what a piece costs locally. Import duties and taxes add to that. The house is also known for adjusting its prices periodically, so a figure you saw a year ago is rarely still accurate.

Within the collection, the main price drivers are:

• Category: costume jewellery and scarves sit well below leather goods
• Size: larger bags cost more than mini and small versions of the same design
• Leather: lambskin and grained caviar leather differ in feel and durability, and exotic skins are priced in a different bracket
• Hardware and detailing: special finishes and seasonal embellishment add cost

As a broad guide only, the Classic Flap bag is priced well into six figures in rand. For a smaller budget, accessories are the natural entry point to the house.

Many people search for Chanel in Sandton or for a Chanel online store in South Africa. The house is known for keeping much of its fashion and leather goods within its own boutiques, so it pays to be clear about where a piece comes from before you commit.

Because Chanel is so widely copied, check the details carefully:

• Quilting should be even, with stitch lines matching across seams and pockets
• Stitching should be dense, straight and consistent
• The CC should be correctly proportioned, with the two Cs interlocking cleanly
• Hardware should feel heavy and finished, with crisp engraving
• Leather should smell and feel like leather, not plastic

If you have a particular piece in mind, tell us what you are looking for and we will come back to you by email with options. You can also browse other houses on our brands page.