How to Spot a Fake Dooney and Bourke Bag

This article covers the ways to spot a fake Dooney & Bourke bag. You may have been duped in the past by someone selling a fake bag. Paying attention to these cues - some obvious - some not so much will help you to know the fakesies from the real deal.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A keen eye
• A fat wallet - the real deal won't come cheap!

1. 
    
   Purse Vendors on a Busy NYC Street

   Location, Location, Location! If you are at a flea market, a swap meet or a busy street corner looking at merchandise out of a sheet on the ground, there are only two options. The merchandise is either fake or stolen - or both. Keep walking and save your money.

2. Then, there are the obvious give-aways - poor quality materials - cheap leather or hardware, DD logos instead of DB, no lining or ill-made lining, bad stitching - these are all things that Dooney would NEVER let out into the marketplace...if you notice any of these things, put down the purse and walk away - warn your friends not to shop there. You may even want to contact your local Better Business Bureau if the seller is holding themselves out to be a reputable seller of the genuine article.

3. The price - if it seems too good to be true - it probably is.

4. Now on to the more subtle differences - if leather patches bearing the name 'Dooney & Bourke' are attached using a different color thread than the rest of the stitching on the purse, it's fake.

5. D&B fobs are always attached to the purse using leather straps or loops, never a chain. If your fob is attached with a chain - FAKE.

6. On D&B's with yellow stitching, the color of the stitching should be more of a dull yellow, not a bright yellow - I used to have a fake Dooney with some major bright yellow stitching back in the day when I was a kid.

7. Real Dooneys will have tags on the inside of the purse. Their should be a serial number on the tag. A good way to check out a personal seller online is to ask for the serial number from the inside of the bag and google it to try to match up the model number to the style of the purse.

8. The only places I know that Dooneys are made for certain is in China and in the USA. If its tag reads that it was made anywhere else, I would question its authenticity.

9. If in doubt - get it checked out. If you are worried you have been sold a fake, take your purchase to your local D&B store or to the D&B counter at your favorite department store. The salespeople there will know a fake from the real deal.

Tips & Warnings

• To keep from getting ripped off, limit your shopping to reputable dealers and retailers. Make sure you know the seller's refund/exchange policy before you buy. If you can not return for a refund or exchange, that should raise a red flag.

[hellow99]

on 2/23/2009 Really good to know! 5*s

[DenaEBolton]

on 2/22/2009 Cool info. 5*