Identifying Authentic Designer Purses: Three Useful Tips
There isn’t a follower of fashion alive who has not at some point been confronted with the difficult decision of whether or not to pursue the purchase of a new handbag that may or may not be guaranteed authentic. Many knockoff handbags look like the real thing, yet the price offered may be just a little too good to be true.
Aside from your peace of mind, there are other very compelling reasons to pause before potentially purchasing a counterfeit designer handbag. In some cases, the proceeds from the counterfeit handbag trade have been associated with child labor, drug trafficking, and other organized crime activities.
How does one tell if a designer handbag is authentic? The one surefire way to ensure your handbag is the real deal is to purchase it from the design house directly. However, in an age of online shopping and deeply discounted high-end designer websites, shoppers are savvy and this is probably pretty unrealistic. If you do purchase a bag outside of a design house, here are some things to look out for.
Materials
Leather feels dry to the touch, never sticky or oily, and has that unmistakable leather smell. Any silver or brass hardware should feel heavy, never hollow.
Construction
This should be spot-on perfect. Stitches should be immaculate and even. There will be no loose threads or over stitching on an authentic handbag.
Spelling
No design house would dream of launching a bag with the brand’s name misspelled. That lovely “Mark” Jacobs or “Pradah” handbag may look real, but rest assured, it is not.