How to Spot Coach Knockoffs

Authentic Coach handbags are made of high-quality materials.

The knock-off designer handbag trade is booming across the globe. Fake copies of designer handbags are sold to support terrorism, child labor and other illegal acts. There are several ways to protect yourself against knock-off Coach handbags. Purchase only from a Coach boutique or outlet, or a department store that is authorized to sell Coach. If you must purchase a Coach bag secondhand, there are several ways you can check for authenticity.

Instructions

1. Check the creed patch on the inside of the handbag. The font should be consistent. The words should be clearly and correctly spelled. On more recent styles, the serial number should begin with a letter followed by four numbers, a dash and five more numbers. Older styles have four characters followed by a dash and four numbers. Do an internet search for the style number, which is the last five numbers of the creed. Most sellers of knock-off handbags use the same style number for all of their bags, and this information comes up easily in an online search.

2. Inspect the stitching. An authentic Coach bag has even, tight stitching on all of the seams.

3. Look for pattern consistency in Coach signature fabric bags. The iconic Coach signature "C" should line up evenly on the top and sides of the bag.

4. Feel the weight and texture of the cowhide on leather Coach handbags. Coach leather is made from good quality animal skins, and will not feel like plastic or pleather.

5. Look at the hardware and hangtags. Coach hangtags are heavy in weight and the Coach logo is stamped in big, bold letters. Recent styles usually have leather or patent hangtags with a brass or nickel hangtag. Fake Coach bags come with a poorly stamped, antiqued brass hangtag. The hardware on an authentic Coach bag feels heavy and high-quality. Hardware on a fake Coach bag feels light and low-quality.

6. Have the experts at the EffenHauteForum authenticate your Coach bag for you free of charge. Take pictures of the creed and interior and exterior details and post in the Coach subforum. An authenticator will get back with you within 24 hours on the authenticity of the Coach bag you have purchased or are contemplating.

References

• Coach Leatherware
• Thread on How to Authenticate Coach Bags at the Purse Forum

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Coach Leatherware
• Effen Haute Forum