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Published October 2026 · Contact
Why the Pharrell Hu NMD Comes Down to the Size Label
The Pharrell x adidas Hu NMD line, which began with the Human Race NMD in 2016, is one of the most counterfeited sneaker families of the last decade. The shoe itself is easy to fake at photo resolution: the Primeknit upper, the Boost midsole, the cage, the heel tab and the multicolour trefoil are all copied well. What gives a large share of fakes away is a small printed label inside the shoe.
On the genuine Hu NMD pairs we have examined, the factory line of the size label reads SHW 675001 followed by a month and year, then the article number (ART), then a serial that starts with #1 and is unique to the pair. A large share of the counterfeits we see carry something else: a label that reads PC 1789002 in that spot, the same serial number and the same bottom code, whatever the colourway or size, and a date that falls before the shoe existed. That one cloned label is behind the first three checks in this guide, so read them as one family of evidence, not three separate ones.
It is a one-directional check. Roughly a third of the fakes we see carry the PC template, and many of the others copy the genuine SHW label correctly. A label that looks right proves nothing.
What to check, ranked by reliability
| Checkpoint | Reliability | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Size Label: Cloned PC Template and MADE INVIETNAM | ★★★★★ | On the genuine pairs we examined the factory line reads SHW 675001; a PC 1789002 line or MADE INVIETNAM is a fake sign, but a correct label proves nothing. |
| 2. A Date Code That Predates the Shoe | ★★★★★ | A 2015 date on a line that began in 2016 is impossible, though it comes from the same cloned label as check 1. |
| 3. A Serial Number Outside the Real Range | ★★★★★ | The cloned serial sits below every genuine serial we examined, but the range is rough and overlaps checks 1 and 2. |
| 4. A Generic or Missing Pharrell Insole | ★★★★★ | A plain or generic insole is a fake sign; a correct body-parts print clears nothing, because better fakes copy it. |
| 5. Chanel x Pharrell: What Was Really Released | ★★★★★ | A very small raffle release, so any listing needs proof; we found no safe physical tell for this pair. |
| 6. Heel Tab, QR Code and Stamps | ★★★★★ | Fakes copy these well, so a good copy tells you nothing. |
| Label-Perfect Fakes: What You Cannot Judge From a Label | ★★★★★ | Many fakes carry a correctly formatted label, so passing the label is not passing the shoe. |
Worth knowing
Everything said here about labels is what the genuine pairs we have examined show. adidas does not publish how it codes its labels, so this is an observed pattern, not company policy. We say where it is weaker.
The Hu NMD Lineup and Which Pairs Are Worth Faking
"Pharrell adidas" covers many shoes. This guide is about the Hu NMD family: the Human Race NMD that first reached retailers in July 2016, its Solar, Inspiration, Holi and Billionaire Boys Club (BBC) colourways, the Human Made and NERD pairs, and the Hu NMD Trail. Other Pharrell shoes, such as the Stan Smith, the Solar Hu Glide and the Tokio Solar Hu, are not covered, and nothing here should be applied to them.
- Human Race NMD (2016): the pair that started the line. The earliest date we have seen on a genuine label is June 2016.
- BBC Hu NMD "Heart/Mind" (BB9544): released on 20 October 2018, according to retailer and release-calendar coverage. The genuine label we show below was made in July 2018, three months before release, which is normal.
- Chanel x Pharrell: a separate, tiny release covered in its own section, and the pair counterfeiters most like to name.
The pairs worth faking are the ones that resell above retail: the early Human Race pairs, BBC and the Chanel pair. They are also the ones most often listed with "Hu" in the title and a photo of the shoe only, which is why the label photo is the first thing to ask for.
The Size Label: Cloned PC Template and MADE INVIETNAM
Fold back the tongue or look inside the collar and find the white label. Read the line under the sizes. On the genuine pairs we have examined it reads SHW 675001 and a month and year, then MALE/MÂLE, ART and the article number, then a serial beginning #1 and a bottom code that is different for every pair.
On a large share of the counterfeits, that line reads PC 1789002 and a date, and the serial and the bottom code are identical across pairs. The same serial and bottom code turn up on different colourways, different article numbers and different sizes, which a real production label would never do.
The cloned label comes with another giveaway on some pairs: "MADE INVIETNAM" with no space between the words. The genuine labels we examined read MADE IN VIETNAM.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Factory line | SHW 675001 and a month/year | PC 1789002 and a month/year |
| Serial and bottom code | A serial and bottom code that differ from pair to pair | The same serial (109449385) and bottom code across colourways and sizes |
| Origin line | MADE IN VIETNAM | Sometimes MADE INVIETNAM |
Red flag
A Hu NMD label whose factory line reads PC 1789002, or whose origin line reads MADE INVIETNAM, does not match any genuine pair we have examined. Treat the pair as counterfeit.
Worth knowing
Only some fakes carry this template. A label in the correct SHW format proves nothing, as the label-perfect section below shows.
A Date Code That Predates the Shoe
The month and year printed next to the factory code are the shoe's production date. The first Human Race NMD reached retailers in July 2016, and the earliest date we have seen on a genuine pair is June 2016. The cloned PC label carries 03/15 or 09/15 on many fakes, which is ten months to over a year before the first Hu NMD reached retailers. The BBC pair in the photo above, article BB9544, is dated 03/15 on the counterfeit, while the genuine BB9544 label shows 07/18 and the pair was released in October 2018.
A date after release can also be wrong, but that is a weaker signal: a label dated 2019 or 2020 on a pair that came out in 2018 does not prove anything on its own, because production runs and re-releases overlap. The impossible dates are the strong ones.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Date on a Human Race or Hu NMD | June 2016 or later | 03/15 or 09/15 on many fakes |
| BBC Heart/Mind (BB9544) | Made in 2018 (07/18 on the label shown) | 03/15 on the counterfeit shown |
Red flag
A Hu NMD label dated 2015 is impossible, because the line did not exist yet. Because it comes from the same cloned label as check 1, it confirms that check rather than adding a second independent failure.
A Serial Number Outside the Real Range
The serial after the # rises roughly with production date on the genuine pairs we have examined. It runs from about 114,9xx,xxx on mid-2016 pairs to about 128,3xx,xxx on pairs made in 2021. The cloned serial 109449385 is below every genuine serial we saw, which fits a label copied from an earlier, unrelated product.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Serial range | Roughly 115 million (2016) up to 128 million (2021), rising with the date | 109,449,385 on the cloned label |
Worth knowing
This is a rough range inferred from the pairs we have looked at, and the rise with date is not perfectly steady (a July 2018 pair can have a higher serial than a September 2018 pair). Use it as a sanity check, not a ruler. A serial below about 114 million on any Hu NMD is a reason to look hard at the rest of the label, and it belongs to the same overlapping family as checks 1 and 2.
A Generic or Missing Pharrell Insole
Pull the sock liner or look down the collar. The genuine Hu NMD insole is printed with body-part labels (STOMACH, PELVIS, KIDNEYS and others) in bright colours, with the Pharrell bars and trefoil near the heel.
A minority of counterfeits skip it. We have seen a plain perforated white insole, a plain black one and a generic print with a "boost" wordmark in its place.
| Element | Authentic | Counterfeit |
|---|---|---|
| Insole print | Body-part labels with the Pharrell bars and trefoil | Plain white or black, or a generic "boost" print |
Red flag
A Hu NMD with a plain or generic insole does not match the genuine pairs we examined.
Worth knowing
This is a presence check only. The better fakes copy the body-parts print, so a correct insole says nothing about the pair.
Chanel x Pharrell: What Was Really Released
Counterfeiters like the Chanel name because it sells. Here is what the sources agree on, and no more. The collaboration was limited to 500 pairs. They were sold through a random draw run by Colette in Paris, with registration opening around 21 November 2017. The style code is D97921, the colourway is listed as Core Black and Running White, and the retail price was reported at about $1,160 to $1,200. Retailer listings call it the "NMD Human Race Trail", but that "Trail" name comes from retailers and early leaks, not from adidas or Chanel.
Because only 500 pairs exist, almost every Chanel Pharrell Hu NMD offered for sale is a claim that deserves proof. We have not had a genuine pair to compare, so we are not describing how a real one looks, and you should not treat any detail of a photo as a pass.
What a label can still tell you: some Chanel-named fakes we reviewed carry the cloned PC 1789002 label with an article code other than D97921. Others have a label in the correct format, so a D97921 label proves nothing. One counterfeit pair paired a correctly formatted D97921 shoe label with a box label showing a different article code. We cannot say what a genuine Chanel box reads, but a box and a shoe that disagree are a question to put to the seller.
| Element | What the sources say | What a check can and cannot show |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | 500 pairs, raffle at Colette, about 21 November 2017 | A listing should come with proof of the draw |
| Style code | D97921 | Fakes copy it; a D97921 label proves nothing |
| "Trail" name | From retailer listings and early leaks | Do not use the sole shape as a tell |
Worth knowing
Do not use the outsole as a tell for this pair. The "Trail" name does not come from adidas or Chanel, and we could not rely on sole shape to separate the Chanel-named fakes we reviewed from anything else.
Heel Tab, QR Code and Stamps
The "MADE IN VIETNAM" label with its QR code, the heel tab with the multicolour trefoil, the outsole stamps, and the overall Boost, Primeknit and cage shape are copied by the fakes. A weak copy of any of them is a warning. A good copy tells you nothing.
Worth knowing
If everything in this section looks right, you have learned only that the maker was careful with the visible parts. Go back to the label and the insole.
Label-Perfect Fakes: What You Cannot Judge From a Label
The pair below is counterfeit, yet its label is in the genuine format: SHW 675001, a plausible date and the D97921 article number.
Many fakes copy the label correctly. The checks above catch the lazy ones, the ones that reuse the PC template or an impossible date. They cannot catch a fake whose maker copied a genuine label. When a pair passes the label, the insole and the heel, the honest answer is "no obvious fault", not "real". At that point only a close look at the knit, the Boost, the cage and the stitching against genuine references, by someone who handles these pairs, can settle it.
Quick Authentication Checklist
- Confirm it is a Hu NMD family pair and which colourway, using the article number on the label.
- Read the factory line of the size label: SHW 675001 on the genuine pairs we examined, PC 1789002 on a large share of fakes.
- Check the date against the release: nothing dated 2015, and a BBC pair cannot predate 2018.
- Compare the serial with the rough range, and reject the cloned 109449385.
- Read the origin line for MADE INVIETNAM.
- Look at the insole for the body-parts print.
- For a Chanel pair, ask for proof of the draw and compare box and shoe labels.
- Remember that a correct label proves nothing.
A failure on the label (PC template, impossible date, typo) is enough to walk away. A pair that passes every check is still unproven.
When to Get a Professional Opinion
Photo checks hit a limit on this shoe because a good share of fakes copy the label. If you are buying a pair at a price close to genuine resale, or you own a Chanel pair and want certainty, submit photos for a professional authentication. An authenticator compares the knit, the Boost, the cage, the label and the insole against genuine references at full resolution, and you receive a Certificate of Authenticity with the result.
A code that checks out doesn't prove the item is real. Counterfeiters copy genuine codes.
Our authenticators check the labels, stitching, sole and box of your Adidas against verified references, from $9. You get a verdict within 24 hours, and a Certificate of Authenticity if the item passes.
Authenticate My Adidas →For the same fast-and-cheap counterfeiting pattern on another adidas Boost shoe, see our Yeezy 350 V2 guide. For the general method on any sneaker, start with our sneaker authentication guide, and for another adidas classic see the Samba guide.
FAQ
How can I tell if my Pharrell adidas Hu NMD is fake?
Start with the size label inside the shoe. On the genuine pairs we have examined, the factory line reads SHW 675001 and a date. A large share of fakes read PC 1789002, carry the same serial across pairs, or show a date before the shoe existed. Then check the insole for the body-parts print. A correct label does not prove the pair is real.
Is the adidas Chanel Pharrell Hu NMD real?
Only if it is one of the 500 pairs released through the Colette raffle in November 2017 (style D97921). Almost every pair offered for sale is therefore a claim that needs proof. We have not had a genuine pair to compare, so we do not describe how a real one looks.
How many Chanel Pharrell Hu NMD exist?
500 pairs were released, by random draw at Colette in Paris, with registration around 21 November 2017.
What does a real Hu NMD size tag look like?
On the genuine pairs we examined, it lists the sizes, then SHW 675001 and a month/year, then MALE/MÂLE, ART and an article number, a unique serial starting with #1, and a bottom code that differs from pair to pair. It is our observation, not adidas policy.
Where is the style code on a Hu NMD?
It is the ART line of the size label inside the shoe, such as BB9531 or BB9544. The Chanel pair is listed as D97921.
How do I tell a real Human Race NMD from a fake?
Use the same label checks, plus the date: the first Human Race NMD reached retailers in July 2016, so a label dated 2015 is impossible. Also check the insole print and the serial range.
How much is the Chanel Hu NMD worth?
It sold for about $1,160 to $1,200 at retail through the raffle, and resale listings around the drop were reported at several times that. Prices move widely, and a price is not a reason to trust a pair.
Are all Hu NMD made in Vietnam?
Every genuine label we examined reads MADE IN VIETNAM, but fakes print it too, and some print MADE INVIETNAM. The country alone proves nothing.
