When it comes to diagnosing fake bags, it takes more than just an eye for a designer label and a good eye for detail. It takes a keen understanding of what it takes to make a true designer bag in order to spot a fake bags and uncover the details.
I recently had to confront this when my friend was convinced that she had stumbled across a deal of a lifetime after finding a Chanel bag nearly at half its retail price. Already suspicious, I asked her to bring it to me to check for authenticity. What I quickly noticed was that the material felt nothing like the genuine cowhide leather Chanel bags are made from. It felt too thin and lightly waxed. A quick search for the serial number online also revealed that it was missing from the bag.
That’s when I knew, without a doubt, that I was dealing with a fake. It was heartbreaking to realize that the bag my friend had thought would be her designer coup de grace was in fact a knockoff.
What had once seemed like a great buy had become a too-good-to-be-true. In the face of such a deception, the first emotion to be felt is anger. How could anyone do such a thing as to try and pass off a knockoff as genuine? It’s not just morally wrong, but it affects the designer’s reputation and reputation of boutiques who sell their products; thus affecting their bottom line.
But anger has to be put aside in order to properly diagnose a fake bag. Even if everyone involved in the sale of the bag knew exactly what was going on beforehand, it’s important to take the time to inspect each and every detail. Fake bags are usually lacking the interior tag as well as the serial number. Additionally, the leather should be free of any creases and the stitching should be even and consistent.
Authentic replica bags will also have a specific weight about them, due to the leather, steel hardware and a heavier-weight lining. Counterfeit bags will feel lighter and will usually be made from imitation leather. The hardware on the handles will not be as robust and the lining usually tends to be thinner.
Finally, all genuine designer bags will have a logo printed, either onto the material or on the hardware. Fakes won’t have the same level of detail, with logos and hardware that appear dull and almost plastic-like on counterfeit bags.
Diagnosing fake bags may seem like a daunting task, but with a good eye, you can tell if a bag is real or not. Some signs may be more obvious than others, but it’s important to take into account all the details. By doing this, not only can you save yourself from a counterfeit purchase, but also protect designer reputations and save the boutiques from selling (or unknowingly buying) fakes.