If you’re relatively new to the style game, you might be wondering what difference it really makes if your bag is designer or not — and we hear you. Those big price tags can be so draining on the bank account.
For us, what makes a designer bag special isn’t necessarily the brand name it’s attached to or how much it costs but the intention and thought that went into the piece and what it can do to a wardrobe. You may be surprised just how much a luxurious, finely made purse can add to your closet. It’s kind of a game-changer.
You see, when a designer bag is made by a true craftsman and with true style, it can become so many different things. It can be your everyday bag that withstands the world with genuine leather, or it can be your special occasion bag that you reserve for only the most legendary of nights.
It can be a signature or a prize, but in either case, a luxurious designer bag proves its worth once you see the difference. Where? Well, when you feel the leather, tap on the hardware, or run your finger along the stitching, to start.
On that note, let’s get into the best ways to ensure a bag is all it claims to be because we do not stand for fakeness here. No, we do not.
7 Tips for Spotting a Fake Designer Bag
It’s no secret that we’re fashion experts. We obsess over Fashion Week streetwear and re-caps and follow our favorite stylists and designers. Every inch of our studio is stacked with inspiration and mood boards: We live for this.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re label-obsessed. You know… unless we’re talking about the Brandon Blackwood label. All we’re saying is that plenty of people will talk your ear off about certificates of authenticity and serial numbers. Those are all well and good, but if you’re not an expert, you can feel a little out of your element trying to decide what’s real and what’s not.
That’s why we made this helpful guide based entirely on things you can see and feel. If you just picked up a bag at your favorite flea market on the weekend or you’re stalking a bag on eBay that looks like the one you’ve been waiting for, consider this your seven-step process for ensuring it’s the real deal.
Tip #1: Check the Materials
Designer bags don’t necessarily have to be leather. We have lots of options in vinyl, vegan leather, and denim. But when you’re paying designer prices, the materials should be the reason why. Well-made, genuine materials will feel and look nicer than the inexpensive knockoffs.
If you are purchasing a leather bag, ensure that you have genuine leather by checking the tag. Real leather is smooth, buttery, and won’t flake over time — though it may crack if you don’t take special care of it. If you soon start to get chips in your so-called leather product when it scuffs, then it’s likely not genuine cowhide leather.
We know sometimes sticker shock can hurt badly, but the truth is fine materials will always cost more. Plenty of brands will mark up the bag even further, but we happen to think everyone deserves luxury materials in their closets.
That’s why beautiful leather bags like our Bamboo B Tote are priced smartly at under 400 dollars.
Tip #2: Take a Close Look At the Logo
Another tip for ensuring your bag is a real designer handbag is to look at the logo.
A bunch of counterfeit bag makers will try to closely imitate a designer logo while making a few key changes to avoid copyright infringement. These can be hard to spot depending on how subtle the changes are, but if you compare your purse to a picture of another online, you can usually spot the differences.
Take a look at both the logo on the exterior of the bag as well as the one that’s stitched into the interior of the lining. That should give you more confidence in the authenticity of your purse.
Tip #3: Inspect the Hardware
Like the material of the bag itself, the hardware tells a story when it comes to a handbag’s authenticity.
Many knockoff bags will use hollow hardware with gold or silver paint on top. You’ve probably experienced this paint chipping off before. It can be so frustrating, especially when you think you have the real thing.
Tap on the hardware and see if it sounds solid or hollow. Authentic brass, gold, or silver hardware will be denser.
Relatedly, you should ensure that your hardware matches all over. If your purse has gold hardware in the straps but brass hardware in the bottom details, then it may be counterfeit. Designer handbag makers (and we can say this from personal experience) pay inordinate attention to the details of a purse and make sure the choices are consistent.
Tip #4: Pay Attention to Stitchwork
On that note, the stitchwork is usually a good tell for whether a designer bag is real or fake.
Designer bags often include expert hand stitching. This stitching will be uniform, even, and tailored to perfection. If any of your threads are loose or if they’re going in slightly different directions, then you may not have a legit bag.
Check the stitchwork on the inside of the bag as well as the exterior. The thread color should match throughout the bag unless it’s intentionally mismatched, and the stitches themselves should be uniform and cleanly done.
As we said, you get what you pay for. Expert craftsmanship is always worth the difference, and that’s not just our opinion: It’s a fact.
Tip #5: Peep the Lining
Speaking of the inside of the bag, the lining is also usually reflective of the bag’s authenticity. A designer bag should feel as fabulous on the inside as it looks on the outside.
Poorly made bags may use a cheap, poor-quality lining. This type of lining will easily tear or will be a different color from the bag you’re expecting.
Many of our bags, including our Haughton Tote, which comes in Black, Hot Pink, Baby Blue, and Brown leather, is made with a microsuede liner. Microsuede is a form of faux leather that is velvety soft and feels like suede. It’s also water-resistant, lightweight, and stainproof, making it the ideal inside for a bag you’ll want to show off.
Tip #6: Fact Check the Details
For the most part, counterfeit bag makers have the same information we do when we’re browsing designer handbags. They’ll scour online sites and do their best to recreate the bag based on photographs.
Generally, though, they’ll make some mistakes. Often, they won’t have access to exact images of the inside of the bag, and the shade of color of the lining or a detail in the hardware or handle will be off.
Designer bag experts know exactly how many stitches belong on designer bags and the exact angling of the various panels. For regular bag lovers, that’s a little intense.
What do you say we split the difference? When you’re looking for a designer bag, do your homework and get to know the little specific things that make the bag unique. That will better help you spot an imposter.
Tip #7: When In Doubt, Shop From the Source
At the end of the day, you can only be 100% sure that you’re getting the real thing if you shop directly from the source.
We sell our bags in stores and love working with our partners, but many of our fave Brandon Blackwood crew buy directly from our site and keep their Instagram notifications turned on for when we drop our next big collection.
Shopping directly from the designer also means you’ll receive a certificate of authenticity, proving that you have a real luxurious designer bag direct from the maker. If you think of bags as investments, you can’t deny that those certificates are valuable. There is no beating the real thing.
A Dupe Can’t Compete With the Real Thing
Real designer bags, especially when they’re a part of limited edition collections, can increase in value over time if you treat them well.
If you have a special occasion bag that you reserve for only the most precious of nights, keep it in your dust bag between uses and try to maintain the leather when you can. A designer bag can last a lifetime, especially when you shop from expert stylists and tailors who deliver timeless styles.
Just saying.
Sources:
How to spot a fake designer handbag | Harper’s Bazaar
How to spot a fake designer handbag | Cosmopolitan