Originally Posted by MagzC

sorry its just the zip at the top is kinda wonky like theres a bend in it I dont know if thats counted as structural :S

Chanel won't do anything about that. The bag is still vintage, consider that a part of it's charm.

Sydney Chanel won't touch the bag unless it was bought directly from the boutique and it has to be under a year old

I am so sorry that This happend to you :( ! I can not help you with the authenticity , I'm sorry. I hope someone Will be able to help you!

Can you send it to Chanel overseas directly? I've never had a bag fixed by Chanel Australia, but I've had some costume jewellery fixed by them and not only is it expensive, but the quality was pretty poor.

It still has a serial sticker inside? I seriously wouldn't worry about anyone in Paris thinking it's a fake--remember--there's more than an ocean or two separating an SA in Sydney from the Chanel craftsmen in France. When you get it back from France, make sure you write a letter to the Sydney boutique encouraging them to provide their SAs with a little training about the brand and its history. Sheesh.

Originally Posted by smiley

Chanel won't do anything about that. The bag is still vintage, consider that a part of it's charm.

Haha I guess so its kinda adds to its personality thanks heaps smiley! :)

Originally Posted by pamelala06

Sydney Chanel won't touch the bag unless it was bought directly from the boutique and it has to be under a year old

oh I see :( no wonder.. I've been reading up on other TPFers getting their Vintage Chanels restored through Chanel Europe and America I thought maybe they would do the same here too :(

Originally Posted by Hm92

I am so sorry that This happend to you :( ! I can not help you with the authenticity , I'm sorry. I hope someone Will be able to help you!

haha thats ok thanks anyways :)

Originally Posted by KandyKane

Can you send it to Chanel overseas directly? I've never had a bag fixed by Chanel Australia, but I've had some costume jewellery fixed by them and not only is it expensive, but the quality was pretty poor.

Oh golly are you serious :S I hope it didn't look too bad :( thats a shame they give you undivided attention when you pay so much for beautiful pieces but they don't seem to want to know you after that :( I hope you got a refund or even if they offered to try and fix it again for you! Was your jewellery under one and bought from a boutique too or was it vintage? if you don't mind me asking just curious cos you hear from Europe and the States that Chanel fix all pieces new or vintage but strangely Australia don't? :( and in the states everyone has been saying its roughly under $270 for the whole package whereas here my friend got her bag restitched because the stitches came undone from her back pocket and the dye on the bottom faded (after 10 months of owning it) they quoted her $290 and plus if she wanted them to replace any hardware

Originally Posted by Shopping4One

It still has a serial sticker inside? I seriously wouldn't worry about anyone in Paris thinking it's a fake--remember--there's more than an ocean or two separating an SA in Sydney from the Chanel craftsmen in France. When you get it back from France, make sure you write a letter to the Sydney boutique encouraging them to provide their SAs with a little training about the brand and its history. Sheesh.

The serial sticker is still inside the pocket and intact all legible I thought that and the auth card would be all I needed but it doesn't seem so easy to get Vintage pieces fixed here compared to overseas. Thats a really good idea send it off to Paris myself ... sounds a bit silly but do you think thats allowed or will they tell me to go through a boutique? I'll have to do some further research see if it has been done and if they're willing to accept it.

**************** Thank you everyone for all your help you guys are amazing!! sorry for all the silly questions! Thanks for all your patience! I'll be taking it to Bondi (the only other Sydney store) to see what they say if that doesn't work I think i will just risk it and send it to Paris like Shopping4One said and see if they will accept it :) Fingers crossed :) Thanks a million again :) ***********************

so sorry for your experience! i think you should try to go back again and speak with someone else. Chanel does not require authenticity cards or booklets for repairs, let alone a receipt. They tell you to leave that stuff at home since they want only the bag. And even if you had purchased the back itself, they expect you to have a receipt on a vintage piece? Call ahead and ask to meet with a manager so you can avoid the SA's all together. And if you are still doubting your bag, repost it in the authenticate this forum just for your own, personal piece of mind :)

The bag and the card and booklet all looks legit, that SA probably never seen a vintage Chanel, for a bag almost 20 years old, it's card looks little rough I think is totally normal. Like any old credit card or ID card even if it's only 3 or 4 years old already look like that...

Originally Posted by shells

so sorry for your experience! i think you should try to go back again and speak with someone else. Chanel does not require authenticity cards or booklets for repairs, let alone a receipt. They tell you to leave that stuff at home since they want only the bag. And even if you had purchased the back itself, they expect you to have a receipt on a vintage piece? Call ahead and ask to meet with a manager so you can avoid the SA's all together. And if you are still doubting your bag, repost it in the authenticate this forum just for your own, personal piece of mind :)

thanks Shells :) I will be taking it to another Chanel where I am going to purchase a wallet and see if they'll hopefully help me ( :P seeing they'll be making a sale out of me haha) I have a feeling its probably because they're so use to seeing fakes that they don't want to accept any bags older than a few years they're not familiar with and the lady I went to asked me for everything except to look at the bag in detail which was odd

I just thought that Chanel SAs would be nicer and more helpful but maybe its because they would rather make a sale :(

Originally Posted by Silviawho

The bag and the card and booklet all looks legit, that SA probably never seen a vintage Chanel, for a bag almost 20 years old, it's card looks little rough I think is totally normal. Like any old credit card or ID card even if it's only 3 or 4 years old already look like that...

Thats true actually I never thought of that haha probably because I generally have my card and booklets all in the dust bag and never look at them again :P hahaha
I am still very surprised that the SAs don't know much about vintage Chanels.. i guess its understandable you can't know every product that ever came out but at least if she was nice about it It would of been completely different... but hopefully they're not as mean at the other store
in worse case scenario I might have to find a way to get Paris to accept it directly and send it there :S Fingers cross I don't have to!

********************Thanks for your advice to both of you :) Its so nice knowing people in this forum are so caring (sometimes people are so mean you wonder if theres any nice ppl left so thank you guys :))*******************

Keep it, there are so many great bag restorers out there and perhaps if you research around you might come across a reputable one. Since the SA said Chanel won't fix your bag, I guess there's no "worry" anymore whether Chanel will fix it in the future or not--so that gives you the liberty to try other non-Chanel refurbishers :)

In case you're OC about this though, you can try getting a second opinion from another Chanel store/SA. If they still deny you, sheesh, there are other bag repairers out there who would love to make your bag new again :)

Originally Posted by elibaby

Keep it, there are so many great bag restorers out there and perhaps if you research around you might come across a reputable one. Since the SA said Chanel won't fix your bag, I guess there's no "worry" anymore whether Chanel will fix it in the future or not--so that gives you the liberty to try other non-Chanel refurbishers :) In case you're OC about this though, you can try getting a second opinion from another Chanel store/SA. If they still deny you, sheesh, there are other bag repairers out there who would love to make your bag new again :)

Haha thanks Elibaby for the advice I went to a few leather repairers today from everyones advice and...

now I have a decision to make because its navy they said to get all looking new I will have to redye it when it rubs on light jeans or rains the dye will go everywhere and transfer onto my clothes :( the only way I can get it looking completely like new is if I dye it black :( Blue is my absolute favourite colour what do i do :S The only way to keep it navy seems to be going through to Chanel again :P dilemmas back to square one :P

Originally Posted by MagzC

Haha thanks Elibaby for the advice I went to a few leather repairers today from everyones advice and... now I have a decision to make because its navy they said to get all looking new I will have to redye it when it rubs on light jeans or rains the dye will go everywhere and transfer onto my clothes :( the only way I can get it looking completely like new is if I dye it black :( Blue is my absolute favourite colour what do i do :S The only way to keep it navy seems to be going through to Chanel again :P dilemmas back to square one :P

Well once we get the Chanel refurbishers out of the way you can opt to have it dyed navy but just be sure to wear dark jeans and clothes and when you do get tired of always finding the right clothes, then have it dyed black :)

Aren't there leather protectors that can "seal" in the color?

Originally Posted by elibaby

Well once we get the Chanel refurbishers out of the way you can opt to have it dyed navy but just be sure to wear dark jeans and clothes and when you do get tired of always finding the right clothes, then have it dyed black :) Aren't there leather protectors that can "seal" in the color?

ooooooo is there>>?? yay theres still hope :P thanks for that will google it now :)

I came in Chanel once to have my straps repaired. They took it in but the lady mentioned I should leave the authenticity card in it, probably for verification.

Originally Posted by *bubs

I came in Chanel once to have my straps repaired. They took it in but the lady mentioned I should leave the authenticity card in it, probably for verification.

Oh really? are you in Australia though? It seems its alot harder to get bags fixed here if they're older :S