A bag from a high-end European fashion house such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, or Prada can be a pricey purchase costing hundreds of thousands of euros. While many luxury European brands claim their goods are produced in Europe as a quality guarantee, TikTokers claiming to be Chinese manufacturers say they are the ones who really produce luxury brands’ goods. Tens of thousands of TikToks have been posted under the viral hashtag #chinesemanufacturer, with Chinese content creators providing lists of manufacturers who allegedly make luxury brands’ products. The trend originated with a TikToker named Wang Seng, who claimed that 80% of luxury bags in the world are made in China and that luxury brands only do the final packaging and logo installation in Europe to make it appear as if the bags were made there.
The videos reference the 145% tariffs imposed on China by US President Donald Trump and encourage online shoppers to support Chinese factories by buying goods directly from them. Seng and other TikTokers claim to work for the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for luxury brands, which make products that are sold under other companies’ names. While some TikTokers emphasize the skill of Chinese workers and the quality of the products they produce, there are strict rules about how European products are labeled, with the last substantial transformation needing to occur in the country of production for a product to be labeled as “made in Europe.” Luxury brands like Hermès and Louis Vuitton list locations where they produce and manufacture products, none of which are in China, despite claims made by some TikTokers.
Investigative journalist Noëmie Leclercq noted that brands like Ralph Lauren or Prada may manufacture in China at certain stages of the production process, but expressed skepticism about top-tier luxury brands like Hermès doing the same. While Leclercq acknowledged the presence of facilities, factories, and sales outlets in China for luxury brands, she believes that the majority of products displayed by TikTok content creators are likely counterfeits. She suggested that the trend of claiming to be representatives of OEM providers for luxury fashion brands is likely politically motivated, as the Chinese government may be encouraging counterfeit production as a response to US tariffs. Leclercq pointed out that the production of counterfeit goods can be used as a geopolitical tool, citing the example of luxury brands pulling out of Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, leading to an increase in counterfeit goods entering the Russian market from Turkey.
In conclusion, while TikTokers claiming to be Chinese manufacturers of luxury goods may attract attention with their videos, there are strict rules governing labeling and manufacturing processes for European luxury brands. Luxury brands like Hermès and Louis Vuitton have publicly listed locations where they produce their products, none of which are in China. Despite claims made by some TikTokers, it is unlikely that they actually represent OEM providers for luxury brands, and many of the products displayed in the videos are likely counterfeit. The trend appears to have a political motivation, with the Chinese government potentially using counterfeit production as a response to US tariffs. Overall, the luxury fashion industry remains shrouded in secrecy, with the true manufacturing processes of top-tier brands like Hermès still unclear in the public eye.
