That subreddit is an eye opener, for sure! After discovering it, I would honestly never buy a purse nor fine jewelry second hand.
Beware: Best faked bags in the market
- Thread starter LuxLover19
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If brands like Chanel and Celine actually maintained the quality of their bag production, the fakes wouldn’t even be an issue because the differences would be much more obvious. The only reason why brands like Chanel are so heavily faked in China right now is because they moved their manufacturing to China. There’s nothing really stopping the factory workers from giving the bags to replica factories for them to take apart and clone. China and other countries where super fakes are rampant don’t provide the same protection that European countries do against counterfeits. These brands made their own bed imo. There’s no reason why Chanel should be cheaping out on features like gold plating when bags are 10x the price of what they were when gold plating was still a thing.
Even high-end clothing brands like Max Mara have moved some of their production to China under the radar while charging exorbitant prices for their coats, it’s pretty sad.
Even high-end clothing brands like Max Mara have moved some of their production to China under the radar while charging exorbitant prices for their coats, it’s pretty sad.
I would still buy Chanel handbags from the secondhand market but I would get it authenticated first.
OMG this thread has been an eye opener! Thank you for starting it. I've been searching second hand because I know I will never make to pre-spend to get a Kelly from the boutique. Now I will never get one second hand either! I'm so glad that there is a forum on Reddit that allows talk of fake bags. I'll try to find it but if anyone is able to post even a "hint" or part of the name of the reddit forum I think it would be a public service to many people.
I have a Chanel jumbo caviar double flap, 10 years old, like new. I’ve thought for awhile I’d like to sell it and find a single flap in excellent condition. I’m too scared to do it on secondary market. I’d also like a new bag this spring, a tote, but the “22”, really?!? I have a Nike workout bag for the gym that I get constant compliments on! I should just be happy with that! I’m getting really disappointed by the state of high end bags. It’s also starting to feel like the “super fakes” care more about quality control. I don’t even want to talk about the price increases and the wait to get. I know this is Chanel but I would like a Hermes Evelyn 29, again won’t touch pre owned and have heard mixxed things about store availability. When did buying s handbag go from being a special, enjoyable experience to pure stress!!!
I agree wholeheartedly. I'll avoid my larger political gripe with the rampant offshoring that global, multibillion-dollar companies have embraced in the past few decades, but even if I focus purely on its impact on luxury fashion, the rise of "superfakes" is a prime example of the chickens coming home to roost. There is a perverse incentive when the personnel in your manufacturing department realize that--by taking home a factory-made bag, or by partnering with a counterfeiter--they can earn one year's salary from the sale of one counterfeit bag. I'm sure these companies knew that when considering their decision to move operations. Now, they're learning it anew.
Today someone posted that her fake Celine belt bag was verified as authentic by an online authentication service (can’t share the link, but she showed screenshot proof). Yikes.
Was it Entrupy? If so, there's a whole thread about how they're not reliable for authentication...
https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/entrupy-is-not-dependable.1006960/
Me too. I would be super selective about where on the secondhand market I purchase. I only trust (and have previously purchased from) Fashionphile and a few others who offer moneyback guarantees on authenticity. It makes me wonder what 3rd party authenticators they will honor. I know FP does their authentication in house. But now that I am aware of these crazy superfakes, I would feel better paying for a service after purchasing.
These women refer to their fakes/counterfeits as “replicas”. Hope that helps. Mods can delete this if not allowed!!
"Despite its lookalike packaging and seemingly high quality materials, this bag was the product of a sophisticated $22 million-plus counterfeit operation that was being carried out in France, right under the nose of the Hermès, the closely-guarded stalwart luxury brand known for its meticulously-crafted leather goods, silk scarves, and saddlery."
www.thefashionlaw.com
Europeans also make fakes and hellooo, guess where the best ones are made....
$20M Counterfeit Bust that Put Hermès Employees Under the Microscope
There was a sophisticated $22 million-plus counterfeit operation being carried out in France, right under the nose of the Hermès.
www.thefashionlaw.com
Europeans also make fakes and hellooo, guess where the best ones are made....
Wasn’t there a giant scandal a while back on their forum where they realized their Chanel flaps weren’t actually made of leather? 
That was hilarious.
That was hilarious.I missed that; most of the high end Chanels they buy are pretty identical. The girl who recently bought that $4,000 ostrich birkin someone mentioned in this thread apparently found out it’s stamped calfskin instead.Wasn’t there a giant scandal a while back on their forum where they realized their Chanel flaps weren’t actually made of leather?
What was that saying? "You get what you pay for."
