The surge in demand for the Chanel 22 purse has led to an increase in the number of counterfeits. In this blog post, we'll explore how to tell If a Chanel 22 bag is real or fake one, helping you avoid wasting your money on counterfeit products.
History and Idea
Chanel was in need of a practical bag in their product portfolio for a long time. While their classic bags are in huge demand, it's challenging to call them practical due to the delicate lambskin leather and exorbitant prices that surpassed the $10,000 mark.
Named for its launch year, the Chanel 22 blends the old and new, showing off a design that fits today's lifestyles while tipping its hat to Chanel's tradition of creating stylish yet practical bags for women. The introduction of this bag is a move towards comfort and style, embodying the spirit of freedom that Coco Chanel championed by incorporating features like shoulder straps in her designs, aimed at liberating women’s fashion.
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Leather texture
As one of the top luxury bag brands, Chanel is renowned for their leather quality. The original lambskin leather is butter soft, which makes it hard to find a proper leather conditioner for Chanel bags.
The key detail to pay attention to here is the leather texture. If you compare these two images, you'll notice that the leather looks very different. On the replica, the leather looks too smooth, almost like lambskin. On the authentic bag, it looks more realistic. It's important to know that most Chanel 22 handbags are manufactured from calfskin, which is much more durable than lambskin.
That's why if the leather looks too smooth on pictures, it's definitely a red flag.
Chanel 22 medallion
Let's examine the eye-catcher of the bag, the Chanel 22 medallion. It turns out, for a trained eye there are some important differences. Firstly, the letters and logo on the original Chanel 22 bag are much thicker. Secondly, the symbols on the counterfeit are sloppily cut out. For instance, the ends of the letter A are chopped off, the C is blurred, and the N has uneven edges from the inner side. Such small inaccuracies always expose poor manufacturing quality. Yet without comparing the real and the fake bag, it's almost impossible to note the differences.
Magnetic Closure
Let's take a closer look inside and focus on the magnetic closure. The Chanel inscription on both parts of the clasp is engraved in a different manner. The authentic Chanel 22 bag features well-defined, thicker, and more legible letters, while the counterfeit bag displays thin and blurred letters.
Additionally, a closer examination of the clips reveals that, curiously, the Chanel inscription on the counterfeit is inverted when compared to the Paris inscription. The original does not have this flaw – the inscriptions are correctly mirrored relative to each other.
Zipper runner
Authenticating Chanel and other designer brands means diving deep into spotting the differences between the two bags. One of the details that we need to examine is the zipper puller, or, to be precise, the other side of the zipper puller.
Note the considerable differences between these details. The zipper runner on the left side is a high-quality work of art, while the same detail on the ahead demonstrates poor quality. The engraving is too superficial and markedly different.
Chanel Microchip
Since 2021, Chanel has been using new microchips. A microchips is a medal plate that has an 8-figure engraving that consists of letters and digits. This code is unique for every bag, much like the Chanel serial number that was used previously.
With the introduction of microchips, authenticating Chanel bags has become much more challenging. The numbering has also changed slightly; it is no longer possible to determine the year the item was produced based on code itself. In addition, the authenticity cards have also been discontinued.
If you look closely, you'll discover that the original plate has rounded edges, while the replica's edges are sharper. Also, a mini life hack from our designer bag authentication experts, the original Chanel logo on the tag has a barely noticeable white edging around the edges. Such a seemingly minor detail is not present on the counterfeit bag. The font on the plate (HLLH71K8) is also not consistent with Chanel font. By the way, it's a widespread serial number that counterfeiters are using so if your bag has this serial, beware.
If your item is vintage and has a serial number instead of the microchip, you can also use our free Chanel online serial number checker to see if it's authentic.
Chanel heat stamp
The Chanel leather tag is a great way to expose a fake. On the original Chanel 22 bag, it is made of matte leather, and the letters are embossed into the material and then filled with ink. On the fake Chanel 22 bag, it is evident that the piece of leather is too shiny, and the letters are simply printed on top, not pressed in. By the way, heat stamp itself is also longer in the counterfeit bag.
Need Chanel Bag Authentication Service?
Buying preloved Chanel products online can be convenient and easy, but it is essential to be vigilant and do your research to ensure that you are getting an authentic and high-quality product. With a little caution and attention to detail, you can enjoy the luxury and style of Chanel without ever having to leave your home.
At Bagaholic we have over 10 years of experience dealing with authentic Chanel handbags. We can help you to check whether the preloved Chanel bag you're about to purchase is authentic. Please select from the options below.
