Authored by Jackie Acosta in Clothing
Published on 12-03-2008
What girl does not dream of owning a designer bag? For the lucky ones who have a luxury bag or two, their Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga or Hermes to name a few are more precious than gold in a girl’s closet. Costing more than a few thousand dollars, some women who are not willing blow a huge portion of their savings on a bag are on the lookout for a bargain.
A luxury bag is appreciated fully in all the details and craftsmanship put on it and bargain is just not an option. While there are a few cases wherein luxury bags are sold by previous owners at second-hand rates, it is important to know how to distinguish real from fake, especially with the emergence of factories that specialize in making class-A fakes. These deceiving imitations are not cheap, they are normally sold around 20% lower than the original only to pass as real, and in fact producing it is not at all expensive! There is nothing worse than walking into a party proudly, only to have a few uncomfortable glares from those who know that a bag is fake. Here are tips on how to avoid designer knock-offs.
Obviously, the first sign that a bag is fake is if it is sold in flea markets. Some vendors may try to lie through their nose to make a few bucks claiming that the bag is either straight from the factory or a good-as-new second hand find but it is important to stay firm and say NO to this temptation. Flea markets are bad news for luxury bags. As the saying goes “if it is too good to be true, it probably is.”
For bags that are sold by those who claim to be second-hand dealers or something similar, there are ways to tell if they are true to their word. First check the stitching, luxury bags are made with special attention to details so every stitch is usually perfect. Examine all the zippers to see if they run smoothly, close and open a few times to make sure that the zippers are of good quality.
Check the brand tags, some luxury bags have hand stitched tags while the knock-off version only has the brand stamped. The material should also be of the highest quality. Bags that use leather materials should be heavy, there is also a distinct smell of leather that it should have. Do not be ashamed to touch smell and examine every small detail of the bag, remember the imitators have done the same and tried to execute their version as closely as possible.
Some bags have serial numbers or certificates of authenticity, before purchasing a bag outside the actual store from a source that one considers trustworthy, go to the actual shop and inquire about proofs of authenticity, then ask the seller if they can provide the same. With a substantial amount to be invested on a luxury bag, it is essential and worthwhile to do research.
