How to recognize an authentic Chanel bag

 

You have to be sure you are investing in a real thing and not the copy. How to find out this bag of your dreams is genuine?
At Vintage-United we are committed to a zero-tolerance, anti-counterfeit policy and we guarantee absolute authenticity of every item sold on the website, so you can shop with confidence.
But for you own reinsurance there are some simple tips from various experts on how to recognize the authentic Chanel bag from a fake one.

But first here is a short history of the iconic 2.55 bag.

– Burgundy lining – The most of Chanel bags have burgundy red lining.
Chanel picked this exact shade because it reminded her of the uniforms she wore growing up in a convent. The modern bags have offten a matching lining, dipending on the production season.
– Hidden compartment – Once shoppers open the outer flap, they see a small zippered compartment.
This was where Chanel stashed her love letters, according to legend.
– Back outer pocket – Outside the handbag is a back pocket.
Chanel designed it this way so that women could stash money there without having to open their purse.
– Shoulder strap – The delicate chains on the 2.55 mimic the key chains worn by the nuns in the convent
where Chanel grew up.
– Mademoiselle lock – The front lock has a special locking mechanism called a Mademoiselle lock.
Chanel, who never married, gave the lock its name.
– Interlocking CC lock – Karl Lagerfeld updated the 2.55 design in the 1980s by introducing the interlocking CC, a monograph of Coco Chanel. He also added the iconic chain strap with leather woven through. The new style pattern for House of Chanel was born.

1. The CC logo.

An ultimate sign for detecting authenticity of a Chanel bag is the position of CC logo. The right C should overlap on top, and the left C should overlap on the bottom.  If it’s the other way around, it’s a fake. Whatever there can be exceptions. The width of the C should also match the width of the horizontal gap between the two CC’s

The most simple tool to recognize the real Chanel bag from a fake one is just to look at the Chanel label inside of the bag. It should match the color of the handbag’s hardware. Analise the letters, they all must have the same size. Pay attention to E letter. The lower stripe of the letter must be slightly longer then the upper stripe.

Always check if the quilt stitching on flap and pocket match the body.

On an authentic Chanel, the quilt stitching should line up neatly on the front flap and back pocket. The ‘diamond’ quilt stitching on a real Chanel bag are much squarer. The authentic Chanel which has a high stitch count doesn’t look puffy.

Check the chain and see that in authentic Chanel bags with chain leather straps, that part where the chain breaks should be well hidden. In the early models made before 2008 there is no stitching in the leather interwoven in the chain. The stitching on the interwoven leather in the chains of the modern bags, only will be on one side.

The zipper is one of the important tool to recognise authentic bag from the fake one. The zipper mechanisms found on an authentic Chanel bag should always be high quality. It should slide easy and smoothly. From the early 70’s Chanel was using zippers manufactured by Lampo, is an Italian company that has been making accessory zips since 1887. You can find Lampo zips not only on vintage Chanel bags but also on vintage Louis Vuitton and sometimes Gucci and YSL bags. Another company that is synonymous with luxury brands are Eclair zips. Often Eclair zips are used on late 70’s or early 80’s vintage Chanel bags and also on vintage Hermes bags. Later in the 90’s House of Chanel also use other zipper brands like YKK or DMC or OPTI DMC. You can find this logo stamps engraved on the main zipper pull. In the “modern” exemplars Chanel using a zippers from the company with EP logo stamp. The EP zipper pull usually have a thin leather pull tab, please note that the leather pull tab should match the main bag base.

The condition of a bag’s lining is a good indicator of overall quality. A fake bag will contain a faux-leather PVC or low quality real leather lining that gathers at the seam and feels rough to the touch. An authentic bag futures a soft lambskin lining in burgundy or in a matching with exterior color.

The “card system” was introduced the same time as the serial sticker. There should be absolutely no rainbow “hologram” type effect. It is made out of plastic and feels just like a credit card. If a bag doesn’t come with a card, please don’t dismiss it straight away, but do look out for other signs of authenticity. The previous owner could have genuinely lost it.

End last but not least. The serial stickers were first introduced in 1984 and continue to be used today.  The numbers on serial stickers should match numbers on the authenticity card. Bags made before this time, don’t have stickers.
– 6 digit codes-bag was made some time between 1984 and 1986.
– 7 digit codes-handbag was made between 1986 and 2004.
– 8 digit codes have been used since 2005 until Today.
Anything over 8 digits is not authentic.

We hope this short guide will help you to distinguish a real Chanel bag and help you to shop online with confidence. Find your ultimate dream Chanel Bag on Vintage-United.com