(fake Louis Vuitton bag with tell-tale sample tag)

You know I blogged about the Hangzhou China Louis Vuitton Boutique getting closed because their bags were missing a sample tag.

Well, this has made me very curious.  I mean, Louis Vuitton has never used these tags (basically little swatches of the main material used so that a buyer would know what the bag is made of) before.  In fact, I always tell people that if they see a tag like the one pictured above (which you do on fakes- like, all the time), it’s just not authentic (and yes, the bag pictured above is fake).  Louis Vuitton hasn’t used them.

But it sounds like Louis Vuitton will start using this type of tag in China in compliance with the Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Christopher Zanardi-Landi, president of Louis Vuitton China, said that the company will obey the law of China fully and accept the orders. He also expressed his appreciation of the administration for pointing out the problem. He promised that the company will actively cooperate with law-enforcement departments and properly handle customer complaints.

Ha!  I think it’s LOL funny that counterfeiters are so careful to comply with Administration for Industry and Commerce regulations when selling their fake wares.  I mean the whole replica item is illegal and should be destroyed if found by the proper authorities- and yet, it’s got the tag!

So my question to you, my wonderful readers, is… have any of you seen one of these tags?  I’d love to see a picture of what Louis Vuitton is doing to comply.  I can’t imagine they’d use the same hideous tag that’s used on all the fakes (the weird shape in the picture above).  But maybe that’s the law?

(As an aside, I don’t think the tags are a bad idea…  I mean, if I had a nickle for every time someone asked me whether the traditional Monogram Canvas bags were all leather…)

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The story gets more interesting.

It looks like the Hangzhou Boutique was closed because,

“three Vuitton products sampled were considered to not be in accordance with the QB/T1333-2004 standard due to lack of material samples on them.”

So in response, authorities “confiscated” 556 Louis Vuitton bags. Hmmm… Yeah, I’ll bet those Administration of Industry and Commerce agents were just hating that job.

We’re hoping that this is resolved quickly so the Hangzhou Boutique can open it’s doors once again.

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Temporarily, for sure.  But for how long?  Who knows.

Dang.  This isn’t good news.  Louis Vuitton has had issues in China ever since the whole Olympic Torch Paris thing (and the backlash that followed)…  I hope this has nothing to do with that- but it sure as heck sounds like it.

The local Commerce & Industry Authority went into the Hangzhou Boutique, inspected some items, and then “seized most of its products” according to Hangzhou’s Today Morning Express newspaper.

According to the paper, last Friday morning, some Industry and Commerce Authority Officers dropped by the boutique for a spot check.  Soon after, LV SAs cleared out the store of all customers.  They then contacted the head office.  After all was said and done, apparently the I & C officers “seized nearly all of the bags in the shop”.

WOW!!!  That does NOT sound right to me.

Apparently, back in May the Administration of Industry and Commerce did a check of the boutique and found that “some of the boutique’s products did not measure up to standards”.  Louis Vuitton had 15 days from to request a re-inspection or dispute the charges.  They had till June 6, but let the deadline lapse.

The Louis Vuitton China Director of Communications, Zhao Xiaojing said that the problem had something to do with the way that leather goods have to be marked in China.  A small leather piece didn’t have the proper material marking.  Zhao said,

“All our leather accessories are produced in France and the mark is not required by regulations there.”

So, for now the store is closed.  You’ll find the window display’s gone and all the Louis Vuitton door logos completely covered.

Administration of Industry and Commerce did not order the boutique to shut its doors- but according to in internal source, Louis Vuitton “luxury products are generally made one-year in advance and then allocated to shops around the world, based on a reasonable need. Thus it is not possible to transfer stock from other cities or to get supplies from the source in a short time.”  Hmmm?

That doesn’t make sense according to what we know about Date Codes.  But interesting, none the less.

Hopefully, Louis Vuitton will figure out how to comply and the store will re-open before more stores in China meet the same fate.

It’s got to be a nightmare manufacturing items for an international audience… making sure to keep in mind each country’s individual customs, specific laws and regulations.

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Well, it looks like heck of a lot of people in China are still ticked off about the fiasco that ensued with the Olympic torch as it was carried through Paris. They’re boycotting Louis Vuitton- and all LVMH companies in protest.

French President Nicholas Sarkozy has stepped up to the plate, and is apparently now trying to patch things up. He sent an a letter of apology to Olympic torch holding, Paralympic athlete, fencer Jin Jing, saying:

“I would like to express to you my deep feeling towards the way you were shoved in Paris on April 7 when you were holding the Olympic flame… I understand the Chinese people’s feelings were hurt by what went on that day, and especially by the intolerable attack you suffered and which I condemn with the utmost force.”

The Chinese spend A LOT of money on luxury goods- third only to Japan and the US. LVMH is depending on China to hedge the sluggish economic situation we’re dealing with here in the US of A!

Today, WWD pointed out,

“Louis Vuitton plans to send some of the world’s finest vintage cars roaring through China next month as it opens its second location in Chengdu — and is considering third and fourth locations in that city alone as demand for European luxury booms in the Asian giant.”

Read more about it from Bloomberg…

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(Founder and Chief of LVMH, Bernard Arnault)

Apparently, Bernard Arnault isn’t worried about the recent boycott of LVMH that’s spread across cyber space through Chinese blogs, chat rooms and discussion forums. The Cyber Boycott includes not only Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories, but all 60 companies owned and operated by LVMH including Christian Dior, Tag Heuer, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, etc. So far, over 20 million people have signed online petitions to join the boycott. (Read more here: NYT)

China is Louis Vuitton’s third largest market (behind Japan and the USA)… but Arnault said in Le Figaro, “The consequences for our company are very limited”. (Read more here: Forbes)

(Picture Credit: Patrick Kovarik for the New York Times)

The boycott stems from not only the little debacle as the Olympic torch worked its way through Paris, April 8 but general Western support of Tibet. Protesters for Human Rights and Tibetan freedom actually managed to extinguish the flame a few times in the scuffle.

Arnault actually said in response to the torch incident, “If we want to have dialogues with China, the Olympic torch should not have been a target of attacks when it passed Western cities… boycotting the Olympics is not a solution.”

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OK, I know it’s disappointing that Louis Vuitton didn’t come up with any Limited Edition items that were “special” for the Brooklyn Museum Exhibit- but check out what they are releasing for the Louis Vuitton Classic, China Run 2008!

This is an amazing set of limited edition monogram pieces. (You know how I feel about a little color/customization on traditional monogram or damier! LOVE it!) We’ve got the Keepall 55, a fab monogram Naviglio, a Zippy Organizer wallet, some sweet leather driving shoes, and of course a killer pair of retro lunettes! Here’s the logo you’ll find on those items:

Louis Vuitton loved cars. I guess it’s a guy thing. And of course, Louis Vuitton tries to work with any vehicle of transportation. The Louis Vuitton Classic has been around since 1989. There is a pretty cool “flash” presentation on the History of Louis Vuitton and the Classic on their website.

(Louis Vuitton Classic China Run 1998)

The last Louis Vuitton Classic in China was 10 years ago- in 1998. This year, the Classic will run from May 23 until June 1, in China.

Louis Vuitton has negotiated a special First Class travel package. Book your trip here!

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