A woman who walked into her local thrift store on a whim was left floored after finding what could prove to be a vintage Chanel bag from the ’90s.
Amelia Perrin was taking her lunch break when she decided to head over to the thrift store nearby. While she may have hoped to find some nice secondhand pieces, nothing could have prepared her for what was actually waiting inside.
As Perrin, 29, browsed the store, she spotted what appears to be a vintage patent Chanel handbag. She told Newsweek that she initially thought it’s “probably a tatty fake” because she’s never seen this style before. But after looking at it properly, she realized that it could in fact be worth thousands.
Perrin, from Essex, U.K., said: “The man working asked me to make a donation for it. He couldn’t really sell it in case it was fake, and we couldn’t get it authenticated (because Chanel doesn’t authenticate bags), and being a charity, they couldn’t pay for the authentication or the restoration work.”
“He just wanted someone passionate about it that loved it and would restore it (if it turned out to be real) to buy it,” she continued.
Perrin took the black vertical quilt patent bag with gold finishings to Chanel et Moi, a store offering a range of services, including repairs. They confirmed that Chanel did previously make this style, but stopped in the late nineties.
This aligns with Perrin’s estimate that the bag dates back to 1994 to 1997, judging by its serial number.
“It’s not in a usable state at the moment, but it’s definitely the accessory of mine that has the best story attached to it, even without authentication,” she continued.
Although she still plans on getting the bag authenticated, Perrin couldn’t resist sharing a video of her thrifting purchase online (@ameliaperrin on Instagram and TikTok). In just a matter of days, the clip has gone viral with over 237,200 views and more than 7,200 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
Alongside the video, Perrin joked that she may have “struck charity shop gold” with this purchase. The millennial woman has “always dreamed” of owning a Chanel bag, and now that may be a reality.
“I am still planning on getting it authenticated. Even if it turns out to be fake, I’ll keep it as it’s such a nice story that’s turned into a fun moment online. It was a really affirming moment when the man let me take it on a little adventure to Bond Street because he trusted me and loved my passion,” Perrin said.
Plenty of social media users hailed Perrin’s incredible find, with many insisting that she must have had some good karma. Others were curious about how much she paid, but Perrin didn’t disclose the price since it was more of a donation to the charity rather than a price tag for the bag itself.
She agreed the donation amount with the man at the store, telling Newsweek it was a price they’re “both happy with.” As it costs money to get potential designer items authenticated, it can be a big undertaking, and charity stores don’t have the time or resources for that.
“It brings up the topics of fakes in charity shops because a woman messaged me who volunteers in warehouses for donations and said that designer items cause them the most headaches. They don’t have the time to verify if they’re real, but also can’t sell fakes, yet they don’t want to miss out on the potential money for charity if the item is real,” Perrin said.
As Perrin waits to find out whether she now owns a vintage Chanel bag, many internet users have had their say, leading to over 200 comments on the viral TikTok video so far.
One comment reads: “Omg what a treasure! Try taking it to the restory or handbag clinic for restoration and authentication.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “you just won the Chanel lottery! I’m sure as sure can be (without seeing it in person) that it’s real be sure to keep it out of the sun and cherish it.”
While another person joked: “How I bought a Chanel bag at lunch…no big deal.”
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