How can you tell if Chanel sunglasses are real?

To tell if Chanel sunglasses are real, look closely: Authentic Chanel sunglasses are distinguishable from fakes in their superior craftsmanship and quality. Examine the eyewear for markings, too.

Today, real Chanel sunglasses are packaged in a branded retail box. On contemporary pairs of Chanel eyewear as opposed to the house's beloved vintage designs, the brand’s name is also usually etched into at least one of the lenses in small lettering — be it cat eye, oval, Chanel square sunglasses or another shape. There is typically a serial number etched into a lens, too. The text etched into the lens is clear and crisp but understated. 

The lenses of older Chanel sunglasses, however, will not feature the name of the iconic house or a serial number — the brand didn’t employ the lens-specific etching until later — but online resources suggest that during the late 1980s, Chanel began to add such markings to the interior arms of their eyewear. 

For example, depending on the style, the interiors of the arms on a pair of '90s Chanel sunglasses will be etched with the company’s name and a product code/serial number. The lenses of Chanel eyewear of the era won’t be etched with any text or numerals. On a particularly flashy pair from the period, you may find the legendary interlocking CCs logo or the house’s name splashed across the frames or the arms’ exteriors. If the word Chanel or the Chanel logo appears on the lenses, it will be prominent and an intentional characteristic of the sunglasses’ design, not as a measure taken to prevent counterfeiting.

Additionally, Chanel sunglasses have been made in Italy for decades. A licensing agreement was renewed in 2020 with the Milan-based firm Luxottica, with which Chanel first partnered in 1999. Many vintage pairs are branded with “Made in Italy” on the interior of one of the arms of the frames.

Find many styles of vintage Chanel sunglasses and other sunglasses on 1stDibs.