Hermes(replica hermes bag), Chanel and yachts are among the world’s most expensive luxury handbags. Bain & Company reports that secondhand luxury sales reached $50 billion in 2013. In this market, buyers often resell bags to circumvent waiting lists due to limited supply; similarly, potential newcomers to luxury can benefit from lower prices to enter this realm of opulence.
Secondhand markets carry risks that cannot be ignored, including counterfeit products that have become more prevalent with “dupe” culture.
Hunter Thompson, director of brand compliance and authentication at The RealReal (a second-hand luxury retailer), spoke to Business Insider about the sophistication of counterfeit handbags.
Thompson predicted that, by 2024, all products that can be counterfeited will have been done so. If someone wears something and it becomes counterfeited within months, Thompson stated.
Since its launch in 2011, The RealReal has prevented over 250,000 fake items from entering the market, many being sold by unaware sellers or as part of larger networks that supply counterfeits for profit.
The company currently exhibits 30 counterfeit bags that were obtained during a pop-up shop on Canal Street — known for selling fakes along its sidewalks — to demonstrate just how lifelike these counterfeit bags can appear.
Thompson noted that counterfeiters have become more sophisticated. Some even alter receipts to make products look more authentic.
Hardware on Birkin bags such as their feet, zippers and pulls may be an indicator that something is amiss, just as any discrepancies between logos or spacing may indicate something is off. At RealReal they compare your bag with thousands of others to check for less obvious discrepancies like grain on leather edges and brand stamps to detect less apparent discrepancies.
Thompson has outlined some of the most commonly counterfeit bags and red flags to watch out for when buying an Hermes Birkin Kelly from $6200–350,000 price range. Small hardware pieces should always be visible at its base when considering purchasing this luxury bag.
Hunter Thompson says his first test for authenticity of any product should be the legs unscrewing from the bottom; that is his initial sign. Furthermore, it should be avoided if an orange card of authenticity comes with it as Thompson noted that Hermes does not issue these.
Hermes bags are hand-sewn, so the stitching may not be as precise and uniform as that done by machines. Louis Vuitton: Key Chains and Trunks According to Thompson, anything Louis Vuitton-related can be faked: from luggage to key fobs with its logo visible. People are always attracted by bags branded with it!
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Shelley Alvarado, a former employee of Louis Vuitton told Business Insider in 2013 that color was an easy way to spot counterfeit products. She noted that real items had deeper hues compared to replica ones and when materials are compared directly you can identify differences easily. Gucci Signature Styles can provide further proof.
Thompson noted that Gucci was one of the top counterfeited brands.
Replicating signature styles such as the Horsebit and Jackie is more prevalent than replicating niche designs, with logos like those found on Louis Vuitton handbags being an easy way to detect fakes: their spacing of letters may differ or their monogram may be irregular; Prada Re-Editions provide another method for detection.
Prada has revived some styles from their early 2000s collection that have since become highly desirable — and popular to copy. Thompson noted how easy it was to recognize Prada’s triangular logo made of metal.
“We can see deep into the material to determine its etchings, including whether they are striated. He said this was a major red flag, so they used their microscopical Vision software to verify,” but with 20/20 sight “you won’t really see that.”
Thompson noted the difficulty of recognizing this unassuming luxury trend is even harder, specifically with The Row’s Half Moon Bag and Alexia Bag as examples of such items that may or may not be readily recognizable. She specifically named their Half Moon, Alexia and Sophia Bags which can all be difficult to spot at a glance.
The RealReal doesn’t feature logos, instead focusing on hardware, grain of leather and stitching for authenticity. Celine luggage styles have become more likely to have been faked over the past year than authentic versions have.
2024 will see counterfeit luxury handbags become increasingly prevalent, and here are the key indicators that can help identify fakes.