Misinformed friend: "Authentic Chanel made in China"

Hurrem1001

Hurrem1001

O.G.
Mar 24, 2009
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#1
Ok. So went out with a friend last night, and happened to be chatting to her sister-in-law about Christmas. She tells me that she purchased a GENUINE Chanel bag for her daughter. Being me, and being genuinely interested, I ask her where she purchased it from. She tells me that her Mum went to China and purchased this bag from a factory for the excelllent price of $100! Yes...you read right, just one hundred dollars! So now I'm floored on two counts.

That blows my mind, and I try to tell her that as far as I'm aware Chanel only manufactures it's bags in France and Italy, She starts to get rather pissed off at me, and she tells me that being European (so am I btw) she happens to know that Chanel does NOT make it's goods in France and Italy, but that they are made at THIS factory in China only.

I'm so flabbergasted that I just nod at her, I won't even get into it with her about the price.....

So basically since I purchased the two absolutely beautiful, lovingly crafted Chanel bags that I have, I've found out that Chanel no longer makes its bags in France or Italy, but at this particular factory in China, and that they've also come waaaaaaaay down in price. I guess the recession must have hit Chanel hard!!!

What would you do in this instance?
 
#2
I guess she is just sh"tting around? If it is made in China, I would be so heartpain from the thousand over dollars I paid per bag for their lower cost of production and labor.
 
#3
I would do absolutely nothing. Unfortunately if she wants to be a misinformed consumer and isn’t open to learning the truth (ie. Getting pissed off at you for educating her), there is nothing that you can do. Let her have her “genuine” Chanel and you enjoy yours!

But if you’re talking about Chanel starting to be made in China….then I might consider switching brands. Unless Chanel lowers their prices drastically to reflect this change, they can count me as a customer lost. Even then though, I still have to reconsider.
 
#4
I overheard some news couple of years ago, says gucci (not sure) put a part of production overseas,like leather coloring/ cutting such things, when they ship those leather pieces back to Italy, they just sew them together with a little "made in Italy" plate attached at the last. according to the law, it is legal. But talking about whole production moving overseas but still says"made in france" on their bag, I don;t think Chanel would risk their reputation to do so.

If you have chance, take a close look of that "genuine"bag, then you can tell them the different of a real Chanel and a fake. There are tones of chanel look-alikes in the market but I v never seen a $100 bag looks as good as real chanel.
 
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#5
Seriously now, as far as I'm aware Chanel really does manufacture it's bags in France or Italy only, I was being sarcastic and venting in my thread title. She is just a 'misinformed consumer' as you said Karman. I'm just floored by her getting upset at me. Initially before I found out about 'China/Factory/$100' thing I thought "Wow! This woman spoils her daughter rotten!" I'd consider not touching Chanel too, if they really were selling their products from some factory in China at $100 a pop! But they're not, so fear not!

My Chanel bags are my holy grail, as a general rule they are way out of my price range unfortunately. If what this woman said was true, it would just blow me away!!! Bags cheaper than my Coco Madamoiselle???? I think not!
 
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#7
i know that there's 'Made in Italy' , 'Made in France' tag at Chanel bag n box. But seriously, when i read from news abt some other high fashion (i forgot which one) get their things sew at Asia country and then ship back to Italy or so, remove that 'Made in XXX' and replaced with 'Made in Italy', i think nothing is really impossible.

Just a finishing touch and the company perhaps can put 'Made in YY (Europe country)" to make consumers n their brands looks good.

Then again, even if theyare made in France or Italy, are those workers really the locals or they are engaged from another country. Time to ponder

As for $100...... i think the last thing Chanel wants to do is to sell their bags at $100 in China. So in this case, yr friend should know that maybbe something is amiss. Uneless perhaps its those defect items that are cleared off at lower price huh
 
#8
I've heard about designers having things sewn in an Asian country, then having the said items shipped to their European factories, finishing up the final touches, and then putting a 'made in Italy' or made in France' tag on, but I hadn't heard it about Chanel.

Also, I think that if Chanel were selling their 'seconds/defectives', surely these would be sold at the Chanel outlets, as opposed to a factory in China...
 
#9
Does she know that you cannot get authentic Chanel in China for that price? You should probably advise your friend that it's highly possible that her mum purchased a fake (without coming off haughty of course).

You are right, even if Chanel were selling their "seconds/defectives", it would be at authorized sellers such as the boutiques themselves or at high-end department stores. Chanel does not have factory outlets. The best price you would get is a sale price maybe 30% off.

As for the title of this thread, you can PM Nat to modify it, if you wish to. :smile:
 
#10
I have seen counterfeit Gucci and Chanel bags that were so close to the real thing that I was left speechless! They were in China too. I have the genuine items and so I could tell that the counterfeits were excellent. I felt pissed because the counterfeits were only a small fraction of what I had paid for the real thing. My friend bought the counterfeit Gucci and whenever we meet up and carry the same bag, she loves to tell everyone how she paid so little for the same thing. The only differences I could find were tiny buttons INSIDE the bag. On the outside, no one could tell the difference. Even the quality of the (logo embossed) leather of the counterfeit bag was just as rich and luxurious as the genuine one. It makes me wonder if the bags were originally manufactured in China and if there was pilferage.
 
#11
As far as I know the bags are still produced in Europe. When I was trying to purchase my lovely Jumbo in September, Chanel informed me that Jumbos were sold out worldwide. This was because of the fact that factories in France close for the entire month of August. The factories would start producing again in September. That's why the stores would have stock again end of September/begin of October.

I know that other brands manufacture in China, as far as I know Chanel is not (yet) one of those brands.

It kinda pisses me off that there are people proud of carrying a counterfeit and go around bragging that they paid so little for their counterfeits. Not only did I pay a whole lot of money to carry an authentic piece, the way the counterfeits are produced are often illegal or the funds gained from selling counterfeits are used to fund illegal activities.

I'm sorry to read that this girl reacted in the way you described. Anyone with a good set of brains would know that you would not be able to purchase a (new) authentic Chanel bag at the price of $ 100?!?!? My guess is there is only one Chanel factory in China: "the fake Chanel factory" But that's just my two cents...
 
#12
huggyhugz said:
I have seen counterfeit Gucci and Chanel bags that were so close to the real thing that I was left speechless! They were in China too. I have the genuine items and so I could tell that the counterfeits were excellent. I felt pissed because the counterfeits were only a small fraction of what I had paid for the real thing. My friend bought the counterfeit Gucci and whenever we meet up and carry the same bag, she loves to tell everyone how she paid so little for the same thing. The only differences I could find were tiny buttons INSIDE the bag. On the outside, no one could tell the difference. Even the quality of the (logo embossed) leather of the counterfeit bag was just as rich and luxurious as the genuine one. It makes me wonder if the bags were originally manufactured in China and if there was pilferage.
Click to expand...

Even if these counterfeits were "excellent", they are still counterfeit. If I had to option to buy an authentic Chanel for $2500, or a counterfeit that is IDENTICAL for $250, I'd still go for the authentic one. I would feel very guilty and wrong wearing a fake and bragging that it's real!
 
#13
karman said:
Even if these counterfeits were "excellent", they are still counterfeit. If I had to option to buy an authentic Chanel for $2500, or a counterfeit that is IDENTICAL for $250, I'd still go for the authentic one. I would feel very guilty and wrong wearing a fake and bragging that it's real!
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Well said! ITA!
 
#14
nighteyes said:
Does she know that you cannot get authentic Chanel in China for that price? You should probably advise your friend that it's highly possible that her mum purchased a fake (without coming off haughty of course).

You are right, even if Chanel were selling their "seconds/defectives", it would be at authorized sellers such as the boutiques themselves or at high-end department stores. Chanel does not have factory outlets. The best price you would get is a sale price maybe 30% off.

As for the title of this thread, you can PM Nat to modify it, if you wish to. :smile:
Click to expand...

I pm'd Nat, thanks for the advice! There actually are one or two Chanel outlets out there, I couldn't believe it at first! One's at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, NY. I've never been there, but I've heard varying opinions about it.
 
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#15
karman said:
Even if these counterfeits were "excellent", they are still counterfeit. If I had to option to buy an authentic Chanel for $2500, or a counterfeit that is IDENTICAL for $250, I'd still go for the authentic one. I would feel very guilty and wrong wearing a fake and bragging that it's real!
Click to expand...

She doesn't brag that it's real. She's actually very honest that she didn't get a genuine label. But she's proud that she got an "equally" good quality item at a fraction of the price. She's not into labels. To her, it's just a good quality leather bag. She thinks I'm silly to pay so much more. Hmpf!
 
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