Hermes scarf smell?

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mursepurse

mursepurse

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Feb 13, 2010
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#1
I bought a scarf from an auction and when I compare it to my other Hermes scarves, the smell just smells "off." And even the box smells weird. I'm really afraid that I bought a fake. And the size is different from my other scarf as well. But I heard that not all the scarves come in the same size? Can anyone chime in one this?

I'm not sure if I should take it to the Hermes store and ask them for their opinion? And if it's a fake would they take it away from me? I want to dispute it with the seller if I can prove it is indeed a fake. I have her name and phone number to dispute this if so.

Feeling bummed because I trusted the seller, she was so nice to me when we met to exchange the goods. And I shouldn't have let my guard down just because she was nice :sad: !!!!!!

Thanks for your help!!!!
 
#2
Odd smells could come from anywhere--where the scarf has been stored, etc., so I personally wouldn't rely on that to determine whether a scarf is authentic. As for the size--small discrepancies are not uncommon. I've seen, for example, photos of pairs of twillies (advertised at 32") that were slightly different lengths and both a bit longer than 33". Neither of these would make me think a scarf wasn't authentic on their own, unless I noticed something up with the hem, care tag, printing, etc.

Your best bet short of taking it to an authenticator is to compare it to an authentic version of the same scarf. Look especially at the quality of the printing--is yours fuzzier or less sharp? Note the copyright, name of scarf, artist, etc. and any discrepancies. There are often excellent photos of many scarves here in the forums that can serve as a reference if you use the search feature.
 
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#3
labelo said:
Odd smells could come from anywhere--where the scarf has been stored, etc., so I personally wouldn't rely on that to determine whether a scarf is authentic. As for the size--small discrepancies are not uncommon. I've seen, for example, photos of pairs of twillies (advertised at 32") that were slightly different lengths and both a bit longer than 33". Neither of these would make me think a scarf wasn't authentic on their own, unless I noticed something up with the hem, care tag, printing, etc.

Your best bet short of taking it to an authenticator is to compare it to an authentic version of the same scarf. Look especially at the quality of the printing--is yours fuzzier or less sharp? Note the copyright, name of scarf, artist, etc. and any discrepancies. There are often excellent photos of many scarves here in the forums that can serve as a reference if you use the search feature.
Click to expand...

Thank you for this message, I feel a little more relieved. I compared it to the pics online (it's a scarf that's sold on the Hermes website) and honestly the design is spot on. The only place that raises a red flag is really the edge stitching as it appears less "clean" as my other scarf. And when I compare the boxes, this box looks slightly different. The print is bolder for the writing inside the box that explains how to take care of your scarf :S

Are there usually discrepancies in font width in boxes like this?
 
#4
Others may have had a different experience but I have heard a store manager say that the only way to authenticate an H item is a receipt. Ask your seller for the receipt. I keep all of mine.
If you have any doubt, and it surely sounds like you do -- not unreasonably at all -- then return it. I hate to say this but friendliness can be a way of a seller attempting to prevent a return. Friendliness such as you describe. Think about if you try to resell the scarf down the road, will you be comfortable saying it's authentic? I don't think the seller will be quite as chummy when/if you want to return a scarf. Her friendliness is a way saying she's so nice she wouldn't ever sell a fake. I don't get that much friendliness from vendors as a rule, just courtesy. And that's all I want.
 
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#6
I honestly do not think any of the discrepancies you have mentioned are a red flag or lean toward a fake.
I also do not understand how a paper receipt can indicate that a scarf is a fake. No guarantee that the receipt actually belongs to the physical item.
fyi - Hermes changes boxes over time. I have many different ones....fonts are different...and the length of the sides are different.
I store my scarves in drawers....when I sell one I grap a box. The seller may do the same. The box may be from 1 month ago or 3 years ago.
So many reasons to give this seller the benefit of the doubt without jumping straight to....FAKE.
I would take @labelo ’s excellent advice above An have the scarf properly authenticated.
 
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#7
MAGJES said:
I honestly do not think any of the discrepancies you have mentioned are a red flag or lean toward a fake.
I also do not understand how a paper receipt can indicate that a scarf is a fake. No guarantee that the receipt actually belongs to the physical item.
fyi - Hermes changes boxes over time. I have many different ones....fonts are different...and the length of the sides are different.
I store my scarves in drawers....when I sell one I grap a box. The seller may do the same. The box may be from 1 month ago or 3 years ago.
So many reasons to give this seller the benefit of the doubt without jumping straight to....FAKE.
I would take @labelo ’s excellent advice above An have the scarf properly authenticated.
Click to expand...
I could not agree more: the box you got it in does not have to be the one the seller got it in, the receipt does not necessarily have to be from that piece of fabric (I even got handwritten ones that simply said "silk scarf, 325€". Even scarves I ordered online from H.com smell different every time (not the nice sublte perfume smell from the boutique), maybe this has to do with the different dyes. Usually I air them out some days and all is gone, preloved ones with heavy perfume smell (always a bummer) take some more TLC to be able to make it to my neck.
The rolling of the hems can be a bit inconsistent, so far I can see no red flags from your post.

If I were the seller and you would contact me because of doubts about authenticity I also might not be as bubbly and nice taking it back than selling it (one of the trills of the preloved market is getting to know other people excited about the same things I like as well) so I would not read too much into that either.
 
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#8
Thanks for this. Yes maybe it's not in the same box as the original scarf but she sold it to me as a "new" scarf with the tags still on it and the date of the receipt was from this summer. My other scarf I'm comparing to I also bought over the summer so I just figured the box design wouldn't have changed too much.

I will do as you suggested and get it authenticated
 
#10
mursepurse said:
Thanks for this. Yes maybe it's not in the same box as the original scarf but she sold it to me as a "new" scarf with the tags still on it and the date of the receipt was from this summer. My other scarf I'm comparing to I also bought over the summer so I just figured the box design wouldn't have changed too much.

I will do as you suggested and get it authenticated
Click to expand...

If the tags are on it (not the care tag, the actual H tag with the item code, color, etc.) I personally would feel even more confident. Not that those aren't able to faked, theoretically, but they require an extra step of individualization/falsification that doesn't seem common in the fake scarves you usually see. I do think getting it authenticated would be good for peace of mind, though.
 
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#11
Trust your instincts. I'd return this one and keep looking. There are so, so many lovely things to fall in love with. Unless it's a holy grail (then authenticate before purchase!), but those change with time, too.
 
#13
eagle1002us said:
Others may have had a different experience but I have heard a store manager say that the only way to authenticate an H item is a receipt. Ask your seller for the receipt. I keep all of mine.
If you have any doubt, and it surely sounds like you do -- not unreasonably at all -- then return it. I hate to say this but friendliness can be a way of a seller attempting to prevent a return. Friendliness such as you describe. Think about if you try to resell the scarf down the road, will you be comfortable saying it's authentic? I don't think the seller will be quite as chummy when/if you want to return a scarf. Her friendliness is a way saying she's so nice she wouldn't ever sell a fake. I don't get that much friendliness from vendors as a rule, just courtesy. And that's all I want.
Click to expand...
mursepurse said:
Yeah in her ad she had posted the receipt but she never gave me it. Red flag right there.
Click to expand...

A receipt can be faked and meaningless. Frankly, I am shocked that a SM opined that a receipt is the only evidence of authenticity.
 
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#14
MAGJES said:
I honestly do not think any of the discrepancies you have mentioned are a red flag or lean toward a fake.
I also do not understand how a paper receipt can indicate that a scarf is a fake. No guarantee that the receipt actually belongs to the physical item.
fyi - Hermes changes boxes over time. I have many different ones....fonts are different...and the length of the sides are different.
I store my scarves in drawers....when I sell one I grap a box. The seller may do the same. The box may be from 1 month ago or 3 years ago.
So many reasons to give this seller the benefit of the doubt without jumping straight to....FAKE.
I would take @labelo ’s excellent advice above An have the scarf properly authenticated.
Click to expand...
I think the point that the manager of the H boutique was making when she said a receipt is proof of item authenticity is that the name of the scarf on the receipt and the colorway should correspond to the scarf in question. That was her standard. It doesn't automatically mean that in the absence of a receipt the item is fake. Rather, it's likely to be an indicator of authenticity. I have sent copies of receipts to H buyers to reassure them that a bracelet they may not have seen is genuine. In one case the buyer then took the receipt and bracelet to the boutique and everything was fine. Sometimes the SAs don't know the styles of silver bracelets so the receipt is a help in looking up the bracelet in the store catalog.
 
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