"Once Upon A Time..." by Karl Lagerfeld – CHANEL

May 8, 2013

Ukraine War: Chanel Restricts Sales of Goods to Russians Abroad

Models at a Chanel fashion show in Paris | GETTY IMAGES
BBC: French luxury giant Chanel has stopped selling its products to people who intend to take them to Russia, after shutting its stores in the country.

Moscow and some customers have accused the firm of being anti-Russian, and threatened to boycott the brand.

Chanel says it is just complying with European Union (EU) sanctions, which ban the sale to Russia of luxury goods priced at more than €300 ($327; £250).

Many Western firms halted operations in Russia after the Ukraine war started.

Chanel told the BBC that sanctions, imposed by the EU, as well as Switzerland, also prohibit the sale of luxury items to individuals who intend to use them in Russia.

The company said it "complies with all laws applicable to our operations and employees worldwide, including trade sanction laws".

"This is why we have rolled out a process to ask clients for whom we do not know the main residency to confirm that the items they are purchasing will not be used in Russia," Chanel said in a statement. » | BBC | Wednesday, April 6, 2022