This excellent article from the Examiner.com describes how to spot and distinguish fake designer goods. Here are some of the main points:
Explore the construction. Counterfeit goods are mass produced, making their quality of construction much lower than authentic designer counterparts. Inspect seams, both inside and out, for any sign of sloppiness.
Inspect the material. Material quality of designer items should be top-of-the-line. Flimsy material or fake leather indicates forgery.
Examine the details. Designer items often feature logos on all metal pieces, including zippers, latches, and buckles. Check for imprinted logos on all metal details. In addition, flimsy closures denote forgery.
Inspect linings. Designer items are lined with high-quality materials. Thin or poorly constructed lining or construction that shows fraying or poor stitching are indicative of fakes.
Know the logo. Counterfeiters often take liberties with designer logos. Look for careless spelling, incorrect capitalization, or mistakes in a designer’s trademark picture.
Read the label. Designer labels are sewn into designer items. Do not buy an item if the label is glued, pinned, or a simple handtag. Also, read the label information to make sure that information, including country of origin, is correct.
Consider the packaging. Designers take pride in the packaging of their products, using tissue paper, authenticity cards, care information, high-quality boxes, and high-end shopping bags. An item wrapped in plastic, or put in a flimsy plastic dust bag, is probably a fake.
Most of all know where you are buying from. If it’s from a well known brand name store you are pretty safe, if it’s on Canal street in New York, you know it’s a fake . Where things get tricky is buying privately or on ebay, this is where all of the above becomes very important knowledge. Finally , the price…chances are if it’s too good to be true, it’s not the real thing. It’s one thing to get a Prada bag on 80% sale and pay $200.00 ( that’s what we call a SCORE) and quite another to buy it for $50.00 from a street vendor.
Tags: designer fakes, how to spot designer fakes, shopping for designer goods
good tips
Great tips. There are some really good fakes out there so it can be hard to tell sometimes.
I thought I was getting a great deal when I picked up a $250 Prada bag from a small store in Toronto. A few weeks later the lining began to tear and the bag looked 5 years old! I went back to the store and they basically said “too bad”. I knew the deal was too good and I learned my lesson.
sometimes even when you go to a so called reputable place they can rip you off, I went to Braccialini boutique in SoHO , New York and was told I was buyig a guine snake leather purse and in the meantime , it turned out to not be snake and not sure even if it’s leather.
I called them and they were like it was a final sale and blah, blah….so you have to watch out for crooks everywhere.
anything you buy privately or off ebay is pretty much buyer beware
I think this is a brilliant idea
i have stupidly bought fake stuff but have since stopped. it is just tacky and i think its better to save up for the real stuff then buy a bunch of cheap fakes.
i guess my made in malaysia gucci wallet is fake
its tempting to buy the fakes, some look so goooood!