It’s the ultimate betrayal. Saving up for your first big luxury buy, cradling your new Louis Vuitton Noé, Instagramming that baby from every angle you can manage… only to find out it’s a fake. With the first copy industry churning out their best efforts yet, you’re unfortunately one of many who have fallen for a fabulous fake. Our colleagues in the UK approached luxury reseller Sophie Hersan of Vestiaire Collective for her guide to outfoxing the imitation experts. Commit this to memory.
How much do you weigh?
Christian Louboutin
A fake bag is bound to feel lighter than its luxury counterpart, because according to Hersan, “Counterfeit products tend to be made of substitute fabrics, which are lighter than leather or precious metals. Most hardware will be made of metals like brass and gold, which won’t tarnish over a period of time. These metals will be heavier and shouldn’t show any imperfections.”
Study the stitching
Tory Burch
A poorly made or uneven stitch is a dead giveaway, says Hersan. She adds, “Brands have their own stitching codes, which are a key indicator of authenticity and permit knowledgeable companies like ours to authenticate products. For example, for Hermès, the famous stitches are ‘piqures sellier’, handmade by a craftsman.”
The final touches
Tom Ford
If you don’t have the trained eye to spot an uneven stitch, Hersan insists that a study of the bag’s logo should present all the evidence you need. “The logo is often a slip-up area for copies, every brand includes unique details to ensure they can identify a genuine piece,” she says, adding, “You should look at material quality and finishing. If the material is supposed to be leather, it should smell and feel like leather. Some bags are lined with a different fabric on the inside and some are not, but it is very unlikely that a genuine designer handbag would use a cheap fabric in its lining.”
Read the whole story here.
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