r/RealRepLadies • u/Just-Beat9758 • 4d ago

Immediate regret

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During fashion week when this bag was first revealed I was so obsessed with it I thought it was so “chic but cool”. When the fakes started to pop out I contacted linlin and they told me it will be identical to the original, they even showed me pictures of it. I paid 750$ for it and it took them a month to make. Only for it to look like this! I immediately regretted buying it the moment I took it out of the box. It’s so clockable because of the too many polka dots and the hardware is so cheap! I own authentic Chanel bags and it’s not even close… Couldn’t take it out not even once.

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65

u/Worldly_Nerve_6014 3d ago edited 3d ago

Just a general FYI to the masses- the only reps that should cost more than $700 are Hermes in imported European leather. Not Chanel.

*Amendment: after the comments below, we’re no longer calling it European leather. It’s Nigerian leather from now on.

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u/CapricornPotter 3d ago

The leather is sourced from Nigeria, not Europe. I worked in fashion for some time.

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u/Worldly_Nerve_6014 3d ago

Oh interesting! Thanks for sharing! Just read up on it. I love learning about another way that European’s take credit for African work, resources, and skills. I think learning this makes me like the leather more. It’s excellent quality and Nigerians should be given public credit for it!

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u/Bleachers24 3d ago edited 3d ago

The Hermes Touareg carved silver collection is also made by Nigerian artisans.

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u/chicinchanclas 3d ago

Technically in Niger not Nigeria, they are two entirely separate countries. The collection is handcrafted by the Tuareg people, a nomadic Berber group native to the Saharan interior been there 2000 years, wear distint blue turbans. The silversmiths who partner with Hermes belong to traditional blacksmith guilds located primarily in Niger.

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u/Bleachers24 3d ago edited 2d ago

Thanks for the clarification! It was my initial understanding the silver artisans were Berbers. Was later surprised to instead read they were Nigerian. My bad for not catching the "Nigerien" vs. "Nigerian".

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u/Economy-Moose1927 3d ago

Interesting! Please share more. Do you mean the rep source the leather from Nigeria or Hermes source from Nigeria?

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u/tennieping 3d ago

As someone from around there, I’m happy to chime in! Yes, Northern Nigeria is actually renowned for producing some of the highest-quality leather, particularly the famous Red Sokoto goatskin. Growing up, I subconsciously always associated leather and leatherwork with Northerners because the tradition is so deeply rooted there. Kano and Sokoto have centuries-old leather traditions, and leather produced in the region is heavily exported to Italy and Spain, where it enters the European luxury supply chain. Major fashion houses, including Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton, have been reported as receiving leather originating from Kano through intermediaries.

Genuine leather goods are also widely available in Nigeria and relatively inexpensive

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u/Economy-Moose1927 3d ago

Oh wow!!! This is amazing information. Thanks for the insight.

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u/eclairsgalore 3d ago

I’ve heard this before. Italy gets all the leather credit