Bonhams, the international auction house, will hold a trio of Chanel sales across three cities in September, starting in New York on 7 September, moving to Paris on 14 September, and closing in London on 21 September.

The sales span ready-to-wear — factory-made clothing sold in standard sizes rather than made-to-measure — alongside accessories and costume jewellery from the creative tenures of Karl Lagerfeld and Virginie Viard at Chanel. Lagerfeld directed the house's design from 1983 until his death in 2019; Viard succeeded him and left the role in 2024.

The New York sale, titled "From the Vault II," runs from 7 to 17 September online and at Bonhams' U.S. flagship at 111 West 57th Street. It centres on tweed pieces from Lagerfeld's 1990s runway collections. Versions of the tweed designs in the sale were worn on the runway by Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington, according to Bonhams WWD.

The top lot is a Chanel birdcage minaudière — a small ornamental evening bag — from the fall 2020 collection, estimated at $20,000 to $30,000. Its gold-tone cage holds lovebird details, a faux-hinged door, simulated turquoise, multitone glass crystals and CC logo detailing.

Other New York lots include a wicker filigree vanity case from Lagerfeld's spring 2019 collection, in black patent leather with a natural wicker exterior, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000. A silver sequin cocktail dress from the fall 1994 collection, with a lace collar and flower pin, carries an estimate of $3,000 to $5,000. Bonhams noted that a similar silver sequin design was worn by Olivia Rodrigo to the "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty" Met Gala after-party in 2023.

Highlights will be exhibited at the 57th Street atrium from 17 August to 2 September. Bonhams plans to transform the space into what it calls a "world of Chanel" to display the merchandise before bidding opens.

The Paris sale, titled "Chanel From the Vault," runs from 14 to 24 September and features 400 pieces from Lagerfeld, Viard and Chanel's in-house design team. Among the lots: a black knit tweed dress with multicoloured sequins from the cruise 2024 collection, estimated at 1,600 to 2,000 euros; a cocktail dress of organza and gold Lurex from the spring 2018 ready-to-wear collection, at 1,500 to 2,500 euros; a cropped black sequin jacket from the Versailles cruise 2013 collection, at 1,200 to 1,500 euros; and a long white tweed jacket with rhinestone buttons from the Hotel Monte-Carlo Beach cruise 2023 collection, at 1,600 to 2,200 euros. Cruise collections are the between-seasons ranges shown ahead of the main fashion calendar.

London closes the series with an auction running from 21 September to 1 October, focused on bags, fashion and vintage costume jewellery from the 1960s through the 1990s.

Bonhams has held dedicated Chanel sales before. A 2023 edition featured pieces from Lagerfeld's tenure and a Viard design, and a set of limited-edition Chanel micro mini bags headlined a separate sale in early 2024 Bonhams. The September series is the first time the auction house has run Chanel sales simultaneously across all three cities.

For collectors, the spread across New York, Paris and London means access to distinct eras and price points in a single month — from a $3,000 sequin dress to a $30,000 evening bag — with each city angled to a different slice of the house's history.