Chanel has come under fire on TikTok after several unimpressed videos were posted by a customer, revealing the contents of the brand’s luxury $825 (£610) advent calendar described as “unlike any other”.
TikTok user Elise Harmon (@eliseharmon) shared her excitement after purchasing the festive item because she had “never seen a Chanel advent calendar before” and decided to film a TikTok series on what Chanel products were included in the advent calendar.
The calendar itself was the first of its kind for the brand to commemorate 100 years since the iconic Chanel No. 5 perfume was created. On their website, it says within the 27 boxes, customers will find “a full-sized fragrance or makeup product, a miniature or another surprise marked with Gabrielle Chanel’s lucky number”.
With the calendar designed in the silhouette of a white Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle, Harmon rated the packaging a 10/10 and hyped her up for what was on inside... only to be left disappointed when she began opening it.
Opening the advent calendar, Harmon began to investigate the contents of the black and white boxes numbered from 5 (for obvious reasons) up to 31.
“This has to be a joke, this is a joke,” she said, as things didn’t get off to a great start when she realised the first big box contained stickers. “Stickers?! Stickers?!” she repeatedly questioned in shock, those are certainly some pricey stickers.
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Since sharing her Chanel advent calendar, Harmon’s TikTok has received 13.3m views, 1.8m likes, and thousands of comments from people who were equally as surprised as the beauty and lifestyle influencer was.
One person wrote: “The stickers would’ve been my 13th reason.”
“The audacity of stickers,” another person said.
Someone else replied: “No stickers should be a complimentary gift with the calendar, not being included as a gift inside.”
“800+ for stickers and a travel-sized moisturiser, can’t imagine what else is in there,” a fourth person commented.
Due to the popularity of the video, and people were dying to know what else is inside the advent calendar (without forking out the money for it themselves), Harmon has since been posting a series of updates as to its contents.
On a positive note, Harmon has so far found her calendar to include: a full-sized hand cream, two red lipsticks (one full-size and one mini), and a Chanel No. 5 tree ornament.
However, the disappointment didn’t stop at the stickers as some of the boxes included random items such as an empty dust bag, a paper flipbook with an illustration of the perfume, a magnet. Although a bracelet was one of the gifts, Harmon noted its ceramic quality and design meant that it was “giving plastic bottle cap.”
Though Harmon was trying to recognise the positives while she cracked a joke: “I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to live, laugh, love under these conditions.”
As the TikToker’s series continues to film herself opening the rest of the boxes, it seems the French fashion house wasn’t a fan of Harmon’s videos, after she alleged that their TikTok account had blocked her which viewers have described as “iconic”.
Since then, Harmon also claims that Chanel has since deleted their TikTok account - though it remains unclear if they had an account on the platform.
All in all, Harmon has been able to see the funny side to going viral in one video where she can be seen looking sad while lying in bed clutching her Chanel advent calendar, writing as the caption: “When you try to get festive by buying an advent calendar but are left with shattered hopes and dreams.”
indy100 has contacted Chanel for comment.
