Spotting Fake Chanel in 2024: The Complete Guide

In today’s replica market, unless it’s a cheap, low-end fake Chanel, it’s tough to tell if a bag is real or fake just by looking at it or using simple checks.

Also, with Chanel’s ongoing quality issues, some Fake methods might not be as effective anymore.

What we can do is consider a variety of factors and use more detailed methods to authenticate.

In this article, I’ll provide you with a comprehensive and detailed guide to help you avoid buying a fake Chanel bag.

How to spot a Fake Chanel bag

1. Overall Appearance Structure

The first step in figuring out if a Chanel bag is real is to check out its overall construction. Basically, every part of the bag should scream exceptional quality and balance. 

For instance:

• The flap should line up perfectly with the rest of the bag and shouldn’t stick out past the sides. 
• The diamonds in the quilting should have a nice puffiness to them, not too flat, but also not so puffy.
• The bottom/sides of the bag should all meet the surface evenly, without any uneven spots or imbalances.

Left-Replica; Right-Authentic

Real Chanel bags generally have better overall construction compared to fakes. You might find things like misaligned pockets or flaps on fake bags.

Real Chanel bags sit perfectly upright and flush on a table. If you place an Replica Knockoff Chanel on a table, it’ll stand up straight because it’s built sturdy and balanced. 

Fake Chanel, on the other hand, might tip over or leave a gap between the bottom of the bag and the flat surface when you try to set them down.

Left-Authentic; Right-Replica

Related Resource: Spot Fake YSL Bag Like a Pro: What You Need to Know

2. Material/Leather

Real Chanel bags are made with premium leathers and fabrics—they’ve got great shine, color, and texture. 

• The Lambskin leather is super soft and smooth. 
• On the other hand, Chanel’s Caviar skin, made from pebbled calf leather, is known for its iconic “bubbly” look and has a more textured feel.

A fake “discount-priced” Chanel bag can’t match the high quality, so if the leather feels cheap, that’s a dead giveaway.

But keep in mind, as counterfeiters are stepping up their game, you’ve got to look really close at each caviar pebble. Fake Chanel bags can be tricky to spot because the pebbles might just be SLIGHTLY different in size and texture.

Sniff the bag to check its quality. 

• Real bags have a natural, earthy leather smell, while fake bags might give off an unpleasant plastic or chemical scent.

⚠️Note: Chanel announced back in 2018 that they would stop using exotic skins. So, any new Chanel bags you see made with exotic skins are actually non-existent fakes, AKA fantasy bags.

3. Quilting

Another great method for spotting a Chanel replica is to look closely at the famous quilting (diamond pattern).

An older Chanel bag might not look as pronounced because of wear and tear and aging.

But if the diamond shapes are too ‘flat’ or way too ‘puffy,’ that’s a bad sign.  It usually means the quality isn’t up to par and you are looking at a fake Chanel.

The diamond pattern quilting on the front of the bag should look perfect. You should see only complete diamonds or those cut exactly in half.

💡Tip: Even if there’s a flap or pocket breaking up the pattern, the diamonds should still match up perfectly.

• The quilting pattern should be centered and even on the bag.
• While different bag sizes have a different count of diamonds in each row, they’re always complete.
• The stitching on the pockets should perfectly align with the diamonds on the back of the bag.

On fake Chanel bags, the quilting can be a bit off-center and not line up properly across the bag.

Authentic	Replica

4. Stitch Count

Chanel uses a lot of tiny stitches. Replica manufacturers often look for quick and cheaper ways to make Chanel dupes, so they use fewer and larger stitches.

• Replica Knockoff Chanel bags usually have more than 8 stitches per side of the diamond, but fakes often have fewer than 8 stitches. (For larger bags, the stitch count is higher.)

Real bags sometimes have a stitched “CC” logo inside, usually centered just above the “CHANEL” stamp. 

On fakes, the stitching might be sloppy, the logo off-center, and the size either too big or too small compared to the Replica Knockoff one.

 💡Tip: Small details like the thickness of the thread or how slanted the stitches are can show if something’s off with the stitching.

Real bag with 9 stitches	Fake bag with 7 stitches

Left-Real; Right-Fake

5. Hardware

The hardware on a Chanel bag is high quality, so it should feel sturdy and heavy.

The chain strap on a Chanel bag should feel consistently heavy all the way through, and the leather woven through the chain should be flat and smooth.

Left-Real; Right-Fake

All the hardware should match inside and out. From the logo, and zippers, to the tiny screws, should have the same color.

• The gold hardware is polished and doesn’t have that “brassy” or overly bright yellow look.
• The metal stamping on a genuine piece is sharp with clean grooves, and the depth of the font engraving is consistent.
• The edges of the screws and the gaps fit smoothly together.

The most eye-catching hardware piece on the bag is the iconic Chanel logo, two interlocking Cs in either gold or silver.

• At the top of the logo, the right C overlaps the left C. At the bottom, the right C goes behind the left C.

If the logo is flat or not perfectly centered both vertically and horizontally on the leather flap, then the bag is likely a fake.

The interior lock plate on a real bag could be attached with flat head screws (–), or star-shaped screws (often seen on newer bags). But if you see Phillips head screws (+), that’s a fake Chanel bag.

Pay special attention to small details like snap buttons to check if the engraving is clear and if the size looks right.

On fake Chanel bags, the zippers or clasps might not have any engravings, or they have the wrong engravings, like the font or depth doesn’t look right compared to the real one.

Authentic	Replica
Authentic: Flat head screws	Authentic: Star-shaped screws	Replica: Phillips head screws
Authentic	Replica

6. Stamping

Back in the day, you could usually spot a Chanel knockoff by just looking at the stamp—the font and the quality of the lettering. Fake bags often had blurry stamps that didn’t look sharp.

But now, things aren’t that simple anymore, and you really need to look closer and pay more attention to details to figure out if a bag is real or not.

• If the hardware is silver, the stamping should be silver too, and if it’s gold, then expect gold stamping.
• You should also be able to see the leather’s texture through the stamping.

💡Tip: Chanel only stamps their bags with “MADE IN FRANCE” or “MADE IN ITALY.” If the stamp says “MADE IN PARIS,” then it’s definitely a fake.

Real	Fake

When checking out the stamping, keep an eye on:

• The “C” in CHANEL should be a perfect circle with sharp, beveled corners.
• The middle bar of the “H” leans towards the top, making it narrower at the top and wider at the bottom.
• The “A” has a flat top, and forms a triangle in the middle.
• For the “N,” the left top is wider than the right bottom (except for vintage pieces).
• The middle bar of the “E” is the shortest, and the bottom is the longest.
• The “L” is at a 90-degree angle, straight up, with an even stroke width.
• The width of “MADE IN ITALY” is the same as the spacing between “H” and “E.”

Fake Chanel bags often mess up the font on the stamp. The letters might be spaced weirdly, look uneven, or be tough to read.

Authentic

7. Microchip

Starting in April 2021, Chanel began putting microchips in their bags.

Unlike LV chips, Chanel’s can’t be scanned with NFC. At the same time, SAs are not allowed to help authenticate bags. (They will only certify it first when you do repair.)

🔶Read Also: How to scan LV microchip

Still, here are two things you should know:

• The microchip starts with a letter, and then it’s followed by a mix of numbers and letters (eight figures in total).
• Just like the numbers that were on the old stickers, these digits are unique for each item.

⚠️Note: Keep in mind that just because a bag has a chip doesn’t mean it’s not fake.

Replica manufacturers update their tactics as brands evolve, and fake Chanel bags with chips are already on the market.

Some Fake services might zoom in on the chip details to check, but for us just looking with our bare eyes, that’s not really an option.

Feeling the texture of the chip could help a little. The info below is just for a bit of extra info:

• Two Cs The inner and outer circles of the two Cs have symmetrical flat lines or indented flat lines at the top, bottom, and center. (The outer circle of the left C has a raised flat line.)
• Code The Replica Knockoff font is made up of arc shapes, polished in a three-strand spiral manner with clear lines from start to finish.

8. Serial Number

Since the mid-1980s, Chanel has started putting a serial number in each bag that tells you when the bag was made. 

Chanel puts serial codes on plastic stickers and sticks them inside the bag. Where they place them depends on the bag’s style and when it was made.

⚠️Note: The number should be the same as the one on the authenticity card.

Besides the numbers, these stickers have Chanel logos and a subtle hologram that started appearing in the 2000s. 

Just like fashion styles change, the look of the sticker, logos, and hologram can vary depending on when the bag was made. 

Replica Knockoff Chanel serial number from different periods

If your bag has a sticker that looks cheap and has blurry or uneven text, it’s likely a fake.

⚠️Note: Just because a bag has a good-looking sticker doesn’t mean the bag is real either. Some replica sellers would even buy cheaper models just to peel off the serial number sticker and stick it onto a fake bag.

Keep an eye on these features of the sticker (After 2000):

• The edges of the numbers should have a pixelated or jagged look.
• The number 0 has a slash through the middle.
• The gold specks on the sticker should be randomly sized and spread out. 

If you see them clumped together or uniformly sized, it’s a fake.

Authentic	Replica

There are two types of codes, one with 7 digits and another with 8 digits. 

From 1986 to 2005, the codes were 7 digits long, and starting from 2006, the codes were 8 digits long.

• For the 7-digit identity cards, use the first digit to find the corresponding year in the table. 
• For the 8-digit identity cards, use the first two digits to match the year listed in the table.

Fake Chanel bags might have a serial number that doesn’t match up with when they say the bag was made. The code might also be too long or too short.

Real	Fake

💡Tip: Some real handbags come with a 6-digit code. If your bag’s serial number has nine or more digits, then it’s for sure a fake.

9. Authenticity Card

A Chanel bag (before 2021) that doesn’t have a chip will come with an Replica Knockoff card. 

As I mentioned earlier, don’t rely solely on one thing to authenticate, especially the Authenticity Card. Because you might encounter real cards with fake bags.

⚠️So, this method should only be used as a backup.

1. Card: Genuine cards look natural when you hold them up to light, and they don’t give off rainbow reflections like the fake ones.
2. Border: The gold border is recessed and has a textured feel because of the special way it’s made. If it looks printed or starts flaking off when you scratch it lightly, that’s a fake.
3. Numbers: The numbers on genuine cards are specially designed by the brand. For example, the number “5” will clearly show differences.
4. Letters: On the second line’s last word “quality,” every letter should be crisp and clear on a real card, with the “ty” connected together.
5. Edge: If you run your finger along the right side edge of a genuine card, you should feel a small raised bump.

10. Dust Bag

Usually, Chanel gives out either a black drawstring dust bag or a white flap dust bag. In 2022, they’ve introduced a new white dust bag with some noticeable changes from the old version.

So now, there are three different types of dust bags.

⚠️Note: Just like with the authenticity cards, it’s not recommended to use the dust bag to tell if a Chanel bag is real or not.

What’s the difference between the new and old WHITE dust bag:

• The old dust bag is made of microfiber, while the new one is cotton.
• Under the flap, the old dust bag has a portrait of Coco Chanel, but the new one doesn’t.
• The quilt pattern also changed, and the new dust bag doesn’t have the ink frame around the CHANEL logo on the front.

Replica Knockoff Dust Bags: Left-New, Right-Old	Replica Knockoff Dust Bags: Left-Old, Right-New

The redesigned dust bag is easier to replicate because the previous fakes often struggled to copy the Coco Chanel portrait accurately. Now that it’s been removed, and the quilt pattern has been simplified.

For the simple black dust bag, you should check the white “CHANEL” print in the middle and the material quality.

The “CHANEL” logo might be too big or too small, use the wrong font, or not be centered properly. Also, fake dust bags tend to feel rougher than real ones.

Left-Real; Right-Fake

🔶Read Also: How to Spot A Fake Chanel 22 Bag

Chanel’s quality issues make Fake harder

As a seasoned bag enthusiast who owns both Replica Knockoff and replica bags, I’ve noticed that with improving replicate techniques, some traditional ways of spotting fakes are not as useful as before.

But, from what I’ve seen, it’s not just because replica manufacturers are getting better. It’s also because the quality and quality control of the Replica Knockoff ones have dipped.

The quality issues and photos below were all gathered from handbag forums and social media platforms.

Hardware Quality

The hardware on a Chanel bag is supposed to be high quality, heavy, and sturdy—overall, built to last.

However, I’ve seen cases where, after just three weeks, the hardware started to oxidize and got black spots, in a month the paint started chipping, and within a year, clasps broke.

Leather Quality

Some say that Chanel isn’t using top-grain leather anymore and has switched to bonded leather or coated split hide.

Is Chanel really cutting corners now? Even though there’s no “concrete proof” yet, these pictures got me thinking.

Stitching

If you still think that stitching on a Chanel should always be perfect and that uneven or sloppy stitching means it’s a fake, you might be in for disappointment.

Yep, the stitching on a Chanel isn’t always perfect, and sloppy stitching can happen too.

Craftsmanship

On top of what I already mentioned, the overall craftsmanship has seriously declined, which really caught me off guard.

Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I bought an Replica Knockoff Chanel. But has Chanel’s quality control really dropped this low?

I mean, a few small leather defects I get, but logos peeling off and straps breaking? That’s something I didn’t see coming.

If you run into these kinds of problems, unless you bought it yourself directly from the store, you’d probably start wondering if it’s a fake.

Final Thought

Alright, that wraps up our guide on spotting real vs. fake Chanel. Did you pick up some useful tips?

These days, it seems that higher-tier replica bags look more “perfect” and have fewer issues than Replica Knockoff ones.

Personally, I’d be miffed if I spent thousands on an auth and noticed a flaw/issue, only to have the SA say that it is a part of the character, haha.

🔶Read Also: Why are Chanel bags so expensive?

But unfortunately, that happens in the auth world every day. 

I’m just glad that I’ve found replicas! The issues that replicas have are easier to swallow when you’re not paying thousands.

I’ve already got quite a few iconic Chanel styles in my collection (replica versions), like the Classic Flap, Chanel 19, Boy, and 2.55. 

Of course, not all Chanel replicas hit the mark on quality, like this Chanel card holder which was a bit of a shopping fail. 

So, whether you’re buying the real deal or a replica, make sure you do enough research.

If you want to know more about where I usually buy high-quality replica handbags, check out my Trusted Replica Sellers Resource where I share my buying tips and experiences!