f you thought blinged-up bags had reached the height of vulgarity - not to mention expense - then brace yourself for a Chanel number which might make the battiest statement yet.
Resembling a full-sized hula hoop with one of the label's classic 2.55 bags stitched awkwardly across the bottom of it, the bags first appeared slung over models' shoulders on the spring/summer 2013 catwalk during fashion week.
They were instantly dismissed by fashion editors as a stunt by the publicity-hungry house (famous for freezing a giant iceberg in the middle of the catwalk and staging a threesome between models in previous years) which would never go into production.
Kim Kardashian's mother Kris Jenner trying on the enormous Chanel hula hoop bag for size in London's Selfridge's
That was until the bags resurfaced this week on sale at London's Selfridge's - where they were being eyed up by reality star and mother of the infamous Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner.
They've also been spotted being sported by a Marie Claire fashion editor and various style bloggers at other fashion weeks.
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So who on earth would want something so cumbersome, ridiculous and expensive (the bags start at £1,500 for a 24cm across version) - other than, of course, the fashion pack or egomaniacal reality stars looking to attract some column inches?
Luckily, Chanel head designer Karl Lagerfeld provides an answer as to where this bag might be appropriate: 'It's for the beach,' he explained after his show in the Grand Palais in Paris, to rapturous crowds.
'You need space for the beach towel. And then you can put it into the sand and hang things on it.'
Yes, this bag is nothing less than a designer drying rack and towel holder. Perhaps this really is one hula hoop it might be better not to take for a spin.
The Chanel hula hoop bag dwarfs a model on the spring/summer 2013 catwalk during fashion season