While the original branded items can be found at a few stores, the fakes are infiltrating most of the stores in the market and are becoming harder and harder to distinguish from the real. In some cases, the manufacturers themselves knock off some of the original designs and sell at flea markets around the world at half the price of the originals. However, there are always ways of finding out the original from the fake by paying attention to the detailing of the item. Here are five such items to look at when purchasing items from a dodgy store.
The stitching
The originals are usually clean cut and neatly stitched. Most brands demand a high level of skill and precision in the stitching and thus, the fakes which are produced with much less time consumed is sloppy on the stitching. This applies to both clothes and accessories.
The logo
Especially in bags and printed clothing, the positioning of the print and the logo is a very time consuming exercise and in fake items, this is done with little precision. While this may be harder to distinguish on Louis Vuitton bags on sale online, when purchasing in real time this can be found out by simply inspecting the item properly. When purchasing online, make sure to check for the rating of the site or seller before committing to the sale.
Quality of Fabric
The quality of the materials used to produce a fake is far more compromised when compared with the original. The material and craftsmanship used to manufacture it is significantly lesser in quality than the ones used by the original companies who demand the highest quality from their manufacturers. Sometimes even purchasing a second hand luxury bags is of better quality and value for money compared to purchasing a fake item at a bargain price as it is bound to come loose at some point or the other due to its sloppy craftsmanship.
Buttons and Zippers
In fakes, the buttons will feel lighter and sometimes may even be plastic coated in metal to look genuine. Zippers too are usually of substandard quality and are bound to break prematurely.
The dust bags are another item to look out for. Most fakes do not have this dust bag or the dust bag will have a cheap feel to it. Especially when purchasing items abroad and online, make sure to check the ratings of the latter and in the former to be careful as purchasing fake counterfeit items are a crime in certain countries and can be checked at the customs and fined. Thus, when purchasing designer items and the deal feels too good to be true, make sure to make a thorough inspection of the bag before purchase.