Spotting Fake Designer Bags

How to Tell if a Designer Bag is Authentic



Consignment stores are like candy shops for name-brand lovers. Where else can you find designer bags for a fraction of their retail price? But, all too often, there are also fakes lurking on those treasure-filled shelves. 

Linda Lightman, CEO of Linda's Stuff and one of the first successful online luxury consignment sellers, has become an expert at authenticating designer pieces. 

Read on for her expert, fake-spotting tips and never get ripped off again!






Prada 



What to Look for:

• The plaque should be firmly attached with even stitching

• The zippers should be embossed on the back side with either "YKK", "RiRi", "Lampo", "Opti" or "Ipi"

• The "R" in Prada should have a curved leg 

• The interior plaque should match the interior fabric of the bag, or it will have a leather patch with four rivets

• All hardware is always inscribed with company logo

• A white interior tag with numbers will be in an interior pocket




Balenciaga 


What to Look for:

• The interior label is mostly embossed leather but sometimes engraved metal.  Here, you will find the style number on the front or the back side of flap 

• Balenciaga stamped logo on flap should have a period or and underscore between the words Balenciaga and Paris

• Hardware should be secure 

• The rivets on the back of the handles should have a notch



Chanel 

What to Look for:

• Turn lock has brand markings

• The zipper is consistent with the age of the bag

• Hologram is located inside of every Chanel handbag

• Interior label printed in foil should always match the 
hardware color and be evenly spaced and centered

• Quilting should be perfect, even on the back

• The pocket stitching should match seamlessly with the body

Coach 


What to Look for:


• Logo canvas "C"s are usually clean and evenly aligned horizontally and vertically, never crooked

• There should never look like there is a break in the pattern even when transitioning over the pocket

• Stitching should be very even and regular 


• Most Coach bags have a serial number embossed on the inside on a square patch of leather sewn into the lining, the serial 

























Gucci 

What to Look for:

• Perfect stitching and quality leather trim

• Logo canvas "G"s are always clean and even 

• Guccissima leather should always be embossed, never printed

• Style number on back side of interior label 

• Gucci label should be clean and have “Made in Italy” printed underneath

• Top number identifies the number of the bag, current style numbers are six digits long and the "2"s should have curly cues on top

• Most hardware is inscribed with company logo




















Hermés 



What to Look for:

• Fine leather

• Hardware is generally palladium or gold plated

• The hardware is nailed in by hand and inscribed with the brand logo

• Spindel closure should turn smoothly

• The logo stamp is normally printed in metallic foil which always matches the color of the hardware

• Blind stamp on back of belting





















Marc Jacobs 



What to Look for:
• Zippers should always have “RiRi” or “Lampo” embossed on the backside

• Metal name plates should be directly attached to the handbag and not a piece of leather

• Zippers will always be engraved with the Marc Jacobs logo

• It should be stamped “Made in Italy” on the metal plate or in the inner pocket

• All outer pockets will have suede lining





Louis Vuitton 


What to Look for:

• Date codes 

• Hardware inscribed with company logo

• Monogram is symmetrical

• Stitching should be very even and regular—the same number of stitches will be found in similar locations of the bag

• Many counterfeits use synthetic leathers for the handles that don’t show the same signs of aging as real leather



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