How to buy a genuine designer handbag

It doesn’t matter whether you’re shopping online or in the high street, anyone can fall victim to fake designer-ware. The problem has become more widespread in recent years as there are huge profits to be made from selling knock-off handbags, but can you really tell the difference between a genuine bag and a fake? Here are a few tips.

Beware of multiple bags in the same brand and model. Most high end stores and boutiques only ever have one or two versions of any bag in stock. If you see a merchant on eBay for example with 50 of the same bag you can bet they are fake, real stores never buy in that quantity.

Stitching is always a good sign of how well a bag is made. Check for un-even or loose stitching on the inside of the bag and not just the outside. Also check that seems in the corners of the bag have the same stitching color, fakes often don’t bother with this.

All real designer handbags come with a unique serial number that identifies that exact bag to the manufacturer. It’s usually on the inside of the label and while some fake bags have this too not all have mastered it yet so it’s worth looking out for.

Many of the top designer brands like Dior and Gucci now imprint their logo multiple times inside the lining of the bag. Check that the logo is exactly inline throughout the pattern and also check for faded colors on different logos.

To me it doesn’t matter if I’m buying online or on the high street I will want to see some reviews of the store before I purchase. There’s lots of review sites out there like Ciao and Reevoo which are free for anyone to post on and you can bet if someone buys a fake bag without knowing they’re going to complain about it somewhere.

For more handbag advice please check out designer handbags which is a new blog about clutch handbags and fashion.