cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/37637366
In mid-April 2025, a wave of videos swept through TikTok claiming that some brands of luxury leather goods, especially French ones, actually make their products in China. The content creators presented themselves as official manufacturers, urging customers to buy bags directly from the source at a fraction of the retail price.
…
The carefully orchestrated release of these videos coincided with the United States’ announcement of 145% tariffs on Chinese imports. With the use of catchy titles like “Luxury Brands Are All Made in China” or “Luxury Brands Lied to You”, content creators sought to draw customers directly to Chinese websites. This way, they would have a chance to bypass traditional distribution channels.
By offering their products on Chinese applications such as DHGate or Taobao – among the most downloaded in the United States in mid-April – Chinese manufacturers were clearly targeting the US market.
…
Almost exclusively European productions
The Chinese manufacturers behind the claims in the videos on TikTok explain their previous silence by citing confidentiality agreements. They seized the opportunity to convince Internet users that these iconic Italian or French brands had their leather goods produced in China, with the “Made in Italy” or “Made in France” labels added only after the final assembly step was carried out in Europe.
However, by showing bags resembling those made by Hermès and Louis Vuitton, the creators of these videos ultimately discredited their own claims.
Make no mistake: Hermès does not produce its bags in China. As stated in its 2024 universal registration document, 60 of its 75 production sites are in France. The others can be found in Italy (shoes), the United Kingdom (for the bootmaker John Lobb, which is owned by Hermès), Switzerland (watches), Australia (tanneries and precious leathers), the US, and finally Portugal, with two metal factories there – neither of which is involved in making bags.
…
Buyers of counterfeit products may face significant legal consequences. In France, they may be fined up to twice the value of the genuine product that has been counterfeited. So, if a bag suspiciously resembling a “Kelly” bag is offered for $1,000 on certain websites, the final bill could turn out to be far steeper, especially considering that the starting price of the authentic Hermès bag exceeds €10,000. In addition, buyers may be sentenced to three years’ imprisonment.
During a hearing in the French Senate in April 2025, Delphine Sarfati-Sobreira, the director-general of the Union of Manufacturers for the International Protection of Intellectual Property (Unifab), said [“France is the second-largest country in the European Union in terms of seizures of counterfeit goods”].
The video campaigns, viewed by millions, only fuel the counterfeit market. And buying directly from Chinese platforms does not completely exempt customers from paying customs duties. In the US, customs controls on orders from China have tightened, particularly for small packages below $800.
…
Buyers of counterfeit products may face significant legal consequences. In France, they may be fined up to twice the value of the genuine product that has been counterfeited
Ah, there it is. You see, it’s your fault for wanting something that looks nice that isn’t an arbitrarily ridiculous price.
Crazy they’re fining customers as if it’s akin to buying drugs
Purchase/possession of drugs is also illegal in France IIUC
I assumed so or my comment wouldn’t have made sense, not sure what you’re getting at
I guess I should have writtem “Both purchase and possession …”?
IIUC they don’t need to prove you bought the narcotics (as opposed to just finding them or getting them as a gift from a friend), the fact that you have them (regardless of quantity) is enough. IDK if it’s the same for fake branded stuff.
Oh I see. I believe the article was implying that merely possessing a bag could trigger the fine (or up to three years in jail!). Google seems to confirm that mere possession of a knockoff bag is illegal.
Typically laws like this crack down on manufacturers or sellers, targeting consumers seems egregious to me. It sounds like even if you make a single knock off bag for yourself you could potentially be breaking a law.
This is not about the price, it’s about counterfeit products. Chinese companies are free to develop their own brands and sell it cheaper, but here they just copy foreign brands and violating trademarks.
France probably doesn’t have any practical means of enforcing anything against a counterfeiter in China, so it’s probably the buyer or nothing.
EDIT: That being said, at least as per the article, it sounds like the counterfeiters in China are principally targeting US buyers, not French buyers, so I don’t know how much impact it’ll have anyway; this law won’t affect US buyers unless they travel to France or something.
Ok, but sometimes the sellers are drop shippers advertising on social media. Might make more sense to go after them.
Ah, there it is. You see, it’s your fault for wanting something that looks nice that isn’t an arbitrarily ridiculous price.
Which don’t imply buying a counterfeit product.
Examining … risks for consumers
The government will fine you twice the “value” of the good that was being counterfit and potentially send you to jail.
So not a risk like excess amounts of lead or arsenic, or even you won’t have the real thing, just literally daddy government will punish you just cause you weren’t supposed to do it that way.
Big clothes brands deliberately allow fake products to enter Belgium
Every day, huge quantities of parcels from China arrive in Belgium, mainly via Liège airport. Contents range from shoes and clothing to perfume. ‘Of the 4.5 billion customs declarations that leave China for Europe each year, around 1 billion pass through Liège,’ explains Francis Adyns, spokesperson for the Belgian Finance Ministry and Customs. ‘And yes, when you say China, you also say counterfeit.’ …
Brands must decide whether or not to consider the intercepted goods as counterfeit. If they do, they are legally obliged to have the counterfeit products destroyed or recycled. ‘Hazardous goods, such as perfume or batteries, must be destroyed. But clothes and shoes must now be recycled,’ explains Adyns. Recycling costs up to 3 euros per kilo, which is up to three times more expensive than destroying everything …
These high costs are precisely why some brand owners prefer not to label the goods as counterfeit, and therefore allow them in.’ As a result, Belgium, whether it wants to or not, is becoming a hub for counterfeit products in Europe …
If the Economic Inspection detects counterfeit goods, the trademark owners must still pay for their destruction or recycling. ‘They cannot escape this responsibility, even if they have previously authorised the goods.’
I have no idea about the fashion sector, but I feel we need some new rules as China unfortunately appears to be playing games. Beijing should be held accountable for these practices.
