Jessy Mendiola stressed that her new luxury bag is authentic after an online user said it “looks fake.”
On her Instagram account, the actress shared an unboxing video of a Chanel bag that appears to be a Classic Flap Mini Square Chain Shoulder Bag in black caviar skin leather, which she got from Japan-based sales associate Ann Beltran-Shimomura.
“Thank you for sourcing this gorgeous classic vintage piece, Japan Luxe Direct,” Mendiola wrote in the caption.
While many of her followers admired her designer item, a social media user questioned its authenticity in the comments section of her post.
“Looks fake to me. Bought from Hong Kong?” they wrote in the thread.
To which, Mendiola responded that it “was authenticated by a sales associate who checked the item’s serial code in Chanel’s system.”
“No need to hate and spread negativity,” she added.
Beltran-Shimomura also defended the product’s quality, noting that every shop in Japan “has their own in-house professional authenticators.”
”We don’t sell fake items here ‘cos bawal. They would close down your shop if caught,” she added.
Another user shared her knowledge on Chanel bags and said that the luxury brand “utilizes a lot of stitches to help [maintain] the bag’s unique shape. Stitching can be a very evident indicator of authenticity.”
“A genuine Chanel purse will contain panels with up to 11 stitches each, matching the length of one side of the diamond design,” the commenter added.
According to The Vintage Bar, a fashion marketplace offering preloved luxury items, a Chanel vintage bag “uses a high number of stitches,” but “on an older style, there might be as few as eight.”
“However, only a fake Chanel will have less than this,” it added.
Mendiola asserted that such features depend on the type of bag, such as if it’s a seasonal piece or a classic one.
“It also depends on the size of the bag. The only way to authenticate a piece is to have the serial code or microchip checked in Chanel’s system,” she said.
Tokyo-based vintage shop AMORE’s website, a Chanel Mini Classic Square Flap costs 1,345,455 Japanese Yen (P496,919).
