Some fashionistas don't know how to recognize a fake Louis Vuitton bag. Others make the choice to buy a counterfeit. But if you're reading this article, it's because authenticity is a criterion you don't mess with.
Since its creation in 1854, Louis Vuitton has become an icon of luxury. Like macaroons or the Palace of Versailles, the brand is a symbol of French refinement. That's all it took for the counterfeiting industry to take an interest... So
How to recognize a fake Louis Vuitton bag in 5 points:
While some counterfeits are hard to spot, most are mediocre. Be vigilant about these 5 elements and you will already know how to avoid the vast majority of bad plans.
1 - Pay attention to the silk-screen printing of the stamp
This is the first thing you need to look at carefully to identify a fake Vuitton bag. Written in capital letters, the phrase "LOUIS VUITTON PARIS" has a very specific font.
What you should check:
The O's are very round and appear larger than the L's.
The T's almost touch.
The L has a short leg.
The letters are fine and clean.
The stamp "made in" is in lower case and the first letter of the country is in upper case.
Are the letters evenly spaced?
Does the stamping appear to be horizontal?
Does the vertical spacing between lines of text appear to be even?
The fake Louis Vuitton stamps have obvious errors, such as the size of the O, oval O's instead of round O's, incorrect font or width of the stamp, spacing between the T's and sloppy embossing.
Take 1 minute to look closely at the Louis Vuitton logo below to memorize its shape.
(Click on the image to access its file)
Last detail: if there is even one spelling mistake, run away! Louis Vuitton bags are all handmade and no mistakes are tolerated. It is impossible for such a manufacturing defect to be present on an original product.
2 - Check the serial number
All bags produced after 1980 have a 6-character identification code. It is placed on the side of the bag and must be easily accessible. It consists of 2 letters and 4 numbers. The two letters are used to identify the place of manufacture and the numbers are used to identify the date of creation: 1st and 3rd number for the week, 2nd and 4th number for the year.
In the example below: MI0984 means that the bag was manufactured in France in a factory whose code is MI, the 8th week of 1994.
(Click on the image to access its file)
Make sure the serial number exists in click here.
3 - Make sure the pattern is uniform
Another obvious way to recognize a fake Vuitton bag is the company logo, which should not be cut or misaligned.
Original Louis Vuitton bags are characterized by the perfect alignment of the LV symbols on both the horizontal and vertical axes. Knowing that only one piece of fabric is used to make a bag, it is easy to understand why this detail is not easy for counterfeiters to reproduce.
(Click on the image to access its file)
4 - Look at the seams very closely
Louis Vuitton's reputation has been built on rigor and attention to detail. On each bag handle, the workshop strives to achieve 5 lines of mustard-yellow stitching.
Very often, low-range counterfeits do not have these. On the more elaborate copies, the seams are either irregular or made in different coloured threads.
(Click on the image to access its file)
5 - Beware of tempting "offers
Louis Vuitton does not run promotions, never has unsold merchandise and does not offer wholesale prices. If you come across this type of commercial offer, run away because without a doubt, you are in the presence of a counterfeiter.
In an ideal world, buying a luxury bag would be hassle-free. But in the real world, from 30% to 40% of LV items offered for sale are counterfeit. Be careful or go through approved sites to avoid disappointment.
Update 2021: 2 more points to check!
6 - Check the metal used
A very simple way to verify the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton bag is to look at the metals that make it up. The brand uses high quality brass for its zippers and straps.
(Click on the image to access its file)
Most of the metal elements of a Louis Vuitton bag are yellow and shiny, so you should be able to see your reflection in it. If you see a copper element or if the closure catches, it's time to move on, better not to risk buying a fake.
7 - Check the dust bag
All Louis Vuitton bags are sold with a branded dust bag. Unless the seller is particularly absent-minded, he will have kept this element that helps prove the authenticity of his bag; of course, this last point alone is not enough: it fits into a set of details that all add up.
So don't hesitate to ask the salesman for the dust bag, he should be able to provide it or at least take a picture of it. By the way, the Louis Vuitton logo should appear in the center of this bag.
Buy with peace of mind at IconPrincess. All our luxury bags are guaranteed authentic.
