The reason I started this blog

shopping-smarter

14 Jun

The reason I started this blog is because five years ago… I spent £550 on a fake Celine Phantom bag.

I shouldn’t have bought it, I knew I shouldn’t have bought it! Even as I was inputting my card details I knew it was too good to be true. £550 is a lot of money… but NOT for a Celine Phantom bag (it’s been discontinued but Luggage bags are now £2400 RRP). But, due to this bag having a severely damaged handle – I bought it … as I convinced myself the price reflected the condition of the bag. I rarely ever see Celine Phantoms go for less than £750 and those are usually much older or the tri-colours (3 different colours or materials which aren’t everyone’s cup of tea - hence the lower resale value), or bottle green suede, or red.

I bought the bag from an incredibly popular reputable designer reseller online. I have shopped with them before (and after may I add) and had no issues at all. It came with the ‘receipt’ and the seller sent it to me in a Fortnum and Mason box. (I remember opening it thinking ‘oh this seller must be trustworthy as they shop at Fortnum and Mason which is an expensive store – how wrong was I!)

The sinking feeling

I excitedly opened the box. I just knew it was a counterfeit. As soon as I touched it I knew it wasn’t a Celine. The bag didn’t feel like leather – (it’s important to remember this bag retailed at £2750!!!! and is made by hand, so the quality should be the best of the best.. The leather should be as soft as butter, the stitching impeccable and perfect symmetry to each side of the bag).

The receipt was from Barney’s in Las Vegas – but the paper was thicker than any till receipt paper I’ve experienced and the shape was larger than usual. I felt sick… I’d waited 5 years+ to buy this bag and £550 is a lot of money to spend on a fake bag. The lining was faux suede, the stitching was wrong, the receipt date did not match the bag date, zip pull wrong – everything was wrong – but I felt I needed proof.

I contacted the seller and told her I was going to get the bag repaired but also authenticated for peace of mind. She said she understood entirely, and she would do the same and she reassured me that the bag wasn’t fake and that she bought it herself. I felt sick, she was being so nice - was I wrong?

I took it to be authenticated by The Handbag Clinic in Chelsea. They told me it was not authentic. But, the seller still argued with me and said she wasn’t lying (I felt awful I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and I tend to see the good in people). The Handbag Clinic (because they are wonderful – double checked it for me) and gave it a second look in their Head Office – they confirmed definitely a fake.

The seller still refused to say it was fake. (I like to see the good in people!)

I decided I wanted to be 100% correct – as I was basically calling her a liar. [I like to think she didn’t know…and was maybe ripped off herself?]

I put on my most understated ‘stealth wealth’ but fabulous outfit- think Burberry Trench, Loafer, White Shirt, Chino look. (so they would think I belonged and was a customer they would want to value) and went to Celine. I said I needed the bag repairing and understood they could send the bag to Italy for repairs for a cost of obviously. Likely a £200 fee.

Note: Celine do not repair bags you do not buy from them, nor is it there duty to tell you if a bag is fake or not – they’ll ask you to leave (quite rightly). I caught the sales assistant on a very, very good non-busy day and I did a tiny bit of blagging…

She asked for my customer number which we couldn’t find…… (obviously). I said my boyfriend purchased the bag and wouldn’t have given his details. (ahem*)

As we were doing all the paperwork.

I asked in a very casual way… if it’s a fake they won’t repair it will they?

The women looked at me with an arched eyebrow. ‘No of course not… as soon as they unstitch the bag in Italy they will tell in a moment” “WHY?”

I explained whilst of course I normally buy from Celine all the time (ahem) …I did buy this second hand (to save the planet, circular fashion is so important) and whilst I’m nearly certain it is real. I’m not 100%. Luckily, she already started all the paperwork (we were 15 minutes in), and submitted the details, we had a good rapport, I was going to pay for the damaged handle and I looked like I was going to buy a pair of very expensive boots (I didn’t) - so she submitted the details to send the bag to the factory.

She said the factory won’t repair it if it isn’t real so she will send it off and then let me know. The manager emailed me two weeks later to say the Italian factory – unstitched it. Definitely a fake. (I was very embarrassed to get that email)

I contacted the designer reseller website. I explained the bag was a fake. I got a full refund. Yay.

SO, I thought I would start this blog…

I didn’t want anyone else to spend that amount of money on a counterfeit handbag. This person likely spent £30 on this bag. I’m not buying it for £550.

I love researching the history of bags, how they are crafted and why they were designed - and if I can help people not get duped and scammed out of their hard earned money - then I am all for it.

I’m not an expert… I am not a fashionista, fashionable or an influencer, I don’t work in the industry. I get things wrong, I make mistakes… but I have a passion and will spend my weekends researching, reading through websites and coffee table books about the making of a Fendi Baguette.

I buy second hand luxury designer because RRP has become prohibitively expensive. I have bought a couple of bags (maybe 2?) full price but that’s because they were limited edition and would have come on the resale market for more money than I bought it for.

I am not an authentication service. I work a full time job Monday – Friday which is totally separate from this blog and only update this blog on a Saturday.

I understand some people have no issue buying fakes…

My issue is when counterfeits are being passed off as the real deal, and people are being scammed out of their hand earned money.