A guide to spotting FAUX designer bags.
Here we are in February and you're still wondering if that Louis Vuitton your man got you for Christmas is authentic. Chances are, it's not. With the popularity of knock-offs running rampant you'd almost think they were chic almost. Everywhere you turn someone has a designer bag: Louis Vuitton, Coach, Hermes, Kate Spade, Dooney & Bourke and tons more. Back in the day, to find an imitation you had to go to the flea market, or Canal Street in Manhattan, but with the advent of the Internet and Ebay it's almost impossible to find the real thing. Oh sure, they're around, but so many people carry fakes it almost ruins it for the people with a genuine bag.
Louis Vuitton, easily the king of designer knock-offs started the trend with his must have bag, the Murakami. Everyone and their mother were clamoring for these bags. The waiting list is something like seven years long. The demand far exceeded the supply. Well, what is there to do when something is wildly popular and in high demand? Counterfeit. Thankfully there are some surefire ways to spot these fakes and find out if you've got the real thing, or how to spot one.
Quality is KEY. You don't pay an arm and a leg for nothing. The name has a lot to do with it, but when you're paying $1500 for a real Hermes Kelly bag, it's because it's handmade. Look at the stitching and overall design of the bag; if it's real it will be almost flawless in design. No shoddy stitches or puckered leather.
Details. Look at all the little nooks and corners of the bag. A real Louis Vuitton has "LV- not only on its zipper, but also on the rivets. Most authentic bags have the manufacturers name and location stamped on the inside. For example, Louis Vuitton has "Louis Vuitton Paris, Made in France- stamped in it, while Hermes has "Hermes Paris- inside. Coach is made in Mexico, contrary to popular belief, and it should be stamped inside along with a stamp verifying authenticity.