Hong Kong 01 Interview – Love for Second-Hand Bags | The owner of the CHANEL Second-Hand Bag Shop personally shares tips on how to avoid buying fakes?

Last time, I mentioned that many consumers do not know much about the knowledge of "second-hand", which leads to many "strange and complicated problems". From the perspective of consumers, facing the numerous second-hand, second-hand and purchasing agencies, they will inevitably feel confused and afraid of being deceived.
Therefore, we decided to ask Lovintage owner Zijian for some tips that consumers must know in the third episode of "Loving Vintage Bags". In addition, Zijian will also show several extremely rare and valuable CHANEL vintage handbags. Friends who are interested in buying vintage bags should not miss it.

Photography: Gong Jiasheng

Zijian often shoots videos and writes articles to personally impart relevant knowledge and clarify the public's misconceptions about medieval times. (Photo: Gong Jiasheng)

After eight years of business, Chi Kin discovered that although Hong Kong people have great interest in second-hand handbags, they have only a limited understanding of the relevant knowledge. In order to help Hong Kong people have a better understanding of second-hand bags, Chi Kin often shoots videos and writes articles to personally impart relevant knowledge and clarify the public's myths about second-hand bags. He is very thoughtful.

It is a rare opportunity for Yiwu to ask Zijian for some basic knowledge about second-hand goods. It turns out that in addition to the serial number card issue mentioned last time, there are a few things to pay attention to when buying second-hand handbags.

Antiquities Dealer Permit

Japan has strict regulations on second-hand sellers, and related industries must apply for an "Second-hand Dealer License." (Photo: Gong Jiasheng)

In recent years, major brands have been launching replica handbags from time to time, and the second-hand bag market has also flourished. Although you want to buy, there are many second-hand and second-hand stores in the market, and the quality varies and there are good and bad ones mixed together, causing many consumers to worry about being deceived by the store and wasting money on fakes.

Zijian said that Japan has strict regulations for sellers of second-hand goods, and related industries must apply for an "Secret Dealer License." Those who do not obtain this license are not allowed to engage in sales and purchases in Japan, and cannot even enter auction venues. Second-hand dealer licenses are applied for in different regions and are strictly regulated by the government. If the Japanese government finds that you are selling fake goods, the person's home will be "confiscated" and you will never be able to set foot in the related industry again in your life.

Before buying a second-hand handbag from Japan, you may want to ask the store to show you their antique dealer license for peace of mind.

"Photo Fraud" hides the problem of handbag texture and smell

CHANEL Vintage Super Model Tote Bag

Nowadays, there are many online stores, and many popular styles are sold out in a matter of seconds, causing many people to buy bags based on photos alone. Zijian reminds that sometimes it is difficult to determine the quality of a handbag based on photos alone: ​​"There are two major things that photos cannot show: the first is the feel, and the second is the smell. Don't think that the smell is no big deal. In fact, many second-hand handbags from Japan have very strange smells. Japanese women especially love to smoke and wear perfume, which makes the handbags have a lot of smoke and perfume smells. Among the second-hand handbag collectors I know, many people have high requirements for the smell of handbags. The most basic requirement is that there should be no smell. People with high requirements even require the handbags to maintain the original leather smell."

Zijian once encountered a handbag that smelled like dead fish, sour and sticky. He spent half a year trying to remove the odor, but still couldn't completely remove it. Imagine if you spent tens of thousands of yuan and bought a handbag that smelled like dead fish, you would have no way to complain.

Renovation is normal

In the Japanese second-hand industry, refurbishment is no secret, and nearly 90% of second-hand bags have been refurbished. (Photo: Gong Jiasheng)

Zijian shared that a customer once visited a second-hand store in the UK and found that the bags in the store were very old. In comparison, the second-hand bags from Japan were very new and clean. The reason for this is "refurbishment".

What is refurbishment? Zijian said: "For example, minor repairs such as adding color to the corners of the bag are refurbishment." In the Japanese second-hand industry, refurbishment is no secret. Nearly 90% of second-hand bags have been refurbished, and Japanese consumers don't mind it.

However, many second-hand shops in Hong Kong will deny selling refurbished handbags. Chi Kin asked, "How do you know that a handbag produced 40 years ago has never been refurbished even if it has been sold countless times?" He stressed, "The key is not 'whether it can be refurbished', but 'how it is refurbished'." He gave an example, "It's like human skin. If you keep scratching the wound, the wound will only get bigger and bigger, and even leave scars. On the contrary, if you take good care of the wound, it will be completely healed after it heals, leaving no trace. The same is true for handbags. Used handbags will definitely have signs of natural wear and tear. Do you keep hiding your handbags deep in the closet to preserve their quality? Buy a handbag and use it, and repair it regularly after use. Don't wait until it is seriously damaged to refurbish it all at once. This is the best way to deal with it."

Zijian elaborates on medieval knowledge. (Photo: Gong Jiasheng)

Lovintage has been open for eight years. Even after experiencing the pandemic, it still stands firm, quietly collecting second-hand CHANEL handbags scattered all over the world, creating a rare CHANEL second-hand handbag kingdom in Hong Kong. If you have the opportunity, you may wish to visit Lovintage's store on Sharp Street East in Causeway Bay, which may lead to a beautiful marriage with CHANEL second-hand handbags. If you have time, it is also recommended that you carefully appreciate Zijian's precious collection over the years. These CHANEL handbags hidden in the glass cabinets are very rare, and you may not be able to buy them even if you have money. It is guaranteed to be an eye-opener.

Original URL: Love for vintage bags | The owner of a CHANEL vintage bag store teaches tips on how to avoid buying fakes | Hong Kong 01 https://www.hk01.com/article/544635