1. Chanel and Hermes are actually doing really well in their sales numbers. Much of this has to do with China
2. I am of the minority opinion that chanel quality has not really decreased as dramatically as many on the forum allege. I’ve owned bags since 1990, and purchased them since about 2001. Vintage is considered better quality bc there were fewer bags in production; women who owned them didn’t use them everyday; and, they weren’t subject to microscopic examination. I personally prefer lambskin to caviar, and think it gets better with age. In 1990, I had to take a mini belt bag to chanel repair maybe five times bc the clasp kept breaking under the weight of the empty bag. Chanel finally had to Herry rig a solution for me. This perhaps adversely colored my view re chanel quality.
3. obviously there are some bags that are terrible, made with bonded leather etc. I used to like the bags lined in fabric (seasonals) bc they were lighter. I don’t think chanel bags are particularly high quality compared to some of the hand stitched ones at Hermes and compared to the ones hand made by smaller artisan shops. Chanel bags are machine stitched in assembly line, in Italian factories. But, I do think the indignation over quality has sky rocketed bc prices have reached the stratosphere. Re tanner leatherstein, I’m not sure how many big brands would pass his tests.
4. I believe there are articles re Chanel and Hermes articficially restricting production to keep demand and value high
5. Chanel markets to influencers IMO to drive aspirational sales to younger customers. They sell cosmetics and other first floor merchandise to customers who cannot afford or who do not wish to spend for a bag or RTW. And chanel beauty is an enormous business bc even in recession, there will be people who don’t want to spend for a bag who will buy a nail polish or fragrance or some such.
6. chanel stopping production of items with exotics or fur IMO is white washing. Z they get the credit for being more PC and they are pushing up the price point of textile and synthetic bags. I think it might als9 be possible that chanel didnt have as much access to top quality hides or sources for fur, but I’m just guessing here. My chanel SA has said to me that chanel now thinks their shearling or boucle is like fur (And prices it accordingly). Having said that there are some great deals on exotic chanel bags at resale.
note: in a recent article in financial times re chanel not looking to IPO, one factoid stood out for me. 2% of Chanel’s top clients account for 40% of sales revenue. Chanel is predominantly a fashion house. fashion houses consider bags as accessories, and not as important as RTW. Chanel simply doesn’t care as much about satisfying their bag clients. Although there is a quota for bags, I have Been told that exceptions are made for VVIPs. It’s very unlikely that a perosn who buys chanel RTW season after season would be limited to two bags.
there are many threads that touch upon all of your questions. Like this one
forum.purseblog.com
IMO, if you really want a chanel bag, go for it. Hermes and chanel tend to hold value better than other choices.
if you buy reseller, get it authenticated; buy from a reputable reseller that accepts returns; pay with PayPal backed with Amex; and choose carefully. The CF holds better value than the reissue. But I am a reissue person. The mini may still be relatively well priced. Other brands have lovely bags. I also recommend the loewe mini puzzle.
Other TPFers are very well versed on current chanel bags. I would recommend reading posts by @nat74 and @jimmyshoogirl. If you want to be thoroughly disenchanted with many big brands, @TraceySH is intimately familiar with all of them, esp. chanel. The search function can be useful here too. Good luck And happy shopping!
ETA: I’ve had outstanding luck with bags like the striped metallic from years ago and the so black mini chevron reissue. I’m not easy on my bags, but others have had terrible misfortune. I adore a micro stingray boy bag that I picked up at resale for a reasonable price. so this is simply JMO.
Also, chanel is simply really big business. Arguably premier brands that are this big cannot, by definition, create truly luxurious product. They have to pay for big advertising campaigns and expensive boutiques.
I love some chanel items (mainly RTW) but I doubt that I would spend 10K for a bag today. Chanel jewelry, a diamond ring, at the boutique, costs less than a CF or a jacket. I found that to be somewhat crazy. here’s a pic I took trying on the ring with some girlfriends. It was under 10K USD and more sparklyIRL than in my crappy pic. ( incidentally my SA also thought that was somewhat remarkable too)
2. I am of the minority opinion that chanel quality has not really decreased as dramatically as many on the forum allege. I’ve owned bags since 1990, and purchased them since about 2001. Vintage is considered better quality bc there were fewer bags in production; women who owned them didn’t use them everyday; and, they weren’t subject to microscopic examination. I personally prefer lambskin to caviar, and think it gets better with age. In 1990, I had to take a mini belt bag to chanel repair maybe five times bc the clasp kept breaking under the weight of the empty bag. Chanel finally had to Herry rig a solution for me. This perhaps adversely colored my view re chanel quality.
3. obviously there are some bags that are terrible, made with bonded leather etc. I used to like the bags lined in fabric (seasonals) bc they were lighter. I don’t think chanel bags are particularly high quality compared to some of the hand stitched ones at Hermes and compared to the ones hand made by smaller artisan shops. Chanel bags are machine stitched in assembly line, in Italian factories. But, I do think the indignation over quality has sky rocketed bc prices have reached the stratosphere. Re tanner leatherstein, I’m not sure how many big brands would pass his tests.
4. I believe there are articles re Chanel and Hermes articficially restricting production to keep demand and value high
5. Chanel markets to influencers IMO to drive aspirational sales to younger customers. They sell cosmetics and other first floor merchandise to customers who cannot afford or who do not wish to spend for a bag or RTW. And chanel beauty is an enormous business bc even in recession, there will be people who don’t want to spend for a bag who will buy a nail polish or fragrance or some such.
6. chanel stopping production of items with exotics or fur IMO is white washing. Z they get the credit for being more PC and they are pushing up the price point of textile and synthetic bags. I think it might als9 be possible that chanel didnt have as much access to top quality hides or sources for fur, but I’m just guessing here. My chanel SA has said to me that chanel now thinks their shearling or boucle is like fur (And prices it accordingly). Having said that there are some great deals on exotic chanel bags at resale.
note: in a recent article in financial times re chanel not looking to IPO, one factoid stood out for me. 2% of Chanel’s top clients account for 40% of sales revenue. Chanel is predominantly a fashion house. fashion houses consider bags as accessories, and not as important as RTW. Chanel simply doesn’t care as much about satisfying their bag clients. Although there is a quota for bags, I have Been told that exceptions are made for VVIPs. It’s very unlikely that a perosn who buys chanel RTW season after season would be limited to two bags.
there are many threads that touch upon all of your questions. Like this one
Chanel’s Rise & STALL: Defects, Difficulties & Deflection (formerly the 19 tote saga thread)
“Lastly, and this is not directed at any one person, please educate yourselves on the distinct difference between “Made In…” and “100% Made In…”. Insert whatever country you want. There is a huge difference.” 100% agree, Companies are pretty creative now days. It’s a global market to find the...
forum.purseblog.com
IMO, if you really want a chanel bag, go for it. Hermes and chanel tend to hold value better than other choices.
if you buy reseller, get it authenticated; buy from a reputable reseller that accepts returns; pay with PayPal backed with Amex; and choose carefully. The CF holds better value than the reissue. But I am a reissue person. The mini may still be relatively well priced. Other brands have lovely bags. I also recommend the loewe mini puzzle.
Other TPFers are very well versed on current chanel bags. I would recommend reading posts by @nat74 and @jimmyshoogirl. If you want to be thoroughly disenchanted with many big brands, @TraceySH is intimately familiar with all of them, esp. chanel. The search function can be useful here too. Good luck And happy shopping!
ETA: I’ve had outstanding luck with bags like the striped metallic from years ago and the so black mini chevron reissue. I’m not easy on my bags, but others have had terrible misfortune. I adore a micro stingray boy bag that I picked up at resale for a reasonable price. so this is simply JMO.
Also, chanel is simply really big business. Arguably premier brands that are this big cannot, by definition, create truly luxurious product. They have to pay for big advertising campaigns and expensive boutiques.
I love some chanel items (mainly RTW) but I doubt that I would spend 10K for a bag today. Chanel jewelry, a diamond ring, at the boutique, costs less than a CF or a jacket. I found that to be somewhat crazy. here’s a pic I took trying on the ring with some girlfriends. It was under 10K USD and more sparklyIRL than in my crappy pic. ( incidentally my SA also thought that was somewhat remarkable too)
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