PHOTOS

For those of you that are like me and wants to see photos first.

BACKSTORY

  • This review is for everyone but is especially dedicated to (1): newbies to the sub (like I once was), and (2) for those that are seriously scared af to jump the fence.
  • I just want to give a bit of introduction about how I got curious with this sub and maybe find some people that are lurking or newbies similar to me, I hope this post inspires you.
  • This is actually the second bag I ordered from a TS seller but I consider it the first I own. The reason I say that is because my first bag, I already became a victim to bait and switch by a used-to-be TS seller. I’m so happy that this sub has so many great mods and they were able to intercept for me and in the end I was able to get a refund, less shipping costs. That’s better than nothing. I choose to look at my glass half full all the time, or at least I try to.
  • Anyway, as I said before I never scrutinized people for having reps. I was always accepting of the fact that there is a black market but I could have never believed the rep could be as good as the auth. One of the myths I’ve debunked since being immersed on this sub. And this boy bag is the symbolism of that belief being long gone 🚮.
  • I decided to prolong the review of this bag because I wanted to see the wear and tear of this bag as well as experiencing using it at a Chanel boutique. Yes you have read that right, experience using it going inside a Chanel boutique! This is the bag my SA calls “proof you cheated on me.” I didn’t tell her its a rep but the fact that she regarded it, touched it, put her hands all over it because she never pegged me for a Chanel boy girl (and to be honest me either). I was always the client that was into my dainty classic flaps in different colors for different seasons.

SELLER INFO

  • Min, her WeChat contact is Min1993BSC

PRICE PAID

  • $556 in total (The bag itself is $545 with full packaging) + 2% PayPal F&F)
  • Min does have different pricing for not full packaging, you would need to tell her that you do not want full packaging. Otherwise the total she gives is automatic with full packaging.
  • Don’t do it. Honestly, you won’t be at a loss if you don’t get the packaging. I personally trashed mine because the box was beat up and also there’s color transfer on the tissues. Packaging photos here. Now if you are one of those that have always bought an authentic, you might be on a bit of a shock and I hate to be the bearer of your bad news but packaging is not one that most sellers (even TS) pay attention to. Friendly reminder, you are not paying for the quality of the packaging. Don’t expect a 31 Rue Cambon packaging treatment.

TIMELINE

10/18

  • Contacted Min and inquired. Someone had previously asked me if Min sent me color swatches of the available leathers with different colors. She didn’t because I didn’t ask. I sent her pictures I got from Fashionphile. I asked her if she could source me exact same from God Factory.
  • If you want to see her color wheels here it is for reference.

10/19

  • Min had told me the bag would be pre-order and it would take 15 to 20 days sometimes faster, sometimes a few days slower. I was okay with this.

10/20

  • Paid

11/10

  • Received PSP

11/11

  • GL

11/23

  • The bag was sent. It took this long for Min to send the bag due the Canadian postal service strike. I was attending an institution in Canada for my PhD research that semester. Min was conveniently updating me and we were back and forth with updates on the postal service as to when they would restore service, etc.
  • Finally Min decided it would be send through DHL though I was really iffed about this at first because of custom seizures. I was super scared of this! But then she assured me that at the time this has been the method she’s been using with her Canadian customers and it was fine.

11/24

  • I was in touch with Min that I was having problems with DHL because I had the package redirected to a pick up location and at first it seemed that the truck lost scan but it eventually turned up anyways the next day.

12/1

  • Received

REVIEW

Quality: 10/10

  • I have had this bag for just about a little under one year.
  • I don’t believe in doing reviews when something is like a week old or so. I feel like quality should be measured up overtime. You don’t want to be paying a high-tier rep and say really good things about then then 2-3 months later something major falls apart from it.
  • Part of the reason why I waited to this review was because I want to see how this would hold up. This was my first rep bag since my failed attempt of purchasing a WOC from ex-TS seller, which went downhill.
  • I am happy to report that this bag was an amazing well-worth purchase and has held up completely and perfectly fine. Its been to two international trips lol. I do take her out quite a bit as well to be honest especially to dinners.
  • The quality of the leather is amazing and I’m surprised I only paid for $556 yet the wear and tear has been phenomenal. I also get endless compliments from my peer group of people who own authentic Chanel bags as well as my Chanel SA. To me this was the real kicker. Lol my SA could not tell its a rep. She’s seen the bag multiple times because I’m lucky enough to live near a Chanel flagship. Its literally less than a block from my building. Lol she also has started to offer me Chanel boys since I’ve sort of used it as a weekend casual bag. I have not bought an authentic Chanel boy. I’ve been contemplating it especially this yellow one I saw was gorgeous 🤩.

Accuracy: 10/10

  • At first, I wasn’t a fan of the boy bag and when it came out I honestly thought it was going to be a seasonal bag. This bag has honestly proven a lot of people wrong when it comes to withstanding the test of time. My SA mentioned the caviar is a hard to come by in black on this size, especially where were located. And if it does, it sells out pretty quickly.
  • Logo: In rating the logo I have took into consideration the Chanel stamp in the interior, the sphere CC where the bag adjusts, the front CC logo, the CHANEL engraving in the side hardware – all of which checks off in the accuracy in comparison to the authentic.
  • Size/Shape: Size wise and shape wise this bag is referred to as the old medium, and matches the sizing of the old medium in the boutique. The cut of where the diamonds the edges are is as accurate as it can get. The snake head strap checks off as well. I’ve seen a variation of snake head strap on authentic bags and I’m sure if you have been stalking this bag for a while now you would also know the variation of the snake head shape vs. sharp, angular, etc. from Fashionphile. In terms of alignment, I’ve read here on RepLadies that some Chanel Boy bags from God Factory has some 0.25, 0.whatever misalignment mine did not. Maybe I just got real lucky at this but my alignment was fine.
  • Hardware: I do want to mention though that I had this bag side-by-side with a black lambskin in ruthenium hardware as well when I was in the boutique and I did notice that the opening clasp hardware where the CC is (the part you squeeze in the front to open the bag) the hardware on the boutique authentic one is slightly thicker if you look at the two bags side by side to the side. Its not noticeable to the naked eye if you don’t have two bags side by side. This was something I had caught on looking at boy bags at other boutiques over time I did notice that the thickness of that hardware do vary. And honestly I feel like I’m the only one with OCD eyes that would notice. If anything too, all luxury bags vary over time nowadays. The consistency would probably be comparable to when we say in RepLadies by ‘batches’. Not something everyone would care for when literally a rep as well made as this vs. the authentic is literally fraction of the price. I won’t deduct points for this as its not worth it due to the inconsistencies in authentic as well anyway. It is though worth mentioning for the sake of the review. The hardware’s chain weight is also I feel as weighty as the chain on the authentic for ruthenium. The bag itself without the strap is light. The authentic feels this way as well. Lol to mess with my SA I did have her take off the boutique’s red Chanel boy bag I told her I wanted to see if I could carry it like clutch so she obliged to take it off. I do know my SA for quite some time now so this is probably why she didn’t mind. But I feel like some snotty SA in other cities would mind. The ruthenium hardware color also matches the authentic one.
  • Handle: The chain’s handle drop of the strap is exact to the boutique old medium.
  • Leather: Honestly when it comes to Chanel bags, I would judge accuracy based from the leather largely. When I didn’t own any rep I thought that I was paying north of $5,000 for an authentic Chanel bag because their leather is incomparable. This would be a bittersweet statement for me to say because I do own authentic Chanel bags and have paid ridiculous amount for those bags. While I do love them endlessly and still do look forward in owning them for years and passing them down, I’m happy to say that Ms. Picky Leather over here can now retract her statement about replica leather to be shitty all the time. I was so wrong. Probably because I’ve sighted replica Chanel with like plastic-y looking leather and what not. It just wasn’t supple or malleable to look at vs. authentic Chanel bags. Owning my rep Chanel Boy for a while now, the leather has exceeded my expectations both for a rep and for an authentic. It truly is comparable to the authentic. The fact that I had brought it in to a Chanel boutique and have showed it off to my SA also says a lot from my perspective.
  • Cornerwear: Chanel bag corners is somewhat considered as basis of use and abuse. The corners of my rep bag still looks like what it looks like the day I received her. I’m very happy about that.
  • The whole old leather vs. new leather from God Factory. I had to clear this up with Min whether or not the caviar leather being produced by God Factory which was shiny old one is being replaced by a matte one. This isn’t the case, they are both being produced by the factory which just varies depending on what the buyer likes. In comparison to the authentic variations in caviar varies over time in authentic Chanel bags. These two kinds of caviar that is being produced by God Factory is akin to the authentic. I just decided to go for the more matte caviar also known as the new caviar by Min because I liked the way it looked with the combination I picked.
  • Packaging: For what its worth, do not buy the full packaging. You honestly do not need it anyway. I would save that money and opt for no packaging. I honestly just kept the dust bag and threw away the box. Glue was seeping through the cardboard from two corners lol. Packaging doesn’t have an impact on my overall score because I feel like its just a box.
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Communication 9/10

  • I would give Min a 9 out of 10. -1 for the semi-heart attack she gave me when she decided to DHL my bag since no one really knew when the postal strike would end. No hard feelings though. I would still work with her in a heart beat. Not DHL though. I don’t like DHL and I don’t want to conduct any business with them. That’s really all the reason why I deducted -1.

Satisfaction 10/10

  • The bag has survived my beating for a year. I mostly use it as a weekend, casual bag. I’ve not babied it at all and you can see in the photos that it still looks as pristine as the PSPs.

Final Thoughts

  • No shame in owning and using this bag at all. I have homed it side by side my authentic Chanel bags and treat it with the same love. It is afterall still bought with hard earned money no matter what.
  • I stand at 5’7 and weigh 174 lbs. and to be honest this bag does not sit well on me crossbody but it does sit well just on my shoulder with the long strap. I have purchased a second Chanel boy bag from Redden sourced from God Factory in the new medium size which I think is more appropriate for my frame. Its lambskin leather so I will do a review for it when I’ve had it for years lol or what would feel like years of waiting on a review like this one.

REMINDERS FOR NEWBIES TO THE SUB

I was once a newbie and here are a few thoughts I was looking for someone to tell me.

  • Be realistic. The quality of your rep bag is not going to depend on packaging. Don’t be one of those YouTube personalities that compares rep to auth on the hard basis of packaging. The “box, the paper, feels different etc.” 🙄yeah ok moving along…
  • Buy the highest-tier you can afford when possible. If you do your research or you stalk the sub enough you know there are different factories that specializes in different brands as well as “tier” levels. If you are buying Chanel for the first time and/or is used to authentic, piece of advise – stick to the highest-tier (determined based from reviews and not the seller saying so), there are a million of reviews and resources on the sub. Do your homework.
  • “I’m buying a rep, why would I invest?” Because the notion of “best quality money can buy” applies to reps too. Your rep doesn’t have to look like a rep. Cheap doesn’t always mean bad quality, just as authentics doesn’t always mean best quality. Sorry Coco but some of them in 🇨🇳 are just simply doing it better than your artisans.
  • Buy black. If you are really sensitive to colors not matching the authentic, I would suggest go for black. Black can never be too dark or too light. This should ease off your worries about fantasy color.

X, BBP1NKA