HEREMES: The blind stamp under the strap is usually the first giveaway. Hermes uses the alphabet in chronological order to date the bags(not too bright cuz how hard is it to figure out that A comes before B?), for example, year 2004 was H and currently we are on year I. The craftsman ID should also be next to the blindstamp. However, we’ve recently spotted fakes with the blindstamps so the next step is to check the zipper on the inside pocket. The leather pull strip should be horiontal to the zipper, which should have Hermes engraved on it. You should also check the glue on the inside corners, does it look sloppy? The borders on the exterior leather is very hard to reproduce, check to see if it’s smooth, the fakes usually have ridges. The keys and lock should have matching numbers and Hermes engraved on them (very easy to reproduce though). The hardware should be made of palladium or 24 carat gold plate, the fakes are made of flimsy steel. Lastly, check the feet on the bottom of the bag, do they look wobbly or screw off easily? Hermes no longer authenticates bags in it’s boutiques so unless you know the person you’re buying the bag from, I’d try to get on the waitlist and wait for the real thing. (More on tips to get on the Hermes waitlist later.)
LOUIS VUITTON: This is probably the single most popular reproduced line of bags. First of all, they are made of plasic (they call it “monogrammed canvas”, whatever!) that is produced in factories in Asia so some of the fakes are made of the canvas from these factories (which makes them “real” fakes right?). It’s really hard to authenticate these bags but this is what we suggest: check the borders on the exterior, does the monogram match up? Next, is the trim real leather (light colored natural cowhide)? There is also a serial number hidden somewhere in the bag, but again, very easy to reproduce. If you like to waste money and want to pay thousands of dollars for bags made of plastic laminated canvas, we recommend you purchase them from Louis Vuitton boutiques or at a major department store.
BALENCIAGA: The le Dix motorcycle bags are everywhere, on the arms of Nicole Ritchie and Lindsay Lohan as well as our cleaning lady. The only way to tell if it’s real is to check the inside of the bag. There should be a zipper that says “Lampo” and a Balenciaga tag with it’s serial number. You’ll have to call Balenciaga and give them that number to see if it’s real or not. But seriously, this bag is so over who cares if it’s real. Just get rid of it or do what we did and give it to your maid.
CHLOE: The Paddington is easier to authenticate as the locks are very heavy (half a pound each), the key and the rest of the hardware should also be heavy, “Chloe” should be engraved on the corners of the hardware. The lock and hardware on the fakes are light and the stitching is not as sturdy. Put it on a scale and if it doesn’t weigh 3.5 pounds, it’s probably not real.
GUCCI: Like Louis Vuitton, the line is very blurred when it comes to Gucci fakes. Look for an ID number somewhere inside the bag or take it to a Gucci boutique to get authenticated.
