How to Tell if a Designer Handbag is a Fake
How to Tell if a Designer Handbag is a Fake
Craftsmanship
You can tell a lot by examining the craftsmanship of a bag to determine if it’s the real deal or a fake. When you spend premium dollars on a handbag, you are not just paying for the name you are paying for high quality craftsmanship. Designer bags will never have loose threads or lose hardware. Look closely at the stitching of the bag. Sloppy or uneven stitching is a sign of a knockoff. Another thing you should check for on a designer handbag is the placement of the seams. On most counterfeit the fabric and pattern won’t line up at the seams. The patterns of real designer bags always line up along the seams. Don’t stop at the outside of the bag, check the fabric liner. On designer bags the fabric will always be of good quality and very carefully placed so that designs in the fabric will not overlap, or even be sewn into the seams.
The Label
Labels are also a great way to check if a bag is real. Labels will always sew labels into the material of a designer handbag. Examine the labels and make sure they are sewn straight, the name on the label should be printed clearly without any words cut off.
The Hardware
Check the zipper and clasps for designer name. Real designer bags have the name printed on several components including the zipper. Zippers should glide effortlessly, you shouldn’t have to fight with them to open or close. Check the metal on the zipper it shouldn’t look cheap and any chip paint is the mark of a fake.
The Tags
Now this will come as a shock to some of you but many designer handbags are not made in Europe but in China. Which means that sometimes a tag saying the product was made in France may be a sign that the bag is fake. Also having a bag say made in French instead of France will be another sign that the bag is not an authentic one.
Logos
Be extremely careful when looking at the logos on a designer bag. First make sure that the name on the logo is printed correctly. Logos will be evenly printed, make sure they line up perfectly. Check to see how many times the logo is printed on the bag, it should be more than once. In order to help prevent counterfeits designer labels will print their logos on the zipper pulley, engraved them into the metal pieces.
Research
Knowing as much about the bag you want is one way to protect yourself from blowing your money on a fake. Go to a reputable department store and go see the bag you want to buy in person. Take the time to examine the logos, liner fabric, and hardware. Make sure to take mental notes on those things.
Price
Lastly, know the price of the bag you are coveting. If the price is too good to be true than you are probably looking at an overpriced fake. A bag priced at lower than 30% less than the retail
price will more than likely not authentic.
This is a guest article by Cassandre from Miinto.com, an online fashion boutique that carries mostly rare and unique products that can only found at your local boutique shop. They also carry more popular brands like Michael Kors and Nike.