"Thought It Was a Shopping Basket..." Chanel Bag Sells for Over 200 Million Won at Auction

Record Price for Chanel Bag at Auction
XXL Shopping Basket Bag from Fall/Winter 2014 Collection

A luxury handbag from Chanel, designed to resemble a shopping basket, was sold at auction for over 200 million won. This marks the highest price ever paid for a Chanel bag at auction.

Chanel's 'Shopping Basket Bag'. Christie's

Recently, the U.S. business media outlet Business Insider reported, "A Chanel handbag that looks like a grocery shopping basket was sold for $152,400 (approximately 225 million won) in a Christie's online auction, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a Chanel bag."

This item is the 'XXL Shopping Basket Bag' in silver and black lambskin, which Chanel introduced for the Fall/Winter 2014 season. The design evokes the look of a supermarket shopping basket, with the entire frame of the bag constructed using Chanel's signature metal chain. The bag features handles on both sides and a charm in the shape of the Chanel logo. It was originally released at a price of $12,500 (1.844 million won).

At the time, the late Karl Lagerfeld, who was Chanel's designer, drew attention by recreating a full-scale supermarket on stage during Paris Fashion Week. The runway was styled to resemble an actual grocery store, with shelves displaying milk, pasta, cereal, and bottled water, all branded with the Chanel logo. Models appeared carrying shopping baskets and pushing shopping carts as they walked through the supermarket-themed set. American model Kendall Jenner and singer Rihanna also appeared on stage holding Chanel shopping baskets or pushing carts. The show was praised for breaking down the boundaries between luxury and everyday life.

The original Birkin bag used by the late Jane Birkin. Sotheby's website

However, this Chanel bag is not the most expensive handbag ever sold at auction. In July, the original Birkin bag from luxury brand Herm?s was sold for $10.1 million (about 1.49 billion won), setting the all-time record for the highest-priced handbag. This bag was actually used by British singer and actress Jane Birkin, and it was the very first Birkin bag that Herm?s created specifically for her.

The size, metal rings, embellishments, and shoulder strap of this Birkin bag were all specially made for Birkin and were never used on any other Birkin bag.