Well, somebody’s lying! Amid rising concerns about whether certain luxury brands are secretly manufacturing their products in China, experts and skeptics are coming out with the truth behind all the fashion mystery. And after a series of TikToks have started to flood the app, there’s no better time to get to the bottom of things.
As we’ve previously reported, Chinese manufacturers on TikTok took to the app to “expose” the dark secret of some of the most popular brands in the world. According to these videos, Chanel, Hermes, Prada and more big names allegedly produce most of their products in China, only shipping the final goods to Europe when it’s tine to tag the logo.
This bold claim has shaken the internet as the Americans continue to feel the pressure of President Donald Trump’s trade war with China, one of the country’s biggest global trade partners. America currently has a 145 percent tariff on Chinese goods while the White House recently announced plans to increase the amount to 245 percent.
In light of ongoing uncertainty between the two trading countries, manufacturers are telling folks to buy directly from their factories, cutting out the middle man for one reason: It’s the cheaper alternative for allegedly the same quality products. But since the viral trend exploded on TikTok, many companies have come out denying the allegations, according to NBC News.
Other companies clearly state on their website where and how their products are made, like Louis Vuitton. It’s also important to note some of the TikToks already posted have been debunked as inaccurate and misleading.
“They’re trying to conflate the fake manufacturers in China with the real manufacturers,” Conrad Quilty-Harper, author of Dark Luxury, told the Independent. “They’re very clever with their social media, and they’re very effective at driving demand in the West.”
The same sentiment was shared by France 24 News who conducted their own investigation into the matter. Whether the allegations against the luxury brands are true or not, the reputation of these popular brands has already taken a hit. In response to the ongoing rumors, many online have pledged to boycott luxury brands.