Practical, fact-checked guides to help you buy real designer bags with confidence. Each one breaks down the materials, stitching, hardware and serial numbers that separate an authentic bag from a convincing fake, brand by brand: Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Fendi, Michael Kors, Burberry, Celine and more. Written by the Purse & Co editorial team, a fashion blog covering bags and accessories since 2011.
To spot a fake Saint Laurent bag, start by throwing out the check most guides lead with. The interlocking YSL monogram is not a dating tool and never has been: the house renamed its ready-to-wear line … Read more
To spot a fake Celine bag you need three things to agree with each other: the wordmark, which the house redrew in September 2018 and which therefore dates whatever you are looking at; the Triomphe clasp, … Read more
The fastest way to spot a fake Burberry bag is not the serial number — it is to ask the seller where the bag was made. Burberry does not manufacture handbags in England. Every current bag … Read more
The check that exposes the most fakes when it comes to spotting an authentic Fendi bag isn’t the serial number — it’s the FF monogram. On a genuine Fendi, the pattern stays aligned even where the … Read more
Spotting an authentic Chanel bag starts with three details that fakes almost always get wrong: the quilting, which on a genuine bag continues aligned even across the back and sides; the CC turn-lock, where the right … Read more
Spotting an authentic Prada bag always starts in the same place: the triangle. On genuine bags, the inverted triangle plaque sits straight, is attached with no glue bleeding out at the edges, and reads “PRADA” cleanly … Read more
Spotting a genuine Michael Kors bag doesn’t take much — just a few calm checks. The “MK” logo plaque should be cleanly engraved and properly aligned, the leather (smooth or Saffiano) should have an even grain, … Read more
Spotting a genuine Louis Vuitton bag comes down to the whole picture, never a single clue: the Monogram canvas should have a crisp print that lines up perfectly along the seams, the mustard-yellow stitching should be … Read more
Spotting a fake Gucci bag isn’t about finding one dead giveaway — it’s about reading several details together. Check that the leather is dense and smells like real hide rather than plastic or glue, that the … Read more