You have been watching for it for a long time. You had saved for months to be able to buy it. Take care! Even in the prettiest shops , you can come across bags that are actually fakes . If in addition, you want to keep this bag for a few years, it is better to know if this article is authentic or if it is a bad replica . To achieve this, you have to look carefully at all the smallest details of the product. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with all the tricks you need to find out if that much-desired bag is actually real or fake !
So here are the 7 tips to know, so that you can recognize counterfeit leather goods .
1. Attention to detail
All products manufactured by major luxury brands are carefully checked before being marketed. Everything must be perfect , whether it is the seams of each thread, or the defects of the materials used. In addition, all products are handmade and authentic . No manufacturing defect is therefore possible for the bags of great fashion designers and large firms .
Therefore, an authentic bag can never have manufacturing defects .
2. Fasteners, buttons and zippers
Pay attention also to small clasps and metal fasteners , but also to buttons , zippers and plates including the name of the brand. Their quality must be impeccable . In addition, each item has a number and a name printed , or engraved on a plate, which proves their authenticity . The firm Hermes, for example, marks all its bags “ Hermes Paris made in France ”, and adds another stamp on the back of the bag which indicates the material used and its year of manufacture.
3. Materials
It is imperative to know that luxury firms do not use raw leather . They choose fine, high-quality materials , and their leather products are not “oily” or “sticky” like counterfeits sometimes are because of the inexpensive material that is used. In addition, quality bags retain their original shape , thanks to the soft and fine leather chosen, which is not the case with counterfeits.
4. The brand name
Sometimes we don’t even notice the main detail of our bags. It is indeed the name of the brand . As surprising as it may seem, counterfeit manufacturers use different fonts from the original brand, or print blurry letters or brand names with misspellings . It sounds absurd, but it’s these labels that make your bag more authentic, so pay attention to them.
5. The serial number
The serial number is one of the most important indications to prove the authenticity of your bag . The label with this precious number is sealed and attached in a very specific way, so that we cannot remove it or risk damaging our pretty bag. Counterfeits only have a sticker , very easy to remove, on the surface of the bag.
6. Packing
Keep in mind that an expensive bag has expensive packaging , which is also made of quality materials . Indeed, the package of your precious bag must not have any defects. Additionally, any additional accessories should also be carefully packed with your bag . Be aware that they will not be given to you at a slight additional cost , and even less offered as a gift .
7. The characteristics specific to each
Before you even go shopping for the perfect bag, try to do a little research on the specifics of the brands that interest you. Remember that each brand has its own characteristics.
For example, a Prada bag or accessory will never have two contrasting colors between the lining and the visible part of the product. This brand always uses perfectly suitable colors for all surfaces of the article.
The Dior firm, on the other hand, uses bag linings in an incomparable luminous red , with the brand name woven all along. A shiny , silky red lining is a sign of counterfeiting.