05/18/2026
Determining whether a bag is authentic or fake on a standard level of authentication is not simply a yes-or-no answer. In reality, authenticating authenticity is often the easy part when the bag is clearly genuine (easy standard). The harder part is determining whether what you are buying is still the bag Chanel originally created.
That is why I ask for photos some consider unnecessary or even “ridiculous.” Chanel is extremely strict when it comes to major repairs and alterations. Authenticity and originality are not the same thing. An authentic bag with heavy undisclosed alterations no longer represents its original form.
In this flap, the stitching was redone carelessly, and the bag underwent extensive touch-ups inside and out with unprofessional workmanship. You are not simply authenticating an “authentic medium flap.” You are authenticating an authentic REFURBISHED medium flap, and the word REFURBISHED deserves to be in capital letters.
Think about it this way: if one photo could reveal something capable of changing the entire story of the bag, was it really unnecessary?