Aupen and Chinese Authorities Crack Down on Counterfeit Operation, Seize $150K in Fake Goods
Aupen, maker of the celebrity-favorite handbag line, and Chinese authorities have raided Baorun Leather Products Co. Ltd., a factory of 2,000 employees in Guandong province after surveillance confirmed that the factory was making counterfeit Aupen products.
More than $150,000 in counterfeit bags were seized and nine ringleaders and factory foreman were imprisoned in connection with the case.
More from WWD
The Folklore to Host NYFW Showroom for Third Year, Featuring 35 Global Brands
Perfect Moment, the Global Luxury Outerwear and Activewear Brand, Strengthens Management Team
Levin Management Corporation Survey Shows Record Optimism Among Retailers for 2025
Aupen is a buzzy fashion accessories brand worn by celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Hailey Bieber, Jennifer Lawrence, Kylie Jenner and Beyoncé.
According to Nicholas Tan, founder of Aupen, the company was first alerted to the counterfeit issue when it noticed inauthentic product being sold on Alibaba and other top e-commerce sites in Southeast Asia and Asia. Aupen only sells direct-to-consumer on Aupen.com, said Tan.
Tan said the brand registers its trademarks for its brand name and the design of every style it produces in different geographies across the world. “Because we have the name and the design trademarks, we approached the Chinese authorities and we were able to work with them to put in jail nine ringleaders and counting,” he said.
What’s interesting is that they were selling the counterfeit product at Aupen’s official retail price, said Tan. “So the customers would be confused because they thought that the product was real. We are also seeing counterfeits on some of the Western e-commerce platforms. Although we are a young brand, we take our design integrity very seriously, and we will go to great lengths to defend our trademarks and our intellectual property,” said Tan. He declined which Western platforms he was referring to.
He said the brand has been around for two years, but this has started happening more recently. This was the company’s first raid on a counterfeit operation. Tan didn’t know how long it had been going on. They had been knocking off the Nirvana bag and selling it for close to $420.
“This is a criminal offense. In China, once it’s criminal, they just get sent to jail. Because the evidence was overwhelming, it’s clear. Then, they will sign a settlement with us,” said Tan. He declined to disclose the private settlement.
For this case, he decided to go after the source, rather than the websites selling the counterfeits. “For different cases, there are different avenues you could pursue, but for this we went to the people who are producing the bags that clearly infringe on our patent. Because we want to defend our intellectual property.”
According to Entrupy’s 2024 edition of its annual State of the Fake report, factors that are intensifying the counterfeiting problem today include an evolution of counterfeit listings, the rise of social media as a marketplace, increased use of technology in counterfeiting and the growth of counterfeit marketplaces, as reported.
“I hope this news will inspire younger and emerging designers to own their trademarks and the design patents from the start. Although it may be daunting to go out against larger groups and larger manufacturers, you need to understand if you have the patents, you can go all the way to defend the trademarks, although we are a small company,” said Tan.
Founded in November 2022, Aupen achieved success early on with its eco-luxury vegan handbags from $140 to $420 worn on a host of celebrities. The brand, which is headquartered in Singapore, expanded into jewelry and calfskin leather bags. It paused production in May 2024, keeping its sales and customer service operational to follow up with after-care sales, refunds and returns, as reported. Last July, Aupen formed a partnership with LVMH Métiers d’Art, as part of its plan to shift its entire production base to France. The partnership allows Aupen access to best-in-class LVMH production facilities such as Tanneries Roux, a tannery that serves luxury brands like Hermès and Louis Vuitton. LVMH Métiers d’Art is a group that preserves and promotes the best of the manufacturing world within the luxury industries.
Aupen launched a new collection of products in December with Jade Groupe, with the support of LVMH Métiers d’Art in Paris. Lucy Liu became the first celebrity to wear the Nirvana bag with the Lumiere charm.
Best of WWD
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
