Chanel, Inc sued Fashionphile in 2014 and I completely forgot about it until this past week when I was having a conversation with a friend. I decided to do a little digging to see what, if anything had happened with it and was surprised that for one, it dragged on as long as it did and that is was finally settled.

Let me first start by saying that all allegations are just that, alleged.

 

 

 

In 2014, Chanel, Inc filed a lawsuit against Fashionphile for allegedly selling four fake Chanel bags. In the original filing, which you can find here, Chanel, Inc alleged that Fashionphile allegedly sold Chanel handbags made with materials and serial numbers that were allegedly stolen from the Chanel factory. I know, the word alleged is everywhere but legally that’s what the filing is, just allegations.

 

 

There is a long line of filings (two years worth) in between the original filing date and the final agreement and you can find those on the internet but a sealed agreement was reached and the case was dismissed with prejudice in May of 2016.

 

 

Allegedly part of the settlement was a cash payment to Chanel and a change to the verbiage on the Fashionphile home page. Because the settlement is under seal, this is just a guess on my part but if you think about it, what else would make this lawsuit go away? One more note, while we will never know, there can be 100 different reason for the dismissal in which none may be an admission of guilt. Just the fact that this dragged on so long could be just one reason.

Now, the reason that I am sharing thsi with you is that I strongly believe that knowledge is power and the more you educate yourself on a designer brands nuances, the better chance you have in spotting “designer replicas”.

I also feel that it’s only fair that I share the good with the bad and that if I’m going to be true to what Closet Full Of Cash is, then I also need to share any and all pertinent information that can help you as either a buyer or seller, make an informed decision with whom you do business with.

As usual, when you are shopping resale, if you have questions about authenticity,  spend the money to get that piece authenticated by a reputable authenticator. Trust me, it’s so worth it.