Luxury designer handbag retailer Cosette is facing accusations of selling “superfake” bags, with thousands of customers now wondering: is my bag a fake, too?
A bombshell report in The Age identified a customer who had put her handbag – a Saint Laurent Envelope Medium Chain Bag – through the official authentication process, only to be told it was not the real deal.
Cosette has denied the claims, but dozens more people have since come forward with similar complaints. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Cosette Being Accused Of?
Cosette markets itself as “your new best friend in fashion”, claiming that it’s able to sell luxury items at discounted rates to Australians by taking advantage of the opposite seasons between Europe and Australia.
“Thanks to our exclusive networks and high-end buyers we are able to source only the very best, for less,” their website reads.
“All items we receive from our European suppliers are new and guaranteed authentic.”
Following the article in The Age, on Sunday 23 July, 2023, and a Monday airing of the story on A Current Affair, at least 75 complaints were made about Cosette to NSW Fair Trading.
The Cosette store in The Rocks, Sydney was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing staff sickness.
NSW Fair Trading conducted a site visit to Cosette’s warehouse on July 26. The company will also appear on Fair Trading’s official complaints register.
A spokeswoman for Fair Trading said, “NSW Fair Trading has started an investigation and at this stage is unable to provide any more specific detail.
“Fair Trading is investigating the allegations and will liaise with other agencies when appropriate.”
Cosette, which has refunded some customers already, has denied its products are inauthentic. “The refunds issued in recent days have been purely for the purposes of customer satisfaction, not because we have any concerns about the authenticity of the products it sells,” a spokesperson said.
“In no way is this any admission of liability.”
Additionally, it has called for any customers with concerns to return the product for reauthentication.
“If Cosette finds any product to be non-genuine after reauthentication, the customer will be refunded fully. Cosette is reauthenticating all product returned to us where a customer has concerns about authenticity. At this time, no product has been identified as fake.”
Certain handbags, which have been identified in early reports, appear to be listed as out of stock on Cosette’s website.
How To Authenticate Your Designer Bag
Unfortunately, the bag authentication process is not as easy as taking it into your local store and asking a sales representative. However, there are authentication services available, such as Luxury Authentication Australia, Real Authentication and the Royal Bag Spa in Melbourne.
Many are able to undergo the authentication process using the details in documents that have come with your bag and photos over email, within a day (although with demand rising it is worth enquiring on timelines with your authenticator).
Caroline Di Russo, from Luxury Authentication Australia, told A Current Affair that her orders have gone up 300 per cent this week, following an inundation of Cosette customers seeking authentication.
Australian Consumer Law states that customers can ask for a refund when “goods have been misrepresented, including when fake products are represented as genuine.”
There are some rules that can help you be sure the product you’re buying is legitimate. According to the Chanel website, it’s best to purchase only from an authorized Chanel vendor and to be wary of internet websites that claim to be selling their wares.
“The quality of a genuine Chanel accounts for its price. If the price seems very low, then it is probably a counterfeit,” they add.
The take home? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
We will update this as the story evolves.
This article was originally published on ELLE Australia and is republished here with permission.
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