Spot Fake Louis Vuitton Purses
When you're buying an expensive, name brand purse like Louis Vuitton, it is important to know you're getting the real deal. You can spot fakes by examining the quality and appearance of the bag. Researching and knowing if the seller is legitimate may be enough to guaranty a purse's authenticity.
Contents
Steps
Check the Quality
Real Louis Vuitton bags are finely crafted.
- Examine the stitches. This is best done in person, but if that's not possible, ask the seller for as many close-up photos as possible. Sloppy stitches suggest a counterfeit bag. Another indicator of a counterfeit bag is the number of stitches per inch (SPI) on the seam. SPI (stitches per inch) refers to the number of stitches in a single inch of seam. A high SPI count indicates greater overall seam strength, (and therefore a higher quality handbag). Authentic Louis Vuitton bags will have a higher SPI count than the counterfeits.
- Walk away from bags with a tilted pattern. Authentic bags have even patterns that are well matched and proportionate. A bag with a pattern that does not match up with itself is likely to be a fake.
- Look for upside-down LV's on the back. Not all authentic bags have upside-down LV's, but many do, especially if the design was made with one continuous, seamless piece of leather that wraps all around the bag. This is especially true of the Speedy styles, Keepalls, and Papillons.
Know the Seller
The reputation of a seller is a big clue as to a bag’s authenticity.
- Research the seller, especially if purchasing a bag from an online auction or through a similar online venue. Check seller feedback. Look for sellers with an overwhelmingly large percentage of positive feedback comments. Avoid sellers with negative feedback, zero feedback, or private feedback.
- Avoid sellers who offer no return policy.
- Read between the lines. If a seller's product description makes you hesitant to purchase the item, trust your instinct.
- If you cannot inspect the bag in person, look for listings with thorough pictures. Only purchase a bag after you have seen, at minimum, a picture of the front, back, base, lining, date code, and the embossed "Louis Vuitton Made in" stamp.
- Ask for additional pictures from the seller. They may be using pictures of real Louis Vuitton purses to sell fakes.
- Look for deals, but be wary of sellers offering a bag at a considerably discounted price. A legitimate bag that retails in the hundreds would not sell for less than $100, especially not a new bag.
- Avoid sellers that claim to have bags from a "new collection" not yet in stores.
- Avoid sellers that claim to have bags from a "wholesale list" or "closeout liquidation." Louis Vuitton does not discount, have outlets, or sell wholesale. Any seller that claims otherwise should not be trusted.
- Do not buy Louis Vuitton purses from street vendors, since the company does not permit street vendors to carry their merchandise.
Pay Attention to Little Details
The next clue regarding a bag’s authenticity is in the little details, such as its zippers, interior lining, and date code. Every design is slightly different, but there are similarities in designs that will also help clue you in.
- Avoid bags with an attached tag. Official Louis Vuitton purses do not have the tag attached. The tag is separate, often slid into a pocket of the purse. Be especially wary of tags that look cheap and are attached with little more than string.
- Inspect the interior lining. Knock-offs use cheap plastic or suede to line their bags. Depending on specific design, a real bag is lined with a variety of textiles, such as canvas, fine micro monogram textile, cross-grain leather, polyester, or microfiber suede.
- Fake bags have plastic wrapped around the handles. The oxidizing natural cowhide leather does not need protective plastic, and bags that come with that plastic are fakes.
- Inspect any clasps or other hardware. Legitimate bags use brass or gold metal, but fakes use plastic with a layer of gold paint.
- Look for zippers with the "LV" logo imprinted on the pull.
- Inspect the "Made in" label. Originally, authentic Louis Vuitton bags were only made in France. However, for the past several decades the company has also manufactured bags in the United States, Spain, Germany, and Italy.
- Check the date code. The majority of bags made after the early 1980s have a production code stamped on the bag. Since the 1990s, the code includes two letters followed by four numbers. Before the 1990s, the code was a one or two letter code followed by three or four numbers. Some were also simple three number codes.
- Look in the right place. The date code is located beneath the D-ring.
- Know the specific parts of a particular bag. Although Louis Vuitton bags are similar, no two designs are exactly alike. Research what kind of lining, feet, and base, as well as other details, a particular style of bag should have. Check the company's website or ask your nearest boutique.
Look at Overall Design
A bag’s design should be your first clue regarding its authenticity. Some fake designs are obviously fake, but others require close inspection to detect.
- Find out if the bag has an authentic design. Odds are, if you do not recognize the Louis Vuitton design, it is a fake purse. If you have any doubts, check the bag design through a boutique, in a catalogue or on the official Louis Vuitton website.
- Designs that seem real but are fake. Multicolor, Cherry Blossom, and Cerises designs are not available in all bag styles. Vintage pieces are more likely to be scams.
- If buying a trademark monogrammed bag, make sure the letters are clearly printed in gold with brown lines through the LV. Avoid solid colored monograms or monograms with a green tint.
Tips
- Don't be fooled by extras. Counterfeiters also counterfeit dust bags, receipts, gift boxes, authenticity cads, and care booklets. Adding these extras does not guarantee authenticity.
- Search the Internet for photos of fakes versus photos of the real thing. Get an idea of what a fake looks like in comparison to a real Louis Vuitton purse.
Related Articles
- Spot Fake Designer Bags
