How To Know That Your Chanel Bag Is Authentic

Walking with luxury bags bearing the logos of the popular brands has become a status symbol coveted by many, and many are willing to go to greater lengths to have these prized items. Counterfeiters have exploited this demand for luxury through making replicas and have made trillions.. Of these luxury designer bags, Chanel is notably one of the most counterfeited brands in the world according to the Global Brand Counterfeiting Report 2018. 

So how do you know if a Chanel bag is authentic? You can begin by checking the hardware (the clasps, screws, grommets, and zippers), the bag strap, the pattern, tags and labels, and quality of the packaging. Despite both bearing the famous C logo and having the same appearance, the elegance of authentic Chanel bags isn’t easily replicated especially when the hardware, materials, and other aspects are inspected. Make sure you pay close attention to details.

What Makes An Authentic Chanel Bag?

Familiarizing oneself with an authentic Chanel bag helps in knowing if it is authentic or not. You may do so by observing authentic Chanel bags through your friends or through boutiques that are authorized to sell Chanel bags. You may also look through the Chanel official site to know how they look.

Authentic Chanel bags are marked by the recognizable logo that first appeared 100 years ago – the two interlocking C’s sitting back-to-back that became a symbol of elegance and luxury which maintained its relevance through modern times. They are said to be an alteration of Chanel’s handwriting, while the word “Chanel” that is later on added below it commonly has the sans-serif font with consistent spacing. The font color of the logo is usually black and white.

All authentic Chanel bags before 21A have authenticity cards that come with it, which are black plastic cards with tissue covering. It also comes with an authenticity sticker that matches the authenticity card. However, starting 21A (which is this year), Chanel no longer goes with these cards and stickers and instead substituted them with microchips for more sustainability. 

Authentic Chanel bags also come with a warranty, two years for the older authentic Chanel bags and five years for newer authentic Chanel bags.

1) Check The Hardware

The hardware of authentic Chanel bags is made of high-quality materials and designed in a way that is hard to replicate. The following are the typical features of the Chanel hardware;  deviations from these are red flags for counterfeiting:

• The clasps of an authentic Chanel bag is an original design by Karl Lagerfield in the 1980s, featuring the distinctive two C’s of the Chanel logo in high-quality metal and with flat edges. The right-hand C is always the one that overlaps the left-hand C.

• The high-quality screws of authentic Chanel bags that secure the backplate of these bags are often star or flathead screws instead of the Philips-head screws that fake Chanel bags often use.

• The grommet, or the metal through which the handle of Chanel bags run, is a hard-to-replicate feature, as authentic Chanel bags have these fit into the leather cleanly and without rough, uneven edges.

• Authentic Chanel bags use Lampo metal tooth zippers instead of the YKK zippers which are cheaper than what the counterfeits use. These zippers are high quality, glide smoothly, and with embossed Lambo logo on the back of the zipper pull.

2) Check The Distinctive Chanel Strap

Another feature of authentic Chanel bags that counterfeiters often get wrong is the interlacing leather on the metal strap, which is distinctive of the Chanel brand due to the innovation of Karl Lagerfield. There are four ways that Chanel makes these leather straps: the Triple-fold, the Four-fold with a Stitch, the Turn (or Fold) to Center, and the Cut Edge.

3) Check The Pattern

Authentic Chanel bags are famous for their quilted pattern. These patterns are expected to be aligned even when interrupted with a square (depending on the design of the bag), and misalignment is a telltale sign of a fake bag. However, caution should be observed when looking for this misalignment because the natural alteration in leather causes authentic vintage Chanel bags to have a slight misalignment of this quilting pattern. The quilting patterns are also stitched cleanly and consistently.

4) Assess The Materials Used

Authentic Chanel bags only use the finest materials in making their high-quality leather bags, may it be the exterior or the interior. It uses either calfskin or lambskin leather, giving it a luxurious smell and feel, in contrast to the cheap and chemical-smelling fake Chanel bags that use only fake leather. Using high-quality leather also imparts the sturdiness of Chanel bags, which are expected to not slouch and can stand on their own.

5) Check Tags and Labels

Tags of authentic Chanel bags feature the serial number that reflects the year and season that the bag was manufactured, the style of the bag, and the materials used for the bag, and the color of the bag, respectively. The tags also show the color of the Chanel bag that it comes with. 

Similarly, labels of authentic Chanel bags are stamped with embossed Chanel logo in sans serif font with consistent size and spacing, with Made in Italy or Made in France written below it. 

6) Check For The Quality Of The Packaging

For a luxury item such as a Chanel bag, even the packaging is well thought of, high quality, and beautifully crafted. They differ every year and they have a special one for the Holiday season, although they all typically feature a black or white soft Camellia flower. 

The regular Chanel packaging for 2021 features a soft, white Camellia flower made of cardboard on a black, high-quality paper bag bearing a white Chanel logo. The black box housing authentic Chanel purses or bags also comes with a soft, white Camellia flower made of cardboard, while the ribbon is also white with imprinted black Chanel letters.

On the other hand, the Chanel Holiday packaging for 2021 features a black ribbon that is glittery with imprinted Chanel letters and stars and moon, together with a black Camellia flower with glitters that do not easily fall off, which embrace the black box together. 

Upon opening, one may see the duster bag that protects the authentic Chanel bag. It may either come in black or white with the logo printed on it and they have a drawstring with the color of the corresponding bag. A felt protection fabric may also be seen with a Chanel purse.

The receipt also is made of good quality, heavy paper, and ink that almost looks like the letters are embossed. It is covered in a holder made of cardboard with embossed Camellia and with the Chanel logo on it.

Where Do You Find An Authentic Chanel Bag?

Authentic, brand new Chanel bags are priced at thousands of dollars each. In fact, starting July 2021, markup for the Chanel bags is expected to be at around 9% to 16%. You can only find these at certain places, like in upscale malls or outlet stores. Otherwise, make sure to really vet and scrutinize to prevent yourself from falling victim to fake Chanel bags.

1) Avoid Buying From Flea Markets or Street Stores

The above information about authenticating Chanel bags was only collated from the collective experience of Chanel bag enthusiasts because the official site is mum about the details of spotting dupe Chanel bags as these may also be used by counterfeiters. 

However, the official site agrees that a surefire way to avoid fake Chanel bags is to look at the price and steer clear of deals that are too good to be true. With that, flea markets and street stores should definitely be avoided as the prices in these shops are so low that it’s almost impossible to find a genuine Chanel bag with the range of prices that they offer.

2) Shop Only At Trusted Sellers

While the internet has provided the ease of buying stuff through ease of access, counterfeiters have also found a way to connect more easily with their target market through online shops. Many fake Chanel bags are sold online and it’s harder to tell the difference because you will only be looking through photos of the product. Customer feedback may help you gauge the reliability of these online shops so make it a point to only go to shops with high ratings and good customer reviews.

Get Authentic Chanel Bags Only At HG Bags

Indeed, the subtle differences in appearance between a fake and authentic Chanel bag are no match for a wise buyer with an eye for detail. One may inspect the Chanel bag for authenticity by looking closely at the details, hardware, and other aspects of the bag.

At HG Bags, you no longer need to inspect the bag thoroughly as we guarantee that we sell only authentic Chanel bags, be it a pre-loved or a brand new Chanel bag, all at discounted prices. Shop now at our store and get your money’s worth with our high-quality bags.

Learn More: How to Know That Your Bottega Veneta Bag Is Authentic