It’s critical to purchase high-end fashion items from a reputable retailer because many replicas are floating around charging the same price for much lower quality.
And honestly, some of the fake bags have such excellent craftsmanship that it takes a thorough look-over by an expert to tell the difference between a real vs. fake Chanel bag.
It’s no guarantee that you’ll correctly identify an impressive knockoff from the real thing, but here are a few signs that should help you spot the obvious errors in replication.
There’s nothing worse than wasting hard-earned money on a fake fashion item if you can prevent it. So how can you spot a fake Chanel bag?
How to Spot a Fake Chanel Bag?
The Chanel brand is well-known all over the world, costing anywhere from $2000 to about $250,000 for one of their bags.
At the higher end, that’s the cost for a nice home in some places around the country. If you value fashion and are willing to pay for an authentic bag, you should get what you want and not a dupe.
Here are several factors that you should be aware of when trying to ensure that you have a genuine Chanel bag and not an imitation.
Consider the Whole Bag
Beware when you’re shopping for a Chanel bag online, and the seller has too much inventory of the same type of bag. Study the logo so that you will be able to recognize fakes.
Finally, be sure to study the brand because Chanel releases many kinds of designs, and some may deviate from the “rules,” and therefore, they may not apply to the bag in question.
This article emphasized details of the bags, which typically don’t change. The number one constant is that a Chanel bag will never be chapel or low quality. The thread, lead, and hardware will all be made with quality.
The Leather
Please pay attention to the leather because it is the first indication of whether the Chanel bag is real or fake.
Chanel uses top-shelf products, and the bag will be caviar skim or lambskin leather. If it’s the lambskin, it’ll feel velvety, incredibly smooth, and soft, and it has a slight sheen. If you’ve never purchased lambskin before, you’ll notice the difference right away.
So, if you run your hands over the bag and it feels smooth but not the softest, you might need to consider whether you have the real thing or not.
Also, fake leather, or pleather as it’s sometimes called, has an artificial shine and it has that plastic look and feel to it.
Caviar leather comes from grained calfskin. This is a sturdier leather than lambskin, and it is also more textured.
The most popular choice for Chanel handbags is the pebble finish. If you swipe your hand over the bag, you should feel the texture of the raised dimples.
Read Also: Why is Chanel so Expensive
Stitches
An authentic Chanel bag has numerous stitches, which prevents the quilting from getting puffed up. It’s easy to count the stitches along the outline of the diamonds on the panel.
You have a replica if you don’t count at least eight stitches, no more than twelve, on every side of the quilted diamond.
The newest Chanel bags have nine stitches on each side, while the vintage courses and bags have eight.
Nonetheless, there isn’t a Chanel purse in existence with fewer than eight stitches on every side. If you have a lower stitch count, the diamonds will be puffier than they should be, making it a fake.
It’s easier to research the specific bag that you want to see if you can compare and contrast between the pictures provided on the website.
Inner Lining
The inside lining is also constructed of high-quality leather. If you have a genuine Chanel purse, the flap bag, for example, the lining fits tightly; there shouldn’t be any slack whatsoever.
If you run your fingers over the lining, you’ll see how smooth, fitted, and luxurious it really feels. It’s buttery soft when it’s authentic.
If you get a bag and the lining has bubbles, wrinkles, creases, or any deformities, it isn’t an actual Chanel bag.
In short, they can charge that much because they make sure the bag is perfect; that includes the lining, which should be completely tight and smooth.
Even if it feels right when you get it, over time, it loosens; it’s probably not real.
CC Lock
The signature crossed C logo is the bread and butter of the Chanel brand. The logo is one of the first ways that someone will try to trick you into buying a fake purse.
If you see the logo, you may assume it looks good and take their word for it that the bag is genuine… DON’T!
If you have an original bag, the right “C” is the one that overlaps the left “C” when you look at the top of the emblem. Then at the bottom, the left “C” will be the one that overlaps.
The lock should have flat ends with slightly softened edges. You’ll often notice that fakes have sharp, squared edges, which isn’t how the proper CC logo appears. The logo should also be in the center and symmetrical.
Read Also: What are the Cheapest Chanel Bags
Quilting
Take note of how the quilted pattern looks when you close the flap or check the outside pocket. The diamonds should all still line up perfectly and not become misaligned.
This factor is one of the easiest ways to tell whether your bag is fake. The pattern must be consistent throughout.
Also, as leather gets older, it begins to stretch, making the pattern seem unaligned, but that’s after years of use. A brand new Chanel bag won’t do that.
Be sure to take excellent care of your bag, think of it as an investment that you want to preserve for as long as possible.
Also, don’t purchase a “used” Chanel bag that may have signs of wear and tear that you may assume are just from wearing it around when in actuality it’s just a fake.
Design
Check out the words “Paris” and “Chanel” on the backplate. The two words should have even spacing between them, and the font style should be consistent. The words should also be distinct and clear, and the size should be the same.
The “Chanel” word is written from front to back. If you spin the bag around, you should see the word “Chanel” on top and “Paris” along the bottom. Tiny details like this often go overlooked by those creating fake bags.
Chain Straps
The chains on the purse should be heavy and not hollow. If you can feel the weight of the chain, plus the silver or gold is smooth and doesn’t have dents and scratches, this is likely an authentic bag.
Additionally, the leather strap that winds between the chain should be stitched by hand and not a machine unless you purchased the jumbo flap bag. In this case, the leather was folded four times and then stitched down with a machine.
Light chain straps are bad news. Busted or faded gold or silver chains are bad news. Machine-stitched leather straps are bad news.
Read Also: What are Chanel Bags Made of
Back of the Lock
Check the back of the lock; it’s a rectangular-shaped backplate made from gold. It has two golden screws on either side. Remember that the House of Chanel uses screws that are star-shaped or flathead screws.
They cannot get unscrewed by any screwdriver except the custom tool used by the company. This is another way that the company tries to go the extra mile to separate their bags from replicas. If your bag has Philip screws, then it is not authentic.
Dust Bag
Perhaps you have a bag manufactured in the 2000s or later; then, the dust bag should be black. However, if your bag is from the ’80s and ’90s, then the bag is white.
Moreover, the material of a genuine Chanel dust bag is inscribed with a white-colored “Chanel” in the center, and it’s made out of stiff cotton.
If the inscription is off-white, off-center or the font is thinner; there is a chance that it’s counterfeit. At times the fake dust bag is so poorly made that the strings on the bag are made of shoelaces.
Authenticity Card
The numbers on the authenticity card are six to eight digits, and the numbers will be identical to the numbers on the sticker located inside the bag. The font of the numbers should all match well.
There’s a sticker shaped like a horseshoe inside, and it will have the serial number. Additionally, there’s a round hologram sticker located in the upper right-hand corner on the authentic sticker.
Moreover, the genuine card will measure 8.5 cm in length and 5.4 cm in height. The card should be pristine with no misprints, nothing illegible, or smudges. If any one of these things is present, it will indicate a fake authenticity card.
The golden border should not be easy to scratch off or damage. The frame should be crisp, neat, and clean throughout.
The weight of the card is another way to vet whether or not a card is authentic. A real car will be heavy like plastic.
Fake cards tend to be light, feel like cardboard, and are cheap.
Read Also: Where is Chanel Made
Bag Can’t Stand Upright When Unsupported
Every Chanel Flap Bag, after completion, will keep its structural shape when at rest. The rounded corners should rest on the surface and sit up firmly when the bag is set down.
If the bag falls down or even tilts, the Chanel bag is fake.
The Brand Stamp Isn’t the Same Color as the Hardware
Inside of all Chanel bags is a brand stamp engraved directly on the lining or perhaps on an attached leather patch.
What’s more, the brand stamp is the same color as the bag and its hardware. More specifically, a silver hardware bag should have a silver brand, and the same goes for a bag with gold hardware.
On another note, the metallic leafing tends to rub off with an authentic Chanel bag. This occurrence can cause the brand stamp to change color or disappear altogether.
However, this is only common with vintage bags that have been worn and used profusely.
Check Measurements
You can use authentic bags to pair with the bag in question to see whether or not the bag is fake. Counterfeit bags will not have the exact dimensions as original bags.
Of course, this is only possible if you have access to the authentic version of the bag in question. However, you can search the required dimensions of the bag to verify whether the bag in question meets the requirements.
The Grommets
The Grommets are the name of the metal rings that a bag’s chain strap goes through. The machine that assembles the grommets does it so that they are hard to duplicate.
The craftsmanship is so good that you won’t feel an edge or a ridge if you rub your fingers across the grommets.
People who manufacture fake bags have not yet figured out how to duplicate this detail.
Read Also: Chanel Price Increase in 2022
Zippers
For over two decades, Chanel has used Lampo metal-tooth zippers. These zippers are quite expensive. Those who seriously and legitimately restore bags will only seek to use these.
Counterfeiters are a lot less likely to pay full price for these zippers, so for the Lampo logo located on the back of the zipper slider.
Final Thoughts on a Real vs Fake Chanel Bag
Chanel bags are some of the most luxurious when it comes to the handbag market. Moreover, its popularity worldwide creates the industry for replica purses because of the heavy demand.
Still, telling a fake Chanel purse from the authentic is relatively simple, especially if you know what you’re looking for.
At first glance, it may be difficult to tell them apart, but once you begin to examine the product closely, it should become apparent.
Be mindful that imitators have to compromise on quality, which is often reflected in the details of the purse.
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