{"id":23057,"date":"2010-06-20T01:16:29","date_gmt":"2010-06-20T06:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/?page_id=23057"},"modified":"2025-11-04T13:06:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T20:06:10","slug":"how-to-tell-if-your-louis-vuitton-is-fake","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/how-to-tell-if-your-louis-vuitton-is-fake\/","title":{"rendered":"How to tell if your Louis Vuitton is fake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Many unsuspecting budget fashionistas spend up to $1000 on \u201cauthentic\u201d Louis Vuitton bags that turn out to be fakes. Before purchasing your bag, read these basic rules to determine whether or not your Louis Vuitton is fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to tell if your Louis vuitton is fake: 12 ways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If it claims to be brand new and costs less than $300, most likely it is fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the \u201cLV\u201d\u00a0 logo is upright on both sides, it might be a fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it\u2019s brand new and being sold on eBay or Yahoo! Auctions for less than $100, there is a good chance it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the piping is not leather, it is fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the seams are uneven, frayed, the monogram is off or the bag is poorly sewn, it is definitely fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If there is no date code (a.k.a date number) provided or if the seller is reluctant to provide a date code or receipt, it could be fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If it\u2019s a new bag and the bag\u2019s handle is a different color leather than that of the piping, it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the seller doesn\u2019t allow returns, most likely it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you bought it in your local Chinatown or from a street vendor, it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the dust cover has rounded edges and\/or it doesn\u2019t come with a dust cover, it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the bag has a hanging tag (of any type) or a bright yellow tag or envelope, it\u2019s definitely a fake.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you bought the bag on an ecommerce site other than eluxury.com (be careful of eBay), it\u2019s fake.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on how to tell the authenticity of your Louis Vuitton bag, visit an authorized Louis Vuitton retailer&nbsp;(a boutique at your local high-end mall), or call the Louis Vuitton headquarters at (212) 758-8877.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A great video showing how Louis vuitton bags are made<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"nv-iframe-embed\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Creating the Louis Vuitton Monogram Empreinte Bags\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HQ00ZbKrp8c?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQs: Legal issues behind buying a fake Louis Vuitton handbag<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Law professor and blogger Susan Scafidi gives us the legal issues behind buying or selling counterfeit goods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I get arrested or fined for just buying a fake?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not in the U.S. But both France and Italy have passed laws targeting consumers of counterfeit merchandise.&nbsp; Also, if you go on vacation outside the U.S. and try to bring back an illegal fake, both you and the merchandise could be stopped at customs.&nbsp; But hey, at least you\u2019ll have a great tan in your mug shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is manufacturing or selling a handbag with a fake Louis vuitton or prada label illegal?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. You already knew that one. Law enforcement can seize not only counterfeit items but also other things used to facilitate trafficking, like computers or automobiles.&nbsp; So think twice before driving downtown to pick up a load of fakes and then printing invitations to a neighborhood purse party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it still illegal if the buyer knows it\u2019s fake, and the seller admits it and disclaims any association with the designer?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. There\u2019s still a chance of \u201cconsumer confusion\u201d (the test for trademark infringement) among other people who see the bag or upon resale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What if the bag doesn\u2019t have a logo but otherwise looks just like an Hermes Birkin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a bit more complicated, but for an iconic design, a court might find the bag illegal under a theory of \u201ctrade dress\u201d protection.&nbsp; The closer the copy is to a recognizable, famous original, the more likely it is to be illegal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If selling counterfeits is illegal, why is it so easy to find them online or on the street?&nbsp; In New York, you can even buy unauthorized NYPD t-shirts and hats!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Law enforcement is expensive and there\u2019s an eager market.&nbsp; For some manufacturers, the potential for huge profits makes the risks worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">But this is fashion. Everybody copies everybody else! How else would we know that wedge espadrilles and lace are \u201cin\u201d for spring?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The new law would apply only to literal copies, not trends or inspiration.&nbsp; But it could bring about some changes. In 1994, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1994\/05\/19\/business\/company-news-a-ruling-by-french-court-finds-copyright-in-a-design.html\" class=\"rank-math-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YSL sued Ralph Lauren<span class=\"wpil-link-icon\" title=\"Link goes to external site.\" style=\"margin: 0 0 0 5px;\"><svg width=\"24\" height=\"24\" style=\"height:16px; width:16px; fill:#000000; stroke:#000000; display:inline-block;\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:svg=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><g id=\"wpil-svg-outbound-7-icon-path\" fill=\"none\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_31_188)\">\r\n                            <path d=\"M9.16724 14.8891L20.1672 3.88908\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M13.4497 3.53554L20.5208 3.53554L20.5208 10.6066\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"\/>\r\n                            <path d=\"M17.5 13.5L17.5 16.26C17.5 17.4179 17.5 17.9968 17.2675 18.4359C17.0799 18.7902 16.7902 19.0799 16.4359 19.2675C15.9968 19.5 15.4179 19.5 14.26 19.5L7.74 19.5C6.58213 19.5 6.0032 19.5 5.56414 19.2675C5.20983 19.0799 4.92007 18.7902 4.73247 18.4359C4.5 17.9968 4.5 17.4179 4.5 16.26L4.5 9.74C4.5 8.58213 4.5 8.0032 4.73247 7.56414C4.92007 7.20983 5.20982 6.92007 5.56414 6.73247C6.0032 6.5 6.58213 6.5 7.74 6.5L11 6.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/>\r\n                        <\/g>\r\n                        <defs>\r\n                            <clipPath id=\"clip0_31_188\">\r\n                                <rect fill=\"white\" height=\"24\" width=\"24\"\/>\r\n                            <\/clipPath>\r\n                        <\/defs><\/svg><\/span><\/a> for copying an evening gown under a similar law in France, and won.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line, from a legal perspective anyway, is that selling and even buying fakes can be risky, but the choice is up to you.&nbsp; Will it be a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/archive\/cheap-designer-shoes\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">cheap designer<\/a> knockoff or an original at an affordable price point? Class dismissed. It\u2019s time to shop!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I have no opinion one way or the other on the whole <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/archive\/kate-spade-bag-fake\/\">fake bag<\/a> issue. However, most people assume if you\u2019re carrying a Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas, it\u2019s a fake. So why bother purchasing the fake OR the real thing? My advice: head to the nearest Loehmanns, Marshalls, Off Fifth, <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/archive\/how-to-return-an-item-to-saks-fifth-avenue\/\">Saks Fifth Avenue<\/a>, or Last Call Neiman Marcus, purchase a real, high quality bag (Kooba, Marc Jacobs, Longchamp, Rebecca Minkoff, Cole Haan) for cheap and put the money you save into your retirement account. <\/p>\n<cite>Susan Scafidi, Counterfeit Chic<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many unsuspecting budget fashionistas spend up to $1000 on \u201cauthentic\u201d Louis Vuitton bags that turn out to be fakes. Before purchasing your bag, read these basic rules to determine whether or not your Louis Vuitton is fake. How to tell if your Louis vuitton is fake: 12 ways For more information on how to tell&hellip;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/how-to-tell-if-your-louis-vuitton-is-fake\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Read More &raquo;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">How to tell if your Louis Vuitton is fake<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":100779,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23057","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23057","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23057"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23057\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebudgetfashionista.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23057"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}