Chanel is a well-known and well-respected brand that people own, but did you know that up to one-fifth of checked Chanel items are fake?
With numbers so high it can throw into question the authenticity of any Chanel handbag, purse, or other item that has not been bought from Chanel with proof of authenticity, but how would you know?
As with most designer items, many brands will include a way to tell if your item is real. However, this cannot always be reliable, as many people who create fakes have improved at making things identical.
Chanel still includes a way to discover for yourself if your bag is real; however, with other items, it can be trickier.
Bags
Chanel bags are one of the most commonly copied items. You can tell if yours is real because Chanel does include a serial number on a card or within your bag. The serial number is often found in the zipped part of your bag, and the card will have gold specks on it. However, many copies will also include a serial number.
If you are worried that your bag is fake, it does not have a good weight to it, or you cannot find the serial number card within your bag, you may want to get it checked. If you want to check your bag for authenticity, you can find professional Chanel authenticators who can verify if your bag is real or not.
Jewellery
Another of the most commonly copied items is jewellery. As with bags, Chanel includes a tag or label telling you the item is authentic. However, if you are buying something secondhand or you are gifted something, you may wonder if it is real if you do not get the proof alongside the item.
Most, if not all, of the jewellery Chanel makes will have a small number or logo; this could be on the clasp of the item or a small tag attached to the clasp. This number will have either a serial code to show authenticity or the Chanel logo, proving to you that this is real.
This can be something that some good fakes could have, so it will come down to checking the items themselves. Chanel jewellery is good quality and designed to last, so if the chain looks frail or the clasps are not working properly, there is a chance you have a fake.
Good Chanel authenticators will be able to check your item and find out if it is the real deal with only images of the items.
Summary
There are many designer fakes out in the world, and it can be easy to be fooled into thinking that the items you have are real when they are not. When buying a Chanel item, it is always better to go to Chanel and know you are getting a legitimate Chanel item.
If you find it more affordable and better for the environment to purchase secondhand, it is worth asking for proof of authenticity; this is not always possible, depending on where you are purchasing from.
This is why knowing good Chanel authenticators can help you; not only will you have proof if you wish to resell, but you will know you have a real Chanel item.
