Pilling Appears Just Four Days After Wearing Padding Jacket Bought at Louis Vuitton Store
Company Says "A Perfectly Normal Situation"
A Chinese woman expressed dissatisfaction after the padding she purchased at a Louis Vuitton store developed pilling just four days after wearing it. Photo by Huanqiu Wang
A Chinese woman who purchased a luxury brand padding jacket costing over 9 million won complained that "pilling occurred just four days after wearing it."
On the 10th (local time), Chinese state-run online media Global Times reported on a quality controversy involving a French luxury brand Louis Vuitton padding jacket that occurred locally. According to the report, a woman named Hong, residing in Hangzhou, bought a white nylon padding product at a Louis Vuitton store on November 13 last year for 45,500 yuan (approximately 9.08 million won). The Louis Vuitton 'Monogram Puffer Jacket,' which is presumed to be the product she purchased, is currently sold in Korea for 7.91 million won.
As December arrived and the weather grew colder, Hong took out the padding jacket to wear. However, pilling began to appear after only four days. Photos released by the media show a close-up of the jacket's hem, revealing frayed and tangled threads. Hong expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "The fur on the sleeves and hem is also sloppy," and added, "I would understand if it were a cheap garment, but this jacket costs over 40,000 yuan." She continued, "Clothes are not bought just to look at. Even cheaper products don't pill this quickly."
Angry, she visited the Louis Vuitton store with the padding jacket, but the staff only said, "If the fur comes off, we will repair it," without providing any further explanation. Eventually, Hong reported the issue to the media, and when a reporter visited the store, the staff refused to be interviewed. The media heard the brand's position from the department store manager where the Louis Vuitton store is located, but it was no different from the response Hong received. The brand reportedly explained, "Pilling occurs when the clothes come into contact with edges of tables or similar surfaces while being worn," and described it as "a perfectly normal situation."
In response, Hong claimed, "I was very careful when wearing the jacket and did not do any work," and insisted, "While I acknowledge the brand value, there is definitely a problem with the quality." The department store offered free dry cleaning services and pilling removal. However, Hong demanded a refund and said, "I don't need the money back in cash; please keep it at the Louis Vuitton store so I can use it when purchasing another product." The department store replied, "We will try to handle this appropriately," but it has been confirmed that no definite arrangement has been made yet.
Local netizens who learned of the news expressed various reactions such as, "Expensive doesn't always mean good quality," "I would be angry too," "The company's response is disappointing," and "Since the money is paid for the brand value anyway, one shouldn't expect too much."
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