Authentic vs. Fake: Louis Vuitton Hardware
What to look for on the most iconic Louis Vuitton bags
Created in partnership with Lusso & Lux
Good hardware is expensive, making it an excellent data point to consider when evaluating the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton bag. While different Louis Vuitton bags feature different hardware, every piece shares some common features.
Louis Vuitton or LV branding
Zipper pulls, locks, grommets, snaps, and the like will all feature some iteration of Louis Vuitton or LV. These marks will be perfectly centered and every letter will have crisp, clear edges, as in the photo below. It is a huge red flag if any zipper pulls or other hardware is lacking LV branding.
No factory brands on zipper pulls
Louis Vuitton does not use any factory zipper pulls, so you will not see a YKK or Lampo brand anywhere — including the underside of the zipper mechanism as in the photo below.
Rich gold tone
Zipper pulls and the like should be covered in a thick gold coating. The gold coating will show wear from normal use over time, but it should never be bright yellow, no matter what the condition. The fake hardware featured in the images below has two big issues: the lettering is not defined enough and the color is far too yellow.
Lock with proper marking on the back
Many Louis Vuitton Monogram bags come with lock and key sets. All Louis Vuitton locks feature the LV signature on one side and some combination of “R” (registered trademark) + “Louis Vuitton” + “Paris” + “Made in France” on the other.
TIP: Padlocks featuring “Made in France” are the oldest — this notation was dropped when Louis Vuitton began manufacturing outside of France. If you have a contemporary bag with a “Made in France” lock it’s worth taking note. While it’s possible you could have a new bag with a vintage lock, it’s also possible you could have a fake.
TIP: If a lock says “Made in Paris” it is fake. Louis Vuitton never uses this combination.
Lock with three-digit number on the bottom beginning with a 3 or 4.
The number on the lock refers to its key, and — it probably goes without saying — the number on the key should match the number on the lock.
Click here for 9 other ways to spot an authentic (or fake!) Louis Vuitton Monogram bag :)
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