My professor told me Chanel bags are all made in China but assembled in Europe?

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#361
VernisCerise said:
I always wondered why Victoria Beckham didn't have many Chanels. It might be that it is not her taste, or she knows ins and outs of the brand.
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I have noticed that since she has been promoting her own brand, she hardly ever uses the others (Hermes, Chanel, etc.). But every designer coming into this business must want to maximize profits so she must know some secrets if only for that reason.

There was an article a while back on Dailymail.com about the cost of producing her dresses, where and the exhorbitant mark-up when it hits the stores. Of course no one will confirm the story but there might be some truth. Sadly, this is not limited to any particular designer. We just need to be in the know and make our choices accordingly ;)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...End-factory-Posh-frocks-stars-snap-1-500.html
 
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#362
HADASSA said:
I have noticed that since she has been promoting her own brand, she hardly ever uses the others (Hermes, Chanel, etc.). But every designer coming into this business must want to maximize profits so she must know some secrets if only for that reason.

There was an article a while back on Dailymail.com about the cost of producing her dresses, where and the exhorbitant mark-up when it hits the stores. Of course no one will confirm the story but there might be some truth. Sadly, this is not limited to any particular designer. We just need to be in the know and make our choices accordingly ;)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...End-factory-Posh-frocks-stars-snap-1-500.html
Click to expand...

Thanks Hadassa for sharing this article, and from what I have heard about VB and money, I have no intention of buying any of her 'creations'.

Her dresses being "a popular feature of the red carpet, worn by stars including Demi Moore, Eva Longoria..." is not surprising. Many of these 'stars' don't pay the ridiculous price tags, they get them as gifts to advertise them.
 
#363
Chanbal said:
Thanks Hadassa for sharing this article, and from what I have heard about VB and money, I have no intention of buying any of her 'creations'.

Her dresses being "a popular feature of the red carpet, worn by stars including Demi Moore, Eva Longoria..." is not surprising. Many of these 'stars' don't pay the ridiculous price tags, they get them as gifts to advertise them.
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not only they get it for free, but also they get paid for wearing these dresses)
 
#364
impulsive said:
I have a friend who used to buy a lot of Chanel jewelry and sunglasses for years. A couple of years ago she noticed that that the newer pieces she was buying were breaking or having some issue. She was having to take these pieces in for repair. Very frustrated, she asked her SA, "what's up with the new junk!" Her SA's response, "don't buy sunglasses or jewelry anymore, as these are now made elsewhere." And they have had numerous complaints about these pieces!
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This is why I cannot pull the trigger on Chanel Jewellery - I just cannot see the value when you read how people lose stones from them etc & to me the quality is so poor for the price tag. I rather put that money towards some Tiffany pieces that are well made. The only thing I would maybe weaken for is a tiny pair of CC studs & "maybe" a brooch but as I dont like putting brooches on my clothing (leaving tiny holes) that is unlikely. Every time I go to the boutique and look at the jewellery and touch it I think it is just way overpriced for the quality (or lack of).
 
#365
Waited, lusted for and finally received a brand new black patent mini...the flap was literally crooked, as in higher on one side over the other - it was blatant. I returned( the SA said yep it,s crooked) and could not bring myself to request another one, between this thread and all the other negativity , I may move over with a few others to the jewelry form. Don't mean to sound"whiny" but I really wanted this little bag. Was it really made in mass and produced in some under developed country? Who knows, but my antenna is up on this brand.
 
#366
HADASSA said:
I have noticed that since she has been promoting her own brand, she hardly ever uses the others (Hermes, Chanel, etc.). But every designer coming into this business must want to maximize profits so she must know some secrets if only for that reason.

There was an article a while back on Dailymail.com about the cost of producing her dresses, where and the exhorbitant mark-up when it hits the stores. Of course no one will confirm the story but there might be some truth. Sadly, this is not limited to any particular designer. We just need to be in the know and make our choices accordingly ;)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...End-factory-Posh-frocks-stars-snap-1-500.html
Click to expand...


Thank you for sharing this article Hadassa. I guess when they add up shipping, designer wages, sample making, website support, taxes, marketing costs to support the brand, production of fashion shows, those free dresses for celebrities and mark up by retail stores about 50% or more, than the final price appears.
I did find several confussions. First of, she's not an haute couture designer. Then the seamstresses are still paid a decent amount. And lastly, factories do look like that in real life. Fashion is not all glamorous. So I don't know how credible this article is.
However, she's producing her garments in the UK, unlike other brands who do in Asia and sell as it was made in Europe.
 
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#367
This has been a timely thread for me! I had been browsing pre-owned flaps, considering buying new, or a new GST...just undecided and thinking. I had a brown flap in my wish list on the yoogis site, all the while reading this thread over the last few days. Then, yoogies added another 15% off sale items, and it was another $300 off. I bought it! It's a '89-'90 bag and in gently used condition, about 1/5 of a new one, and has that really shiny gold hardware. I think I read on this thread that from that time frame, it was gold plated? I think a brown flap is a little different, which I like, and will go nicely in my wardrobe. I love my gold Hermes Evelyn, and I already have a black Medallion and black WOC, so another brown seemed perfect.

Regardless of where it's made, I do have to say, quality across the board seems to be declining my experience. So, I think my new hobby is vintage shopping! I sold a brand new LV Metis Pochette due to lame quality, but my 20 year old Epi Noe is fantastic! I have a 1980's garden party that I love. But, I do have to say, I bought my Evelyn brand new from a boutique and I have no complaints. Well, actually, now that I think of it, the strap latch sometimes comes undone it's fallen off my body. Oh, well, I do love that bag! That said, I think I'm done buying new bags at full price. I mean, look at this beauty!
 

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#368
KimTX said:
This has been a timely thread for me! I had been browsing pre-owned flaps, considering buying new, or a new GST...just undecided and thinking. I had a brown flap in my wish list on the yoogis site, all the while reading this thread over the last few days. Then, yoogies added another 15% off sale items, and it was another $300 off. I bought it! It's a '89-'90 bag and in gently used condition, about 1/5 of a new one, and has that really shiny gold hardware. I think I read on this thread that from that time frame, it was gold plated? I think a brown flap is a little different, which I like, and will go nicely in my wardrobe. I love my gold Hermes Evelyn, and I already have a black Medallion and black WOC, so another brown seemed perfect.



Regardless of where it's made, I do have to say, quality across the board seems to be declining my experience. So, I think my new hobby is vintage shopping! I sold a brand new LV Metis Pochette due to lame quality, but my 20 year old Epi Noe is fantastic! I have a 1980's garden party that I love. But, I do have to say, I bought my Evelyn brand new from a boutique and I have no complaints. Well, actually, now that I think of it, sometimes the strap latch sometimes comes undone it's fallen off my body. Oh, well, I do love that bag! That said, I think I"m done buying new bags at full price.
Click to expand...


Congrats on new to you flap! I absolutely agree with you, I'm moving to vintage too. I still love Chanel, but not their current way of doing business.
 
#369
VernisCerise said:
Congrats on new to you flap! I absolutely agree with you, I'm moving to vintage too. I still love Chanel, but not their current way of doing business.
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My new Damier Compact Zippy is wonky from LV. It's not a smooth zip, it catches on one of the corners. I sold my Metis due to a funky clasp that sometimes stuck, and it was getting a strange fold on the bottom after only about a month. Too late to return both items, though.

However, I also bought 2 pre-owned Hermes Dogon wallets this past month, one regular and one compact, and while they are old, they are oh so luxurious. I love them to the moon and back!
 
#370
KimTX said:
This has been a timely thread for me! I had been browsing pre-owned flaps, considering buying new, or a new GST...just undecided and thinking. I had a brown flap in my wish list on the yoogis site, all the while reading this thread over the last few days. Then, yoogies added another 15% off sale items, and it was another $300 off. I bought it! It's a '89-'90 bag and in gently used condition, about 1/5 of a new one, and has that really shiny gold hardware. I think I read on this thread that from that time frame, it was gold plated? I think a brown flap is a little different, which I like, and will go nicely in my wardrobe. I love my gold Hermes Evelyn, and I already have a black Medallion and black WOC, so another brown seemed perfect.

Regardless of where it's made, I do have to say, quality across the board seems to be declining my experience. So, I think my new hobby is vintage shopping! I sold a brand new LV Metis Pochette due to lame quality, but my 20 year old Epi Noe is fantastic! I have a 1980's garden party that I love. But, I do have to say, I bought my Evelyn brand new from a boutique and I have no complaints. Well, actually, now that I think of it, the strap latch sometimes comes undone it's fallen off my body. Oh, well, I do love that bag! That said, I think I'm done buying new bags at full price. I mean, look at this beauty!
Click to expand...

Congrats on your beautiful brown flap.

VernisCerise said:
Congrats on new to you flap! I absolutely agree with you, I'm moving to vintage too. I still love Chanel, but not their current way of doing business.
Click to expand...

If everybody decides to buy vintage, soon it will be cheaper to pay full price for new bags. :laugh:
 
#372
VernisCerise said:
Thank you for sharing this article Hadassa. I guess when they add up shipping, designer wages, sample making, website support, taxes, marketing costs to support the brand, production of fashion shows, those free dresses for celebrities and mark up by retail stores about 50% or more, than the final price appears.
I did find several confussions. First of, she's not an haute couture designer. Then the seamstresses are still paid a decent amount. And lastly, factories do look like that in real life. Fashion is not all glamorous. So I don't know how credible this article is.
However, she's producing her garments in the UK, unlike other brands who do in Asia and sell as it was made in Europe.
Click to expand...

I did say that nothing was confirmed and as the following excerpt from an article by Dana Thomas states, this is just another way of circumventing the law. Semantics and geography are two words that come to mind. The spin doctors are always at work :graucho:

"But most brands aren’t so straightforward. To please customers looking for the “Made in Italy” label, several luxury companies now have their goods made in Italy by illegal Chinese laborers. Today, the Tuscan town of Prato, just outside of Florence and long the center for leather-goods production for brands like Gucci and Prada, has the second-largest population of Chinese in Europe, after Paris. More than half of the 4,200 factories in Prato are owned by Chinese entrepreneurs, some of whom pay their Chinese workers as little as two Euros ($3) an hour."

Dana Thomas, Newsweek’s European cultural correspondent, is the author of “Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/op...omas.html?_r=0
 
#374
Not all goods made in developing nations are inferior in quality or made in inhumane conditions. You can definitely find high quality handmade goods in these nations, its just hard and you have to be willing to pay more for it. Sadly, we all know that majority of goods are not like this. I wouldn't be surprised if Chanel outsourced their labour and materials, and/or are using unskilled illegal labourers. Even though Chanel touts quality, their goods show otherwise.

For years I was convinced that Chanel was one of the top brands for quality, but after TPF and my mom's experience I am not sure anymore.
My mom purchased a black patent jumbo flap a few months ago and it sucks to say but it does not look like a $6000 bag. The one that the SA was going to sell us had loose stitches, dents, and seemed very "floppy". So my mom obviously asked for one from the back and what it was kept in really surprised me. The bag was wrapped in a cheap plastic bag covered in tape, then put into another cheap black porous fabric bag. Once unwrapped this bag was no winner either but it looked better than the first one. My mom decided to get it anyway just to cross it off her wishlist. Don't get me wrong it's a beautiful bag but it does not look as high quality and as luxurious as the older editions do. It's strangely stiff, the quilting isn't puffy, and there are creases and dents everywhere. My moms jumbo does not look as good as my family friends jumbo and it's the same style and leather, just different years.
My mom and I are not crazy perfectionists or anything, but we expected better for such a hefty price.
 
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