After our post Monday on Chanel’s new refurbishment and refinishing policy for its bags, readers had a lot of comments, concerns and questions. Chanel reached out to us to provide an official statement from a company spokesperson, as well as to clarify what the new policy means for customers. You can read the statement in full below.
Official Statement from Chanel spokesperson
Chanel is absolutely still repairing bags over 5 years old.
Repairs are still performed by our Fashion After Sales department, regardless of the bag’s age.
The change to our policy is on two paid services only.
- Refinishing: The process of re-applying pigment to the exterior of a handbag or small leather good.
- Refurbishing: A complete overhaul service including refinishing, hardware changes, stitching and/or piping servicing.
These 2 services are still offered with the following updated policy:
- Must be verified as purchased from an authorized CHANEL Retailer location, either a CHANEL Boutique or authorized Multi-Brand Retailer
- Must be five years of age or under from date of purchase
Like all brands, our service offering is evolving to remain consistent with our customers’ expectations and needs as this service was rarely used by our clients.
This policy does not impact any other repair services currently offered for which there is no change.
I wanted to further understand what constitutes a repair service, and was told it means issues arising from natural wear and tear. This includes broken chains, clasps and other hardware problems. You do not need a receipt or proof of purchase for repairs, but you will incur charge. However, this excludes any repair services covered under a bag’s warranty, which are complementary. This is the service most people have used over the years at Chanel, and fear not, it’s still available.
I personally had an issue with screws coming loose on my Chanel Reissue Flap Bag, and when I took it into the store, they were able to fix it on the spot for me while I perused other items. I even shared how wonderful the customer service was that I received at the time (which was a year ago).
For those who did use the refurbishment service from Chanel, you will only be impacted if you are looking to have a bag refurbished that is over 5 years old. If you don’t have your original receipt, the brand can look you up if you purchased the bag from a boutique or authorized Chanel retailer.
If we learn of anything else on this policy, we will update you.
