Can you tell which is real and which is fake? Keep in mind the lighting makes the bags colors look slightly different but both are equally black in person!
Hey guys!
I just wanted to do a quick post sharing what to look for when shopping for a Chanel handbag to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck when shopping for an authentic or fake new, or used, or replica purse. Firstly I’d like to start off by saying Chanel is a very hard to find replica as the parent company actively seeks out any replica sellers who sell their products (and when you see the superfakes you will understand why) as they want to stop the devaluation train for Chanel. This is completely fair and I would do the same if I were Chanel as well.
I do however want to start with a few gripes I have with them, as a Chanel purse lover. Firstly dear Chanel why do you no longer coat your hardware with 24k gold? As a serious Chanel lover and collector I can say that there is a significant decline in quality within the Chanel brand over the years as they seemed to have lowered their production standards. I highly recommend well kept vintage bags that have the gold coating as these bags are in my opinion from a Chanel era in which quality was at the top of their priorities. Anyways enough chit chat. This guide is meant to give you a glimpse at a comparison between an authentic and replica Chanel with tips for spotting fake bags which have been very poorly constructed.
One thing I would like to say before providing this information is that Chanel replica manufacturers have been getting increasingly accurate to the point that I have heard many stories about fake Chanels being returned to authentic boutiques, which is really scary if you are dropping a couple of thousands on what you hope will be a real bag. Overall remember to be vigilant even if shopping in an authentic boutique! Take a look at the guide, and I hope it helps everyone out there!
When looking at the first photo I am sure a lot of people were confused – aren’t both bags real? Well they aren’t. These pictures feature a superfake Chanel being compared to an authentic so the subtleties are more minute and harder to spot, but I thought it would be worth showing! I will do another guide soon that outlines the really bad Chanel fakes I encourage you to burn if you see in person, on the spot, since they totally misconstrue the beauty of the originals, and are a total disgrace to Miss Coco’s designs.
The replica looks a bit more “puffy” since it is newer compared to the used jumbo pictured right. Overly puffy bags are a sign of a fake Chanel however this comes down to the number of stitches! All Chanel bags (authentic and superfake) look a bit more puffy (but not overly) when new because they haven’t been subjected to the use and abuse of being worn on a daily basis! I’ll add a picture of the superfake Chanel jumbo once it has reached a point of use comparable to the authentic bag on the right!
A shot of the bottom of the bags. Make sure if you are shopping for a jumbo that there is a stitch down the middle otherwise you are dealing with a terrible fake.
The interior C’s are very important! In very poor Chanel replicas you will see very strange stitching that is either too skinny or too fat. The bag on the right is an authentic Chanel’s stitching while the bag on the left is a superfake that gets it close enough (the camera’s angle for the photo makes it look a little strange however).
Depending on the production period of the bag a lighter or darker interior can be expected. What you should pay attention to inside the flap is the leather quality – if it seems fake or non-genuine leather then you are dealing with a bad replica my friends.
The interior hologram sticker is always a give away with a replica. Make sure to really pay attention to this if shopping on auction sites for a used authentic purse as the Chinese models usually have a standard number (10218184) that they use. However I have heard of cases of custom stickers being printed so once again be vigilant!
The hardware on the right is that of an authentic bag. The one on the left is the hardware of the superfake. As you can see both are equally well done. The heaviness of the hardware is a key giveaway to the authenticity of the bag. Once again many vintage pieces are coated with real gold for authentic Chanels, however their newer lines are not, and no replicas are coated with gold.
The fashionphile ad I used to compare the replica and authentic. As you can see the bag is going for $5250 on fashionphile, while the supefake cost 1/10th of that.
Overall I hope this guide is helpful and makes everyone a wiser shopper when looking for Chanel whether it be online or in person as you are looking to drop down a lot of money on these beauties so make sure it is worth it!
