Bag a Bargain, Not a Fake – Part One

So when you see that Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, or Prada bag for a song at a thrift store, who wouldn’t want to grab it?

Be aware that high end designer bags in new or good condition are nearly always fakes in thrift stores. Authentic designer bags that are gently used bring good prices. You’ll find them on eBay, but rarely in a thrift store.

So how can you tell? There are usually a few clues for every brand of designer bag and you can learn to look for them.

Dooney & Burke logos are sewn on and never glued. Look inside. You should see stitching. Or gently lift the logo and see if any visible stitching on the front goes all the way through. If not, it’s a knockoff.

Coach bags always have an authenticity label inside with a serial number. You can check the number on the Coach website. Some fake Coach bags have very real looking fake labels so check those numbers. Coach signature bags never have signature lining. Coach never mixes these.

The “o” in the Louis Vuitton logo is always round, never oval. Alignment of the logo is critical. With almost all designs, the LV logo will be perfectly aligned, and will not be cut off by a seam. There is never a hangtag on an authentic Louis Vuitton. Also, the colored logo bags usually have too few color combinations.

The plaid on authentic Burberry bags always matches from front to bottom to sides. Every stripe will line perfectly across the seams with its matching stripe in the pattern.

More tips to come in our next post!