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HOW DO YOU AUTHENTICATE YOUR LOUIS VUITTON BAG?
Lous Vuitton bags have a Date code.Real LV has 6 character date code or serial number. From left to right, char 1 and char 2 are letters where char 3 to char 6 are numbers. If authentic, the char 3 is less than 1; the char 4 is higher than 8 with exception of 0; and, the char 5 and char 6 are numbers between 0 to 9. This number is not a unique registration number, so it is highly possible for to find an identical number in a similar (or totally different model) bag that was produced at the same relative time and place. A current date code of MI 0060 in a Louis Vuitton Ellipse looks like this:
The date code will almost always (with very few exceptions) be in the same place in every bag throughout the years. So you know that if you are looking for a Cabas Piano and you find one with a date code in the pocket (when it should be under the d-ring) you're looking at a fake.
Also, know what it should look like- so for example, the above picture is of the date code from an authentic Moyen Ellipse. Below is a picture of a date code in a FAKE Moyen Ellipse. Notice the different shape, the different size tab etc.
Stitching is perfectly hand stitched and proportionally aligned. Sloppy light color and uneven stitching is sign of a fake. Authentic hand stitching looks like that every seam is at approx 45 degree (not 135 degree, when you see one you will know what I mean by). Machine stitching looks like many horizontal seam line up from head to toe.
LV upside down on one side is natural when one piece of leather is wrapped around.
Louis Vuitton straps are made from fine quality untreated cowhide leather which will appear a very pale yellow color. Newer LV leather has changed to a whiter cowhide leather color. They will all develop a natural patina, a dark honey color, over age.
Fake LV shape is often not dimensionally proportionate and may be of the improper size albeit the description can be copied over. You may have to physically measure it to exam the authenticity. Nevertheless, if the shape look odd to you, be careful.
Louis Vuitton never attaches or hangs tags to their merchandise. NEVER!
Louis Vuitton Boutiques do not USUALLY leave plastic wrap on handles! The Store will rarely, although they do sometimes, leave plastic wrap on hardware or handles before presenting to customer.
LV logos are always symmetrically lined up, never misaligned or scattered all over the place!
Fake dustbag on left, authentic on right... Before 2004 the dustbags were all as below, a really soft 100% cotton flannel. The LV embossed on it is very small, discrete and DARK- no hint of red.
Below is another VERY common fake dustbag style... Any dustbag that has anything more that LV or LOUIS VUITTON written on it- is fake. The one below is a really thin, cheap almost tyveky type bag.
Another fake dustbag and bag with tissue on hardware- never done in authentic LV.
The newer (2004+) dustbags are actually not the soft cotton canvas, they are almost a thick linen feeling fabric that is more yellow with LOUIS VUITTON written across the front, like in the one below!
For some reason, the fakers all use this dark bronzed envelope with a Louis Vuitton sticker on it (to the left below- with the lock on it)... LV has NEVER used anything like this.
Finally, Louis Vuitton has never attached a canvas swatch sample to a bag like the one with the turquoise LV on it attached to the right side of the handle in the following picture...
When you buy an authentic Louis Vuitton item from a Louis Vuitton boutique or online you will get two tags- and MAYBE a care booklet. That's it. One tag will say "Louis Vuitton" and will say what the bag is made of- whether it's monogram canvas, vernis, epi etc. The other will have the model number, the correct french name of the bag and the bar code. Notice that they are NOT attached to the bag and do NOT have the little plastic round LV white thing the fakers love to use. The tags would look like this:
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