TikToker Kylan Darnell Responds to Criticism Over Designer Dupes
UPDATE 12/29/24 11:05 a.m. ET: The RealReal, a website specializing in luxury consignment, has officially addressed its mention in Kylan Darnell’s Christmas haul.
“We’ve contacted the Darnells directly to clarify any misunderstandings,” the brand stated in a TikTok comment. “We appreciate your patience and concern. Stay tuned for updates!”
Darnell had alleged that her mother purchased counterfeit luxury items from The RealReal, a company that claims to sell only authenticated products.
Original story continues below:
TikTok sensation Kylan Darnell caused a stir with her luxury Christmas haul amid speculation that many designer gifts were actually replicas.
“I’m not sure how to respond because I don’t owe you all an explanation,” Darnell, 20, expressed in a TikTok video on Friday, December 27. “Some of my designer items are authentic while others are fake. I thought that was quite common.”
She further stated, “I know people at my college whose parents have much greater wealth than I could ever imagine, and they have both real and fake items. I didn’t realize this would become such a significant issue.”
Following Christmas on Wednesday, December 25, Darnell and her sister Izzy shared separate videos showcasing the luxurious gifts they received from their parents. These videos, now taken down from TikTok, featured the sisters in awe of handbags and shoes from renowned brands like Chanel and Dior. (Darnell initially gained popularity as one of the hopefuls in the “Bama Rush” event during the 2022 sorority recruitment season at the University of Alabama.)
Comment sections filled with users questioning the authenticity of the items in both influencers’ videos.
“I have both real and fake items. I didn’t think this would cause such an uproar,” Darnell remarked on Friday. “My mom gifted us some genuine items as well as some replicas. I believed this was the norm. I didn’t intend to offend anyone; I was raised to be grateful for any gifts I received during Christmas.”
@kylan_darnell Please watch this entire video
According to Darnell, she would never request “the card proving its authenticity.”
“That’s not something I would do. I’d simply say, ‘Oh, thank you! I love it,’ and wear it proudly,” she emphasized. “I’ve noticed many incredibly wealthy people say, ‘I don’t care if it’s real or fake. Why does it matter?’ That’s why I didn’t think posting this would be a problem.”
Darnell also mentioned that she didn’t even “consider asking” about the authenticity of each gift and responded to some “far-fetched” rumors regarding her family’s finances.
“I’m just going to stay positive and ignore the negativity because the more hate I get, the more money I make,” she joked. “In fact, keep hating because maybe next time you’ll get me my next Gucci bag!”
Darnell and her sister reposted their holiday haul on Saturday, December 28, “sharing receipts” for each of their purchases.
“We have to show the tags, or else you guys will call us out,” Darnell quipped while holding up a Louis Vuitton handbag sourced secondhand from Forward, a luxury goods resale platform.
