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It is becoming harder and harder to distinguish authentic Gucci handbags from the counterfeits, in part thanks to the fact that there are fewer distinguishing factors of authenticity. Counterfeit Gucci purses and handbags are many times so good that one needs an authentic bag for comparison.
Protect yourself! It is still possible to find discount Gucci bags that are actually authentic. Keep reading below for some general characteristics for comparison, and also some specific telltale signs that counterfeiters will use.
Telltale Signs of Counterfeit Gucci Handbags
1) A sure sign (and one that's all-too-common) is an inaccurate logo on the front of the bag. Things to look out for are incorrect font sizes and letter spacing, (both in relation to one another and to the entire tag), misspellings, and capitalization errors. They do happen!
2) On monogrammed bags, examine the G's. You're looking for both shape and clarity. Fakes will sometimes have fatter letters that bleed out like old tattoos.
3) Look at the colors on any bag you are considering. Some counterfeits will have less vibrant, or even faded shades, particularly with the green and red webbing or lining.
4) Examine the durability of the materials. Like most handbags Italian, Gucci uses only the finest quality Italian leather, fabric, and hardware in their bags. Any purses with chipped, distressed, or inexpensive-looking components are possibly fake.
5) Examine the overall craftsmanship of the item. Stitching should be tight, neat, and even.
6) Many ads for forgeries will still contain the word "authentic" somewhere, but almost ALL ads for authentic bags will contain the word authentic. If "authentic" is missing, don't purchase.
7) "Gucci Made in Italy" must be embossed in gold on some part of the bag or strap. It could also say "Gucci Parfums."
8) For Gucci wallets, the stripes MUST BE red and blue on a blue "GG" wallet, NOT red and green; and the type must be clean and straight, not bleeding or crooked.
9) The handbag handles on some forgeries appear much thinner and longer than genuine Gucci handbags.
10) Satchel bags come in blue and brown logo vinyl, trimmed with matching leather. They will always have a twill racing stripe somewhere on the satchel. Either down the middle and up the back, or as ribbons on each end of the handles. There will be a green and red stripe on the brown Gucci Accessory Collection bags and a red and blue stripe on the navy blue doctor bags in the G.A. Collection.
11) On current Gucci's, if the tag is completely square, it is a forgery. Gucci rounds the bottom two corners ever so slightly.
Remember: If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. But you can still find fashion handbags wholesale by connecting directly with sellers. Just know how to spot the fakes and always buy with your credit card!
Smruti Evans runs the Anthropologie clothing web store and maintains several popular weblogs, including the Handbags Italian blog.
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