Investing in designer fashion can be expensive, but it’s far better than paying for fake fashion pieces. Although Nike is the most counterfeited brand, there are plenty of others that require you to be shopping savvy, including Cartier, Hermés, Gucci, Ray Ban, Rolex and the North Face, among countless others.
So, how do you spot a fake fashion piece? Consider these tips.
Spelling and labeling
If you spot a label, tag or authenticity card with a spelling error, you can be 100% sure the product is a fake. The same is true if words are missing proper spacing or punctuation. For the most part, anything that says, “100% genuine” is, ironically, probably a counterfeit.
Logo
A logo that’s slightly askew or has “off” colors is almost never authentic. Stitched-on logos will almost always have the same number of stitches on opposite sides. Designer products that normally use a metal logo will be easy to spot as fake if it’s made of plastic instead.
Fabric and leather
Real leather should have an authentic leather smell, even if it’s slight. If you smell chemicals instead, you’re liking sniffing fake leather. You’ll also find that real leather is identifiable by its irregular texture. “Pleather” will most likely have a consistent pattern of pores.
Buttons
Counterfeit goods will often skip the details on the buttons. That may mean omitting the designer name and/or logo or not feeling securely attached to the garment.
Stitching
Look at the stitching on the item’s pockets, seams and/or labels to ensure it’s straight. Stitches should be equal length and generally speaking, high-end brand names will use more stitches per inch compared to their fake counterparts.
Packaging
If the item you purchased comes in a simple, cheap bag or box, chances are you’ve purchased a fake. Designer goods often come packaged in branded boxes dust bags or shopping bags and sometimes use tissue paper.
Prices
When in doubt, let the price be your guide. If the deal seems too good to be true, the item probably isn’t authentic.
