This Coveted Chanel Bag Has Reached Cult Status

Women with the Chanel 22 mini bag.
(Image credit: @joannahalpin; @aimeesong)

It has become abundantly clear that some of the best bags of the season have arrived in the form of reinterpreted classics. Often, these are bags that go beyond trends and instead revisit the iconic house codes of luxury brands. Shoppers have shown interest in purchasing forever items, including updated releases of popular bags from designer brands. Case in point: the Chanel 22 Mini Handbag.

The original Chanel 22 bag was introduced at the French fashion house's S/S 22 runway show in Paris, which was full of '90s nostalgia and fresh takes on iconic pieces. Among them is the 22 bag—a big shopper tote designed with Chanel's signature quilted leather, two chain straps adorned with a double-C charm, the brand name written on the side in metal letters, and a drawstring top that has a scrunched effect when the straps are pulled closed.

The bag became an It item immediately when it was released among luxury shoppers and the fashion set, as well as a modern classic for Chanel. This was cemented when it again appeared on the runway for the brand's S/S 23 collection in a shrunken version. It's perhaps a bit less utilitarian than the big tote version but equally as covetable. The mini bag can be worn with the straps pulled to full length as a crossbody bag, as a handheld tote when held by the smaller chain straps, or styled as a clutch with the straps tucked inside. Now, it's a core collector's bag from Chanel, and there are new, just-dropped iterations, including metallic colorways and fuzzy shearling. Ahead, see more on the Chanel 22 Mini Handbag.

On the Runway

Though the original Chanel 22 bag debuted on the spring/summer 2022 runways, we caught a first glimpse of the bag's mini version a year later in the spring/summer 2023 collection. The season showcased styles such as a butter-yellow leather design and a black leather style with a chain and pearl handles. The new mini bags were first released in March 2023.

Model on a runway holding the Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Model on a runway holding the Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Model on a runway holding the Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

On the Fashion Set

Since the release of the Chanel 22 mini bags, the fashion set has been quick to snap up the coveted bags, which have been spotted everywhere from fashion month to the streets of New York City and Los Angeles. Take some styling notes by wearing the bag in the many ways the straps allow—from crossbody to tote to clutch.

Woman holding a Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: @aimeesong)

Woman holding a Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: @marianna_hewitt)

Woman holding a Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: @joannahalpin)

Woman holding a Chanel 22 mini bag.

(Image credit: @endlesslyloveclub)

Shop the Chanel 22 Mini Handbag

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.