Authentic vs. Fake: Louis Vuitton Monogram Bag Exterior Study
The details to look for to confirm authenticity
Created in partnership with Lusso & Lux
Because the Louis Vuitton Monogram is one of the most counterfeited luxury designs in the world, it’s important for collectors of pre-loved Louis Vuitton Monogram bags to know what to look for when evaluating a potential purchase. On first glance, many counterfeits look fine, but a closer study often reveals missteps that give the bag away. Here are the attributes to check:
Printing Color
The outside logos and flowers should be printed in Louis Vuitton’s signature golden shade. They should not visually read as yellow or as a proper tan. If the Monogram looks like the image below, run…
Printing Quality
The edges of the printed designs should be perfect crisp and clean. There should not be any fuzziness or color bleeding. Either of those features is a sign of a fake.
Overall Pattern Alignment
The entire pattern should be aligned so that the letters and rows are perfectly parallel to the ground when the bag is upright. The rows of characters on an authentic Louis Vuitton bag will never be at a slant.
Spacial Relationship Among Characters Within the Pattern
This is another big one that counterfeiters get wrong. Look carefully at the spacing between the characters of the Monogram design. The L is slightly lower than the V. Both letters have one thicker side and one thinner side, and the top line of the L should be perfectly parallel to the second line of the V. Additionally, the floral elements should all be spaced evenly across the rows.
Symmetrical or Mirrored Design
If you draw an invisible line down the center of the bag, the canvas print on either side should be an exact copy of the other. If the circular flower is cut off on the left side, the right side should have the same thing. This points to a very detailed level of craftsmanship that many counterfeiters cannot (or do not) replicate.
Singular Piece of Material
Louis Vuitton is famous for using one piece of material to create many of their most popular Monogram bags, including the Speedy and Keepall. Because of this, many authentic Louis Vuitton Monogram bags have no seam lengthwise on the body of the bags and that the logo appears right side up on the front but upside down on the back, as on the Cartouchiere PM, pictured above.
Click here for 9 other ways to spot an authentic (or fake!) Louis Vuitton Monogram bag :)
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