Fashion
THIS IS HOW YOU UNMASK THAT ‘SO-CALLED’ CHANEL BAG
This woman knows everything about it
Don't know Vestiaire Collective yet? Shame on you. On the site various tempting designer items are bought and sold daily. This ‘deluxe marketplace’ started in 2009 and now has over four million members worldwide. And the best news? A Dutch version is on the way.
When the CEO (the beautiful Frenchwoman Fanny Moizant) was in Amsterdam yesterday to announce the exciting news, I just had to pull her design sleeve. Because how do you score an item from a luxury brand for a bargain? And how do you prevent yourself from snagging a ‘real fake’?
Fanny, what is the best way to score a deal?
“Everything we have is second-hand, so the prices are definitely lower than in stores. But it's still difficult to snag that one item. However, if you set an alert, it often works. That way, you already reduce the search. For example, if you've been looking for a specific shoe for a long time, you can indicate that on the site and you'll get an alert as soon as the item is offered by someone. But you still have to be quick with sought-after items. Recently we sold a Hermès bag in 17 seconds.”
On your site, loads of designer bags are bought and sold daily. How do you recognize a ‘real fake’?
“We have a special team of fashion experts who specialize in recognizing the authenticity of a real designer bag. They pay attention to the quality of the leather, the smell, the finishing of the stitches, zippers, and a thousand other minute details. Each brand has its own peculiarities.”
And what are those, for example, with a Chanel bag?
“The letter E in the Chanel logo has a secret that most people don't know. The bottom line of the E is one millimeter longer than at the top. Our team sees it immediately if it's been tampered with. But for the layman, it remains difficult to recognize. There are plenty of women walking around who think they have a real designer bag when that's not the case at all.”
Is half your monthly salary spent on bargains on the site?
“Haha no, it's not that bad for me. Sometimes I don't buy anything for weeks, but there are also periods when it can suddenly go quite fast. I also have an Hermès bracelet on now that I just couldn't pass up.”
Are you more of a bag woman or a shoe woman?
“Absolutely a shoe woman. I don't care much for bags. But shoes, I can't get enough of. I find everything from Gianvito Rossi so beautiful, whether it's high heels or sneakers. But I can also really appreciate an Acne loafer.”
