Chanel copies

[claireshaeffer]

I'm looking for copies of 1960s Chanel suits --particularly copies of original Chanel suits which I own.
Davidow was the largest manufacturer but many suits had only store labels. I'm teaching a professional development workshop for Costume Society in May.

This YouTube --

-- shows most of my suits from 1954-1971.
This one--

--shows the comparison I did with a 1971 suit.

I buy originals and copies and condition doesn't matter when the price is right.
Claire

 

[Jen S]

Hi Claire,
Nice suits!!! I don’t have any to sell, but a while back I did have a coat, not Chanel, but made from the exact same fabric shown in the video thumbnail. The coat was fully lined in fur. Just thought you might find it interesting.

 

[claireshaeffer]

Jen, I wonder if that was a copy. I have a copy of the suit in the same fabric. Thanks for posting. C

 

[Jen S]

It wasn’t as nicely made as I would’ve expected for a Chanel copy. Sort of normal 60s quality I’d say. But very nice fabric!

 

[claireshaeffer]

Jen, the quality of the copies varied. Early on--late 50s, some were dirt cheap.
One of the things I learned at the Chanel exhibition in London was that Elle printed two issues with directions for how to sew a copy. Perhaps fabric was available for the hobby seamstress.
Several months ago, one of students bought a copy which appears to be a dressmaker copy--not a manufacturer. It was made up in the Chanel fabric. My question at the time was where did the dressmaker get the fabric--apparently Chanel sold the leftovers or the fabric manufacturer sold them. The latter is less likely, but possible.
Since we don't know whether your garment or my students' copy were made at the same time as the original, we'll never know.
This is not an area Chanel is eager to discuss based on my experience but I haven't given up.

 

[Jen S]

Interesting! I always wished I’d kept that coat but the yellow was pretty hard to pull off!

 

[claireshaeffer]

Jen, the suits I have have cream instead of yellow. I wonder if that was a 5 m sample in a different colorway that Chanel didn't buy.

The fabric houses used to make short lengths for couture at the beginning of a season; the designers used what they liked and returned the rest. Needless to say, this hasn't been done in a very long time.

 

[Jen S]

Yes, if it had been cream it would’ve been a different story. I do see that the fabric in yours is much more subtle. This was really a screaming bright yellow. I mean, it was cool, probably a little too cool for me!

 

[Anna Smylie]

I have a pink skirt suit from my grandma with matching blouse that is same material as lining. It's an authorized Davidow Chanel copy though. Not sure on the year but she was very much into fashion being a public figure from 1955-67. She still loved
Fashion and went to many special events all over the county for many more years after that but I assume based on the size that it was probably 60s.

 

[nsweezie]

I have 2- a Jablow and one from Saks 5th Ave. I will post pictures tonight when I am home.

 

[nsweezie]

This is an Adolfo suit (skirt not pictured) that reminds me of a Chanel suit. It has gold buttons and the ‘braid’ trim you see on some Chanel suits.

 

[nsweezie]

This is an unlabelled suit- it does have a Sak’s 5th label. It’s a copy of a very famous Chanel suit. It’s very high quality and has lion head buttons.

 

[nsweezie]

This suit is by Jablow. I think it’s mimicking the pink suit worn by Jacqueline Kennedy (which I understand is a copy as well of an original Chanel). It has the braid trim, and ‘faux’ blouse (it looks like you are wearing a blouse but it’s just cuffs. It’s incredibly well made- one of the best I own.

 

[claireshaeffer]

Anna, I don't think this is a Chanel copy. Davidow was an old suit company and made lots of traditional suits.

nsweezie, The cream suit is a great copy. I think the pink suit is a combination of Chanel ideas. The Jackie suit has a notch collar and the lapels are trimmed with navy taffeta. I have another suit that is cream colored with the yarn trim. This looks like a combination of ideas.