Q&A
How to Spot A Fake Designer Bag
Question:
I've purchased an LV Speedy bag online recently. How do I tell if it's real or imitation?
If you have shopped from www.eluxury.com – the authorized online retailer for Louis Vuitton bags and leather goods (and which is owned by LV itself), you can be assured it's the real deal.
On the other hand, if you have purchased your bag from auction sites, its authenticity can be trickier to determine. However, there are some tell-tale signs you can look for:
Price
The price of the bag alone should clue you in. The real luxury bags use only quality leather, which explains their sky-high price tags. If you have paid $20 for your "Louis Vuitton" Speedy, it's a fake.
Logos and Labels
Poor craftsmanship are a dead giveaway so check if the brand or logo is misspelt, crooked or roughly glued on. The logo should be crisp, not smudged and labels on leather goods should be neatly sewn on instead of glued into place.
Serial Numbers and Authenticity Cards
Most designer leather goods come with serial numbers and/or authenticity cards. LV Speedy bags, for example, have serial numbers that are embossed on the inside of the bag near one of the handle attachments. Also check that your purchase comes with a dustbag. Unfortunately, fakers are getting better at replicating – they even fake the packaging and serial numbers – telling the real and the fake apart just gets more difficult than ever.
Stitching and Lining
A genuine designer bag costs an arm and a leg because it's painstakingly hand-stitched or embroidered by skilled artisans, so the finishing should be faultless. Stitches should be even, the lining fabric should be of good quality and there shouldn't be any loose threads or frayed seams.
Hardware and Pockets
Pockets and hardware such as buckles and clasps should be symmetrically aligned (not one higher than the other).
At the end of the day, the only way to know for certain that you're paying for a genuine article is to buy the good only from authorized online merchants (including bluefly.com and net-a-porter.com) or directly from the company-owned sites (e.g. eluxury.com and coach.com). You can visit the respective brands' websites for more info.
