Ballerina Flat

Perhaps the most important feature to inspect when it comes to detecting a fake Chanel shoe is the label. Chanel's Cambon line of ballerina flats has only one label, and it should read "CHANEL". If you see a Cambon ballerina flat that is labeled as "CC" it is a fake. There should also be no extraneous labels such as "MADE IN ITALY" or "MADE IN FRANCE". If the ballerina flats are white, pink or tan, then the label will be black. If the shoes are black, then the label will be white. If you see a black mark drawn across a label that otherwise meets all of the above criteria, then the shoe is most likely the real thing. The black mark across the label is a sanctioned way of indicating that the shoes are secondhand.

In addition to meeting the above characteristics, the labeling of the shoe should be executed in a quality fashion. If the label is crooked or - God forbid - misspelled, then you are most likely looking at a cheap imitation.

Once you have finished inspecting the label, turn the shoe over. The heel (which is made out of plastic) should be stamped with "Made in Italy" and with "Chanel". Again, if the heel is stamped as "CC", then the shoe is a fake. Underneath the plastic sole should be the word "CHANEL" in big, bold lettering. This lettering should not be part of the plastic or printed on top of the plastic. It is printed under the plastic and takes up almost the entire sole of the shoe. Black and white ballerina flats have a large "CHANEL" label that is hot pink. Tan and pink ballerina flats have a large "CHANEL" label that is black. Special edition Chanel ballerina flats (white with the python design or silver) have a large "CHANEL" label that is orange.

The important part of the shoe to inspect is the inside label and the outer sole. If you have questions regarding the authenticity of a certain online seller, ask him or her to send close-up pictures of the bottom of the shoe. Make sure that the pictures are not just stock photos of genuine Chanel ballerina flats. (It is actually a good thing if the photos are a little unprofessional in this case, so you know that the seller is actually photographing his or her own merchandise.)

Finally, no statement of authenticity comes with the real deal so if the seller offers one, it is a sign that the shoes might be fake.