How to Spot a Fake

So, over the past couple of years I have told you how to minimise the risk of buying a fake Mulberry and where to go to have it authenticated. What I haven't shown you is some of the detail that can give away a fake bag straight away. I obviously don't have an endless supply of fakes but I do have this Mulberry Oversized Alexa, so have a look at my video and pics and take note of the signs that give away a bag as fake! (By the way, it's not this one - different bag!)

And as promised - some pictures to accompany the video! 

The fake is the 'watermelon' colour, the black is my genuine one.

The most obvious first: the Imprint on the oval and the fob with the tree. 

 

See how the genuine Mulberry's font is a sans serif, i.e. without little lines at the end of each letter? All straight lines. It is also neatly printed and not smudged (if a bit worn on my battered Lexie).

The stitching is neat and even - though I have seen genuine bags with messier stitching!

The metal fob, which is hanging off the oval is neatly imprinted. Now, I can never remember how many leaves are in which position but the genuine tree has sharply printed leaves.

The fake bag's Mulberry imprint font is more 'frilly' looking, the letters emulate more of a serif font, i.e. little lines at the ends of the letters. It is also badly printed and not very straight.

The stitching is fairly even but has a weird kink on the left hand side.

The leaves of the tree on the metal fob are rounder and not as sharp.

Back of the fob and serial number

The font on the back of the fob is likewise a sans serif, straight numbers, neatly lasered (or etched?) on.

  The font of the numbers on the fake bag is much more frilly. Whilst some vintage bags have numbers that are actually imprinted into fonts rather than etched or lasered, I have only ever seen straight, non serif fonts.

Now, the made in label isn't as obvious.

Above the genuine...

...the fake below.

I don't have a 'Made in England' label from an Alexa on file but this is from another genuine bag and if you compare the 'g' in England, you can see how the genuine one looks more old fashioned - funnily enough a bit more frilly than the fake font. They just can't get it right, can they. ;) 

 The genuine magnetic closure...

is raised and has a distinct ridge.

 The fake bag's magnetic closure is fairly flat and has no ridge.

Closure straps

The genuine bag has straight screws on the back of the metal tabs at the end of the straps. The tree imprint is even and neat and the metal totally flat around it.

 The screws on the fake bag have Phillips heads (i.e. like a cross). The tree imprint looks fairly neat but the metal is depressed around the tree as well.

And Something else I noticed:

 See how there is only stitching to what you see above and below the tree rivet (this is to the left and right of the top handle).

The fake bag has stitching top and bottom and left and right. This isn't present on the genuine bag at all.

There are actually another few differences but these are the most obvious ones. Hopefully you will find them useful, but do bear in mind that every model can have its own markers. The new generation of Mulberry (under Coca's design) has changed significantly and many of said characteristics have disappeared altogether. Nothing beats spending £5 and getting it authenticated by professionals! And even somebody who has handled lots of bags (ahm, me), isn't safe: I would have sworn this was the real deal!

Avoid Buying a Fake Designer Handbag

Buying a secondhand designer bag can be quite intimidating, especially if you're not particularly familiar with the brand. The thought of handing over hundreds of pounds for what you hope is the bag of your dreams but may well turn out to be an overpriced, cobbled together knock-off isn't a particularly comforting one. I've given you some tips on what to do if you bought a bag where you are not sure whether it's genuine or not. So what can you do to even avoid getting into that situation? As long as you follow a few simple guidelines you should be absolutely fine.

Buy where you know bags are checked
Check out trusted sellers of pre-loved designer handbags. These are well established and trusted businesses, where you know you'll only ever buy the real thing.  Another great place is the Facebook selling pages, where admin and members keep an eye out and shoot down any post that might list a fake.

Avoid sites where fakes are prolific
Gumtree, Shpok and local selling sites may well offer the odd genuine designer bag at a bargain price but they are teeming with fakes and if you are not confident (yet) in judging whether you are buying the genuine article or not, you're much better finding another place to buy. Ideally the ones stated above or, at the very least, eBay, which is actually better than it's reputation.

Familiarise yourself with the brand
I'm no expert but by looking at as many Mulberry bags as I could, I now can spot at least the most obvious fakes. If you are after a specific model, find out which leathers and finishes it was produced in. A great resource for this is the Purseforum, where you can find threads for most handbag models with photos of their various finishes. As I said previously, this forum is well worth signing up for, as it will provide you with a wealth of information and the opportunity to ask other members who live and breathe that brand. 

Another great place to look at lots of different models are the Facebook selling pages I mentioned above. Firstly, you will be able to have a gander at many different models and secondly, you can reach out to other members for a second opinion. Do check the pinned posts though, as some pages do not welcome authentication requests. I would also always advice to getting the bag authenticated professionally once you have received it. Check out my post on how to do that.

eBay? Check out the Seller
If you are considering a bag listed on eBay, have a look at the seller's profile. What does their feedback look like? Somebody with a low feedback score isn't necessarily bad but negative feedback should ring alarm bells. Have they sold much before? And if so what? If it's a mixture of clothing, accessories and the odd bag, you have hopefully found somebody who is weeding out their wardrobe. If it's the same kind of bag again and again you'd do well to stay clear; I mean: how likely is it that somebody has one unwanted designer bag after the other? Also worth looking out for: a new profile, where all their positive feedback was gained by just buying or selling items that are worth pennies only.

Always pay by Paypal "Goods and Services"
That way you are protected, should your purchase turn out to be a fake - or possibly not even turn up. Raising a claim is pretty straight forward and Paypal take their buyers' protection seriously.

Have your bag authenticated
If you are looking at a bag that is listed on eBay you can ask the Purseforum to authenticate it for you before you purchase. However, this can take a day or two and if time is ticking you may well not have enough time. You can also contact a paid service but, again, you might be up against it time-wise.

What I would do: 

1. Try and judge for yourself whether the bag looks good to you. Compare it to the pictures you find at the Purseforum and other resources stated above.
2. If you think it's ok, buy it and make sure you pay by Paypal "Goods and Services".
3. As soon as the bag arrives, take pictures and send them off to an authentication service.

Hopefully all should be fine and within a couple of days you will not just have peace of mind but also a handy certificate that you can file and pass on with the bag, should you ever decide to sell her on. Be happy and enjoy your bag.

Or 
 
If the bag is deemed to be a fake, open a Paypal "significantly not as described" (SNAD) case. This is really straightforward and Paypal will guide you through that. Do give them a call if you need any extra help or advise, they are really helpful. They will explain whether you have to return the item or destroy it and latest when delivery is confirmed (make sure you post accordingly) will refund you. Learn from the experience and move on. 

Hope you found this helpful - do share your experience!