8 Easy Ways to Spot a Fake Dior Bag ...

How To Spot A Fake Dior Bag? What if I get ripped off? What if the bag I already own isn’t authentic? In case you’re an experienced eBay shopper, trusted seller, Dior expert or a member of one or more fashion forums, you certainly know more and more girls tend to show up with these questions and for a pretty good reason, I might add! Cool, rare, sold out bags as well as the ones that retailed for quite a bit can now be found online and the only way to make sure you don’t miss out on a fabulous offer is to know exactly how to spot a fake Dior bag and avoid getting ripped off! Well, that’s exactly the point of this post so if you’ve been browsing for info on how to spot a fake Dior bag, you don’t need to click around anymore, as I’ve made sure to include all of the most important clues!

1 Inspect the Writing on the Inner Label

The easiest way to tell whether the bag is authentic or not is to carefully inspect the inner label a.k.a that little square patch sewn onto the interior zip pocket. The label should be fixed on its top (so you can flip it up) and have “Christian Dior” and “Paris” in front and MADE IN ITALY (or SPAIN) and the code on its back. Some bags (like Gaucho) will have both Christian Dior Paris and MADE IN ITALY written in front so you should definitely do your homework and learn everything there is to learn about the style you’re interested in. Now, speaking about these writings, make sure they don’t look like they have been simply printed onto the leather because this definitely means the bag is fake. Dior is a high end brand and everything should be perfect including the tag. So, to make the long story short, the letters should be embossed so if you’re not in the position to run your fingers over it to verify this, don’t be afraid to ask for close-up photos!

2 Inspect the Stitching on the Inner Label

Now, since that little square patch can tell so much about the authenticity of the bag in question, my next tip on how to spot a fake Dior bag would be to check and double check the stitching! Bags produced after mid 90’s should have perfect stitches on all four corners of the inner label while the ones produced in early 90’s should have the stitch going through the top portion of the label only. Vintage bags (read: ones made before this period) won’t have a leather tag but a gold or silver stamping (like vintage Chanels) saying Made in France. This isn’t a red flag, ladies, as vintage models have indeed been produced in France.

3 Check the Authenticity Code

Once you’ve inspected the label and made sure it looks just like the one you’ve seen inside 100% authentic bags, it’s time to start eyeballing that authenticity code stamped on the back of the label. Now, that’s one thing companies that produce counterfeit bags usually don’t get right so, in case everything seemed perfect so far, this could be a major clue. And, unlike Chanel and many other brands that use only numbers, Dior “labels” their bags with strings of both numbers and letters separated with a dash (-). So, unless the code on the back of the label looks something like this 00-XY-0000 (two numbers, two letters, four numbers), you can’t be sure the bag is absolutely authentic (unless the bag is rare or limited edition – they might have different codes).

4 Be Real

Okay, let’s be real – you can’t buy a $1,000 bag for $150, especially if we’re talking about a brand new bag and a brand new style. That, of course, doesn’t mean you can’t snag a very beautiful, 100% authentic pre-loved Dior bag or even one of those chic vintage classics for a price that’s even lower than $500. The question is this – is that what you want? If the answer is no, it’s time to think about the amount of money you’re willing to spend and styles you’d like to add to your collection. Yes, you could still save some cash because somebody might be selling exactly what you want to buy (unwanted gift, impulse purchase, bag that has been babied so much that it never even got the chance to leave the dust bag) but you can’t save as much as you would have by opting for a pre-loved item. I mean, let’s think about it – if I paid $1,000 for a bag I never got a chance to use, I’d expect to sell it for at least 70% of the initial price! Wouldn’t you?

5 Pay Close Attention to the Hardware

Now, in case all of these checked out and you’re still wondering how to spot a fake Dior bag, my next advice would be to inspect hardware very closely. The general rule is that authentic Dior hardware isn’t all smooth and shiny but kind of matte and old-looking although I believe this rule excludes vintage bags (but, more about those later). So, if you have your eye on a fab, new style, definitely pay attention to this and, in case the hardware looks too flashy (or even cheap), don’t rush to take that potentially counterfeit baby home. Oh, yes – let’s not forget the popular Saddle either! Now, if you love this bag, you probably know that the metal CD zipper pull used for the inside zip compartment is something unique for this particular style meaning that all other styles with this specific zipper pull are fakes. Decorative C and D links (especially the small metal piece connecting them) could help you spot an obvious fake as well, as it is widely known that there should be no visible screws!

6 Check the Dustbag

Authentic Dior dustbags are never shiny or cheap-looking so the next, and I might add, very important tip on how to spot a fake Dior bag would be to pay attention to this little detail. Now, some eBay guides advise people to look for dusbags with grey “Dior” print only, stating those are the only authentic ones out there which, if I may be so free, isn’t 100% true. The style of Dior dustbags did change over the years so if you manage to run into a vintage piece that still has its dustbag, you’ll notice that dustbag bares the retro oval Christian Dior Paris logo. New models come in new dustbags with nothing more than grey Dior lettering printed on the white cotton while the older (but not too old) bags should have grey Christian Dior Paris letters. Black letters, however, should raise a red flag and the same goes for silk (or other shiny, non-cottony) fabrics.

7 Check Authenticity Certificates

Your bag should come with a small envelope containing a grey, watermarked Authenticity Card and a Care Booklet, each of them translated into three languages (English, Chinese and French). Authenticity Card should read Christian Dior either in black or gold on one side and have blank fields on the other side (so the details of the purchase could be added). Care Booklet, or Maintenance Guide, if you prefer, should, of course be readable meaning that it won’t contain examples of poor grammar and even worst spelling skills.

8 Overall Quality

Poor stitching and low quality materials are two very clear indicators of a fake bag and my little tutorial on how to spot a fake Dior bag simply wouldn’t be complete without them. So, in case the bag looks to “plasticky” to be real, it probably isn’t! Authentic Dior linings come in many colors and fabrics nowadays so, if you want to be able to say whether the bag is authentic or not simply by observing this detail, you’ll have to be a real expert. Since I’m still not capable of doing this I kind of rely on the next best thing and that’s inspecting the lining for bad stitching and other imperfections that are usually always there!

Well, ladies, now you know how to spot a fake Dior bag and I really hope you’ll manage to find a beautiful, authentic and affordable piece you’ll be proud to show off! Vintage or modern, pre-loved or brand new – that special bag you choose for yourself certainly deserves such a stylish owner! So, re-read these tips because your fabulous find might be just a day or two away! And, a little question for all of you proud owners – Could you share some tips on how to spot a fake Dior, some details about your bag or anything that could help future Dior fans learn more about the differences between authentic bags and knock offs?

Top Photo Credit: Queen Bee Designer Handbags