CHEAP THRILL

Can YOU tell the difference between the designer bag and cheap knock-off? We reveal how to spot a fake

Carly Bass

Published: 8:48, 19 Nov 2020
Updated: 8:49, 19 Nov 2020

FASHION fans may lust after designer bags, shoes and clothes, but the eye-watering price tags can be a killer.

With the rise of second-hand selling sites and apps, people can buy pre-loved items for a fraction of the cost (hooray) - but how do you know what you're getting is the real deal and not a a cheap knock off?

There are many designer rip offs available online with some extremely hard to spot

The money team from have shared what to look out for when buying second-hand pieces.

Chanel handbags, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Balenciaga trainers and Christian Louboutin heels are the most ripped off items, and there's a few things to look out for to make sure you get the real deal.

As well as paying attention to materials and how the piece is constructed, fashion fans should also focus on the small details like stamps, fastenings, and even the spacing between the lettering.

A spokesperson for said: “The biggest and most well-known fashion houses are the ones that are most often targeted by fake manufacturers. These fraudsters try to replicate iconic products but will always full short when it comes to attention to detail and quality.

Spotting a fake Louis Vuitton product can be difficult as they are some of the most counterfeited in existenceCredit: ladyclarascollection

“To make sure people are spending their hard-earned cash on legitimate products, we’ve researched some of the key things to look out for when buying some classic fashion items.”

SO can YOU tell the difference between a designer original and a cheap knock off?

1. Chanel handbags

Can you spot the difference between the real and the fake Chanel?

Chanel bags are some of the most forged in the world, so being able to authenticate genuine versions is a must.

One of the biggest giveaways is in the iconic ‘CC’ lock. The CC lock can feature either raised or flat finishes with the right C overlapping the left at the top and the left C overlapping the right at the bottom.

Replica locks generally feature minor mistakes such as the shape of the Cs, the placement of additional metal above the lock, and even the style of the interlocking letters.

Another real giveaway is the stamping mark on the back plate - which is on at the back of the lock.

Chanel attached this using flat head screws only alongside a clear font with even spacing.

Replicas may use different type of screws and various other styles of lettering and font on the back plate.

2. Ray-Ban sunglasses

Ray Ban sunglasses fakes are pretty hard to spot if you don't know what you're looking for

All original Ray-Bans have an "RB" etched onto one lens (check the far-left side of the left lens) and "Ray-Ban" written in white in the top corner of the other.

On fakes, this etching will either be missing or poor quality. The "RB" etching should be crisp and etched, not painted on.

3. Louis Vuitton products

Can you tell which Louis Vuitton bag is real? It could be deceiving

Spotting a fake Louis Vuitton product can be difficult as they are some of the most counterfeited ever.

Most notably, the stamping and lettering on a Louis Vuitton have some details that the fake manufacturers just cannot get right.

Firstly, the lettering should be thin and crisp, the tail on the ‘L’ should be short, and the ‘T’s should be positioned close together, almost touching.

The ‘O’ will look round, not oval, and the ‘O’ on a real bag will usually look larger than the ‘L’.

4. Balenciaga trainers

These Balenciaga Speed trainers look almost identical, but only one is real

There are many replicas of the Balenciaga Speed Trainer but luckily there are a few ways to identify them.

The first thing to look at is the ‘Balenciaga’ text on the side of the Speed Trainer. Fake fonts are usually taller and thinner than the authentic ones.

The counterfeit Balenciaga Speed trainer pairs also miss the famous heel bump as they have a weaker structure.

Another thing to look at is the central stitching on the back of the trainer. The stitching goes deeper on the authentic pairs, and the lateral stitching is of noticeably better quality.

5. Gucci belt

There are more fake Gucci belts on the market then ever before, so can you tell which is fake?

Gucci belts are all the rage now, which means more fakes are on the market than ever before.

More often than not, on the interior side of the belt fake manufacturers will manage to make these heat-stamped prints with weird or incorrect spacing between the text, so that’s something to look out for.

Also, check out the little button or screw on the rear side of the belt – it should be gold to match the buckle. If it’s silver, the belt is likely fake.

Then you should look at the buckle. Fake Gucci belt buckles use a material that’s more matte, so it’ll reflect light differently.

Fake buckles are also typically thicker, with narrower letters that are less spaced out.

6. Christian Louboutin heels

Louboutin heels are some of the most popular in teh fashion game, so which one of these is fake?

Believe it or not, you can’t actually tell whether a Louboutin is authentic or fake just by looking at the colour of the sole.

The look of the iconic red soles has changed slightly over the years and therefore an authentic pair can be orangey-red, bright red, deep red and everything in between.

However, Louboutin soles are made from leather, not plastic, and should therefore look glossy. Also, pay attention to the stamp.

The loop of the “L” should almost touch the rest of the letter. Most replicas will have a noticeable space in between.

Also note that authentic Louboutin shoes come in half sizes and will show the European size number on the sole, whereas replicas often only come in full sizes because they’re cheaper to manufacture.