Texas woman is master of identifying fake Chanel handbags, even as counterfeit purses grow more convincing, as she shares easiest ways of spotting a copy
A Texas woman who is a master at identifying fake Chanel handbags has revealed the easiest ways to spot a copy.
Zekrayat Husein, 43, has been dubbed the “Coco Chanel of authentication” and reviews hundreds of bags every week through her company, Zeko Authentication.
She estimates that about a fifth of the products she evaluates every day are counterfeit products, but warned that it is becoming increasingly difficult to spot counterfeits.
In recent years, Chanel has raised the price of its classic medium flap bag to $10,200, from about $5,800 in 2019 — so far, for many second-hand buyers, a consultation with Husein is a worthwhile investment.
“These women have been saving for this bag for years,” she told the newspaper Wall Street Journal. “It’s not just a Chanel bag for her, it’s the dream.”
Zekrayat Husein, 43, has been called the “Coco Chanel of authentication.”
Husein identifies fake Chanel bags, such as this one, by looking for certain inconsistencies with the original
Every authentic Chanel bag has a unique serial number sticker on the inside of the bag, usually on the inner lining, in a small pocket or on a small leather tab
Husein’s customers pay $50 for a photo authentication or $100 for an in-person assessment, which many say is a worthwhile investment for peace of mind.
Here, the mother of three shares her tips for spotting counterfeits, which have helped her authenticate more than 25,000 bags since she started her business in 2019.
Serial numbers
Every authentic Chanel bag has a unique serial number sticker on the inside of the bag, usually on the inner lining, in a small pocket, or on a small leather tab.
This corresponds to a corresponding authenticity card and can also be used to decipher the age of a bag.
Husein warned that convincing counterfeits will often copy a serial number, but she told the Wall Street Journal that 10218184 is the most commonly used number.
Colour
According to Husein, there are certain consistencies to look for in the hardware of a genuine Chanel bag:
The brand’s MPY hardware, which stands for metallic light yellow, is actually a darker shade of yellow.
Meanwhile, the metallic shiny light gold (MSHLG) hardware is closer to champagne.
Genuine Chanel flap bags, like this one, are made of high-quality lambskin with irregularities that are visible under a microscope, Husein said.
Husein said the brand’s signature metal hardware is often an indication of whether a bag is genuine. Pictured: two genuine Chanel 18S in emerald green
Husein often looks for bags that have been refurbished with non-Chanel hardware or repainted as this lowers the value.
She added that all of Chanel’s classic medium flap bags in colors other than black are made exclusively in France and never in Italy.
Material
Husein warned that counterfeiters will sometimes use similar quality material, such as lambskin, in their counterfeit products.
“They use the exact same leather as Chanel,” she said.
But by identifying the piece under a microscope, she can identify some minor differences.
She advises buyers to be on the lookout for leather that is “too symmetrical,” warning that the crosshatch pattern on one of Chanel’s classic flapper bags may not be identical.
“Every pebble is not meant to be the same size,” Husein added.
Return fraud
Authenticators like Husein are also on the lookout for returns fraud with telltale signs, including sellers offering multiple of the same product, or items with tags.
Husein advises buyers to look out for leather that is ‘too symmetrical’, and warns that the hatched pattern on one of Chanel’s classic flapper bags may not be identical
Consignment giant Fashionphile recently suspected that a Gucci reseller was engaging in returns fraud and blocked its sales.
The seller had provided receipts from a store that she shared as proof of authenticity, but was building a case against her because she was switching the bags.
Other means of authentication
The market for second-hand luxury goods is booming, reaching a value of $49.3 billion last year Bain & Co.
“You need a certain eye,” says Michelle Peeters, an authenticator from Brooklyn.
“You never look for one isolated thing, but for a puzzle of pieces and how they are all connected,” says Peeters. ‘The depth of the engravings, the silhouette, the inside, the heat stamp, the foil technique.’
Peeters started authenticating bags after she became a reseller in 2009. She charges $35 for certificates.
What Chanel says
Chanel declined to comment on Husein or her affairs.
A spokesperson told the WSJ that the best way for customers to ensure they have purchased an original piece is to consult the brand.
“Training and knowledge regarding the authentication of genuine Chanel brand items can only take place at Chanel and only skilled Chanel personnel can know what genuine Chanel is,” the spokesperson said.
Chanel said that only the trained staff is qualified to distinguish real from fake as it encourages customers to go straight to the brand
In recent years, the brand has won lawsuits against consignment sites that resold fraudulent bags
The luxury brand recently started filing lawsuits against second-hand resale sites.
In February, Chanel won a lawsuit against New York boutique What Goes Around Comes Around and was awarded $4 million in damages related to counterfeiting.
“Such infringements harm consumers and damage Chanel’s goodwill and brand,” the Chanel spokeswoman said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a 2018 lawsuit against luxury consignment reseller The RealReal is still ongoing.
“We take allegations of inauthenticity seriously and are continually refining our systems to ensure we take customer feedback into account and continually improve,” a RealReal spokesperson told the WSJ,
The company also recently filed new lawsuits against resellers in Atlanta, and has also gone after sellers in New York and on the Chinese site DHGate.