Calling all 2012 Nanos... I think my Fashionphile nano is fake

[iconic321]

I'm not asking for authentication help (I know the Celine sub doesn't have any authenticators) but I am looking to commiserate/vent and I guess call out to all nano bag owners that have a 2012 bag. I recently bought two bags from Fashionphile, (i) smooth calfskin nano from 2014 and (ii) drummed calfskin nano from 2012.

While both bags are BEAUTIFUL and I didn't suspect a thing initially, a tiny detail caught my eye which got me searching for authentication tips. The rings on the lobster clasp holding the strap on these two bags are made differently. I know Celine has made a lot of little tweaks to the design throughout the years and it appears that the clasp design has evolved. However, what I found never changed was the etching on the nose of the zipper pull and the dimensions of the bag.

The 2012 bag I received does not have any markings on the nose of the zipper pull and the size is slightly smaller than normal. I even pulled out a magnifying glass and enlisted my husband's help to look for the etch on the zipper and it doesn't appear to have any markings whatsoever. Additionally, the dimensions of the bag itself is smaller and more compact than what the style is known to possess. The 2012 bag is 7.75" tall and not 8" tall. I suppose the dimensions could be explained by the age of the bag and the softness of the leather... What I can't explain is the lack of etching on the nose of the zipper

Its silly but I'm so sad by this! I love fashionphile and I used to feel so confident in their products that this has really shaken me.

 

[gettinpurseonal]

I have received fakes from Fashionphile. I have purchased a lot of bags from them. Definitely get authentication. Also, when I returned one of my fakes, they relisted it and it took me a month of phone calls and emails to try to get them to remove it. Although it’s possible they just sold it to somebody else.

 

[gettinpurseonal]

Regarding above, I made a post here along with very detailed photos of the fake bag in my possession next to an authentic bag, as well as screen shots of the original listing. They have also sent me the incorrect bag, labeled bags with incorrect size on several occasions, sent me someone else’s bag which the person had sent to them to try to sell, as well as labeling a bag as a Hermes Kelly 32, but when I bought it, it was actually a 35. Then they refused to send me the correct label for the Hermes box unless I sent the bag back. Of course, I didn’t send it back, as I figured I would never see it again (I decided to keep it anyway), nor did they provide any refund credit for incorrect pricing.

 

[IntheOcean]

For what it's worth, I saw a 2013 Nano with the same hardware as your black one on Yoogi's, and as far as I know, they're a little bit more careful with authenticating their merchandise. So I don't think it necessarily means one or two of your bags are fake. You can also search on web.archive.org for the photos from the Celine website in the years your bags are from and look at the hardware.

But, Fashionphile is not, unfortunately, very trustworthy and diligent where authenticating is concerned. As others have mentioned, there have been multiple instances of them getting caught selling fakes.

You might want to google (and use the search function here on the forums) authenticating agencies who are good with Celine and get a statement from them.

 

[cerulean blue]

I'm sad but not surprised. When a lot of these secondhand sites get bigger, their authentication gets worse and sloppy in favor of high turnover and meeting sale projections.

Authentication has become a lost talent/skill in itself with big consignment sites doing poor jobs (having unskilled people do authentication), and resale platforms that allow fakes to slip through quality control, or make false claims about the item being authentic on the listing, when the photos blatantly show its a fake.

imo, at this point, whenever buying from a secondhand site, definitely get a (or multiple) trusted authenticators to check your item, just to be extra extra sure.

 

[Egel]

It's not just the authentication that is slippery. Once a bag is deemed authentic, nobody authenticates the returns. There must be people that just buy the real deal and return a fake. If a return is being send in, mostly they will go through the hands of a minimum wage worker who knows nothing or doesn't care about the goods.

 

[gettinpurseonal]

P.S. Please don’t panic. I realize my post may have elicited an anxious reaction. I didn’t mean to imply your bag isn’t authentic - as always with any second hand bag, just get it authenticated to be certain. I have also purchased a Celine nano from Fashionphile that is absolutely beautiful, among many other authentic bags from there. Sometimes bags do come with different hardware or somebody replaces the hardware, or there are models we never knew existed.

For example, I always read about how heavy the micro luggage tote is, and the suede lining. My orage (blue) luggage is not heavy and it’s lined with microfiber. I bought another micro tote in Souris, and it’s heavy and lined with suede. It turns out the blue tote is a much older version and even has a different lighter drummed baby calf skin.

 

[iconic321]

Honestly the return policy is what keeps me buying from Fashionphile - albeit now with more care and some reluctance. I am not stuck with this bag and I will return it. Whether or not its authentic is up for debate based on the zipper hardware (everything else checks out) that its not worth it to me to keep the bag with this lingering doubt in my mind. I suppose this was a wakeup call for me since I used to wholly trust Fashionphile's authentication process and now I see this complete trust in their process was misplaced.

 

[gettinpurseonal]

I agree that their return policy gives me peace of mind. After several bad experiences, including UPS forging my signature with some strange name and not delivering my items (including a Hermès, Birkin, a Kelly (which was later found), and some jewelry (never located), I stopped buying from them for a year. However, I recently caved and bought another Chanel flap. Thankfully it arrived, although the condition was NOT accurately disclosed. It had huge lumps on either side of the bag where it looks like someone had stored an umbrella at the bottom. Fashionphile photos were taken at such an angle that it did not depict this damage. I plan to keep the bag because I used a blow dryer to iron out some of the dents and it is an unusual bag to find anywhere. Here is the bottom of the bag after using a blow dryer to warm the leather and soften the giant bulge that used to prodtrude. I wish I had thought to take a before photo.

 

[jmc3007]

The 2012 bag I received does not have any markings on the nose of the zipper pull and the size is slightly smaller than normal. I even pulled out a magnifying glass and enlisted my husband's help to look for the etch on the zipper and it doesn't appear to have any markings whatsoever. Additionally, the dimensions of the bag itself is smaller and more compact than what the style is known to possess. The 2012 bag is 7.75" tall and not 8" tall. I suppose the dimensions could be explained by the age of the bag and the softness of the leather... What I can't explain is the lack of etching on the nose of the zipper
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The changeover for zipper marks took place around 2012-13 when they went from unmarked to Roman numeral 1. Zippers aren’t the only thing, there’s a number of other signs to look for as well. Best to engage A4U to authenticate or return to FP. Re sizing, all their bags were crafted using metric system as the US is one of v few countries still using imperial. best if you get out tape measure with metric instead of using conversion which is only an approximation. FYI nano is 20cmx20cmx10cm

 

[MidlifeFashionPrincess]

I am so glad you posted this. I bought a 2011 Luggage Nano from Vestiaire Collective and it is giving me fits. Initially, I thought something was wrong but decided I was just being silly. The seller bought it previously from VC, so VC has authenticated it twice.

I can sort of write off everything except the size difference. I just posted about it this morning in a separate thread (I just found this one).

My concerns:

• dimensions 7.5 x 7.75 x 3.5 (or 19 x 19.5 x 7.5 cm)
• No number on the nose of the zipper (but jmc3007 comment above makes me less worried about this).
• The heat stamp is flat, feels painted not stamped
• Poor stitching (some has pulled out kind of) (maybe a combination of age and mishandling)
• Chipped paint (maybe to be expected in old bag)
• Looks kind of flat when compared to new in boutique (also, maybe age)

I noticed that your stamp looks just like mine. There is no stamped texture to it. I was just about to order an authentication from Real Authentication, but that too gives me heartburn. People here on tPF have had problems with them. I have no idea who to go to.

If anyone has a pre-2013 bag and could measure it, I think that would help iconic321 and I a bunch.

iconic321 --Where do we go from here??

Other than that, I love the bag. I just want to know that it is authentic.

 

[MidlifeFashionPrincess]

Well la-dee-da, didn't I get a good idea! I called Celine and spoke with a lovely customer service rep. She she she gets this question frequently. As soon as she told me that it wasn't uncommon for bags to be slightly off (as were the Hermes bags when she worked there), it all unfolded in my pea brain.

These bags are hand crafted from start to finish, so of course they are not going to be perfect. She said measurements up to one half inch are not terribly uncommon.

She also cleared up another question I had. All nano luggages are either smooth or drummed, never pebbled. I figured mine was drummed. It has clearly seen some action, yet the body shape is good. I don't know who all cares about that, but I was interested. There's there's the answer!

These are top of the line artisans, but at the end of the day, folks are folks.

 

[jmc3007]

I am so glad you posted this. I bought a 2011 Luggage Nano from Vestiaire Collective and it is giving me fits. Initially, I thought something was wrong but decided I was just being silly. The seller bought it previously from VC, so VC has authenticated it twice.

I can sort of write off everything except the size difference. I just posted about it this morning in a separate thread (I just found this one).

My concerns:

• dimensions 7.5 x 7.75 x 3.5 (or 19 x 19.5 x 7.5 cm)
• No number on the nose of the zipper (but jmc3007 comment above makes me less worried about this).
• The heat stamp is flat, feels painted not stamped
• Poor stitching (some has pulled out kind of) (maybe a combination of age and mishandling)
• Chipped paint (maybe to be expected in old bag)
• Looks kind of flat when compared to new in boutique (also, maybe age)

I noticed that your stamp looks just like mine. There is no stamped texture to it. I was just about to order an authentication from Real Authentication, but that too gives me heartburn. People here on tPF have had problems with them. I have no idea who to go to.

If anyone has a pre-2013 bag and could measure it, I think that would help iconic321 and I a bunch.

iconic321 --Where do we go from here??

Other than that, I love the bag. I just want to know that it is authentic. View attachment 4936563View attachment 4936569View attachment 4936571View attachment 4936572View attachment 4936573View attachment 4936576View attachment 4936583View attachment 4936584

I’d pay to have it authenticated, I saw several red flags. Dimensions shouldn’t be off by 2.5cm on its depth (7.5 vs 10cm) among other things.

 

[IntheOcean]

Well la-dee-da, didn't I get a good idea! I called Celine and spoke with a lovely customer service rep. She she she gets this question frequently. As soon as she told me that it wasn't uncommon for bags to be slightly off (as were the Hermes bags when she worked there), it all unfolded in my pea brain.

These bags are hand crafted from start to finish, so of course they are not going to be perfect. She said measurements up to one half inch are not terribly uncommon.

She also cleared up another question I had. All nano luggages are either smooth or drummed, never pebbled. I figured mine was drummed. It has clearly seen some action, yet the body shape is good. I don't know who all cares about that, but I was interested. There's there's the answer!

These are top of the line artisans, but at the end of the day, folks are folks.

I second jmc3007's advice to have this bag authenticated. Celine is faked so often and so 'well', the Luggage especially so. Read the reviews before choosing the service, though. Not everyone who claims they know a brand is actually good at authenticating it.

 

[MidlifeFashionPrincess]

I’d pay to have it authenticated, I saw several red flags. Dimensions shouldn’t be off by 2.5cm on its depth (7.5 vs 10cm) among other things.

AUGH!! I was finally feeling good about it. I think it is a lot off also, but was comforted by the Celine employee. May I ask what other red flags got your attention? Was it the things I mentioned, or others?