1. Coach
2. Juicy
3. Vera Bradley
Along with those brands, most of my friends who would come to NYC would BEG me to take them to Canal and buy fakes. They LOVED going to China town and going to the 'hidden back rooms', which to tell you the truth absolutely scared me. I've heard horror stories of people getting hurt during raids, the sellers not letting you go until you buy a bag, kidnapping. Let's not forget that buying these counterfeit bags are criminal. (You're basically supporting drug dealing, human trafficking, organized crime, and child labor)
As New Yorkers, we all know the shame in wearing fakes. Yet you can always spot the tourists
in China Town with their oversized maps hovering over the fake bags on the sidewalk- not even bargaining might I add. With designers coming out with more affordable lines, because of the economy people still want to buy fake bags. Fake bags unfortunately are getting better, and sometimes people can't even tell the difference. In the past it was so easy to spot a fake, A G in stead of a C for coach, E instead of F for Fendi...
But here's how to spot fake LV:
first, if they are made with cheap and bad materials- they are def fake. So look carefully check for serial coes, if the logos are close together and if logos are lined up carefully and perfectly at the stitching.
But here are other ways:
1- Check the quality- feel the leather and canvas- it should feel smooth and look shiny.
2- The pattern matters- the pattern will always be the same on all pieces of the same line. (All
monogram canvases will be the same on all leather goods. On the Damier canvas, the boxes that say "Louis Vuitton Paris" on them will be spaced 9 square apart both horiz and vertical (4 dark and 5 light)
3- the hardware- on most bags the zippers and buckles will be brass or gold- some can be silver. Pay attention to the LVs carved into the zippers. They should be clean cut and smooth.
4- The leather- handles, straps, and/or trim will usually be a white-colored cowhide that will oxidize over time. If you bought vintage it should be a darker color. When it is new it will be white on the surface but the inner part will be a red color, that will also change color, if the white doesn't darken then it's fake.
5- accessories- speedy's DON'T EVER come with pegs on the bottom.
6- The inside: should always have a small piece of leather (that will also oxidize) with "Louis Vuitton Made in France" hot-stamped into it. It can also say
*made in italy, made in paris, made in spain, made in germany, or made in usa
=everything else is fake
7- there are only two places you can buy LV bags online: louisvuitton.com and eluxury.com
8- date code and serial number- all LV products have serial numbers. Usually be hidden behind some flap of leather or canvas and can be painted or hot stamped. (only people that can read the date codes are ppl that work for LV or have experience with LV products)
9- the colors- on the multicolor speedy's and purses there are never any red or turquoise LVs. (may be babyblue or dark or light shade of blue but never turquoise- also maybe pink but never
red) Also Multicolor bags never have bows on them.
10- the hot stamps: the font have very round O's and pointy As, Vs, and Ns. The font should not be narrow or squared off.
Anyways here are my favorite LVs:
And why do I like these bags? Because they are so unique and different! Everyone already walks around with the LV logos, checkered labels, why not be different? That and because of their opulent detailing.
Remember- Fakes are never in fashion and wearing expensive clothes doesn't make you fashionable, it's all about styling and confidence!
