Millions of views for two promises: to offer a luxury bag for cheap and exhibit a shameful secret of the big western houses. Since Monday, on Tiktok, Chinese manufacturers claim loud and clear that the Hermès, Dior or Chanel products that sell for several thousand or tens of thousands of euros in the West come out of their factories. In full economic uncertainty caused by the Yoyo ads on American customs duties, this “trend” tickles consumers who are afraid of paying more – or who dream of taking advantage of chaos to offer an inaccessible product.
These are not stolen videos or pubs that would make a scam believe, but young people who are clean on them who are expressed in front of the camera. A particular video, posted by the “Senbags2” account and deleted since, seems to have launched the trend. She claims that 80 % of luxury bags are made in China and that only final touches and packaging are made in Europe. “If you had a Hermès bag, and suddenly the label changed from” made in France “to” made in China “but that everything else remained identical, is the bag less luxury than before? The video ends with a call to buy directly from the factory in China.
“We all got ripped”
Other accounts, such as Gonest or Luna Sourcing China, one of the videos of which exceeds 5 million views, maintain the trend. On X or Tiktok, reaction videos are surprised by these revelations and already rejoice in this good plan to pay less: “I since the Chinese decided to swing the sites to buy luxury shoes at 5 euros”, “the brothers, we were all scammed! »»
So, is it true that luxury brands, presenting French or Italian know-how, have their products made in Asia? “For Hermès, it’s amazing. But many luxury brands make in China, at least certain stages, it is a secret of Polichinelle, confirms Noëmie Leclercq, investigative journalist, specializing in counterfeits, for the Glitz media. And even in Europe, luxury factories in Prato (Italy) are held by the Chinese mafia. »»
Sourcing and luxury counterfeiting as commercial weapons
We must distinguish this practice, sometimes called “sourcing”, from pure counterfeiting, whose alleged provenance of the same factories is less established. “Often, former luxury employees are counterfeit,” said Noémie Leclercq.
According to information obtained by GlitzChina is expected to open the valves of counterfeit, to play in its economic duel with the United States. Like Russia which, in 2022, after the start of the war in Ukraine, left copies prosper in its domestic market. “It becomes an economic weapon,” says Noëmie Leclercq. China can overcome the intellectual property agreements, on which they were committed, and get to high quality counterfeit. »»
Because, beyond low-end products that flow in the markets, some counterfeiters offer products for several thousand euros. This attack on luxury can seduce the same audience as those ready to put their PEL for a product with a large brand. “Apart from the war of customs rights, we also arrive at the limits of the luxury system and exclusivity: price that increases, waiting list …”, describes the journalist. And, in the middle, a consumer who wants his bag at all costs.
