Authenticating Vintage Chanel - What We Actually Look For
Share
If you saw my screen time without knowing what my job entailed, you would think I have a serious TikTok problem. But actually, most of my hours are spent carefully trawling through listings upon listings of vintage clothing, slowly dissecting each one to find the diamond in the rough. Having had this shop for a little over a year now (and having had a proper shopping addiction for many years beforehand), I’ve got pretty quick at narrowing down where to find what I’m looking for. This is how I source most of my collection (of course I can’t tell you details, that’s like handing out the secret recipe for those cookies only grandma can make), but every so often my life is made a little easier when someone reaches out to me directly to sell something of theirs, usually looking for more closet space and a little extra cash for the month.
With my usual sources, authentication is very rarely an issue. They have almost always already been checked out by an expert, but of course upon arrival with me, they’re checked again. Only once have I been suspicious of a piece, a Gucci tote that looked ever so slightly ‘off’, but was quickly resolved with the addition of a certificate that arrived later that week. When sourcing directly from the wardrobes of others though, I’m relying purely upon my own knowledge with no second opinion unless I seek to pay for it.
Not too long ago, I had a lovely lady reach out with a Chanel piece she wanted to part with. A lovely jacket, classic Chanel tweed, with cute buttons and trim. Located relatively near to me, I decided to take a visit to see her in person and negotiate a price. A lovely Shropshire home, surrounded by grassy fields and fresh air, I became excited. Maybe this piece was handed down from a relative, truly vintage. Maybe it was a purchase from her younger days. The excitement was palpable - there’s something about Chanel that is particularly alluring. Perhaps the long history of the brand, the unchanging iconography and consistent style associated with Old Money… but anyways, she walked me into her kitchen to show me. A present she said, from her husband.
“Purchased abroad, I can’t remember where”.
Uh oh. I don’t like hearing those words. Automatically the likelihood of it being a fake has increased due to the sheer amount of counterfeit floating around in holiday destinations aiming to capture the wallets of tourists looking to find a sweet gift for their wives or girlfriends. I have to say, to the untrained eye, this jacket was a fantastic copy. Tweed? Check. Logo in the right place? Check. Care label that looks normal? Check. But what gave it away was two things in particular.