They have a fabric lining with the word prada. How to distinguish a bag from a fake
Prada bags are made by the finest craftsmen using the finest materials in the world. This is what makes it possible to distinguish a genuine bag from a fake.
Today, many manufacturers are trying to replicate designer bags, and some even manage to make an almost exact copy, the so-called “replicas”. One good thing is that manufacturers of “replicas” do not hide the fact that this is a copy bag, but you should be vigilant about other copies of bags. Follow the tips below to avoid wasting money on counterfeits.
How to determine the authenticity of a PRADA bag from a fake
Logo on the outside of the bag
Almost all authentic Prada bags have the logo located in the center of the front of the bag, on the side or on the back depending on the design. The logo is a metal plate in the shape of an inverted triangle, securely attached on all sides with solid rivets (some older models may have rivets with a hole). Letters and symbols are slightly raised. The enamel color of the logo should match or be very close to the color of the bag. In some models, such a plate is made of leather, and the letters and symbols are embossed; in this case, the logo is sewn on all sides with thick threads.
The placement of letters on the logo, their size and distance between them must be proportional. Pay attention to the writing of the letter R. The right leg of this letter should be curved or at a stronger angle of inclination; only in models of older collections can the letter R be found with a straighter leg. If you look closely, on all fakes the right leg of the letter R runs parallel to the right leg of the letter A.
The execution of the letter R in the logos of PRADA bags is different from fakes
Metal plate inside the bag
The metal plate is attached to the lining of the bag and must be securely fastened on all sides. The corners of the plate must be rounded. The color of the enamel should be very close to the color of the bag's lining. The inscription and edging along the edge of the plate are made in gold or silver, and must match the color of the bag’s accessories. The inscription is made in two lines PRADA - Made in Italy, in older models - in three lines PRADA - Milano - Made in Italy.
Bag accessories
Prada bags come with hardware in silver, gold or pink. In addition, each piece of hardware is clearly embossed with the word Prada. Genuine bags will never use two-color hardware.
Bag lining
The lining of Prada bags is usually made of factory fabric on which the Prada inscription is woven, the color of the inscription is usually black or the same color as the lining, but it alternates with a symbol similar to S. The lining should be very close in color to the bag. Satin (Raso) or smooth calfskin (Vitello) can also be used as lining material.
The photo is clearly a fake, because genuine PRADA bags do not have labels or leather samples, there must be a metal plate inside the bag.
Zipper
This is a detail that many buyers don't pay attention to when inspecting a bag. Original Prada bags use high-quality zippers from top brands such as Riri, IPI and LAMPO (some wallets and cosmetic bags do not have zippers from these brands). Zippers of this quality are very smooth and soft to fasten and unzip, as they are impregnated with lubricating fluid. The zipper manufacturer's name will be embossed on the back of the slider. Modern models of bags have metal zippers both outside and inside; older models may have plastic zippers inside.
Shortcuts
Basically (if the bag is bought to/from Italy), then as a rule there are no hanging tags on it. If the country of origin is different, then there may be a label, but genuine Prada bags will never have paper or plastic labels in white, yellow, green, light blue with the Prada name and logo. There is also no tag in the form of a sample of the bag's leather.
Certificate of Authenticity
When you purchase a genuine Prada handbag, it comes with a plastic card that contains information such as model name, bag material, color, etc. There may also be a paper certificate with more detailed information and an authenticity barcode.
The original bag must contain a Plastic card confirming the authenticity of the PRADA bag
Package
Another great feature of Prada bags is the packaging. Prada will not pack the bag in plastic to avoid damaging the bag's delicate leather. If you see a handbag that is supposedly Prada and it is packed in plastic or wrapping paper or partially wrapped, for example, only the handles or fittings, it is a fake.
Genuine PRADA bags are not packed in polyethylene and paper
Real Prada bags are packaged in a white fabric bag that protects the box or case from dust.
The front of the bag features the Prada logo in black and is fastened with a drawstring. Inside the bag there is a tag indicating Prada - 100% cotton - Made in Italy. Old bags in dark blue with the Prada logo in gold.
Must have dust bag for PRADA handbags
These are some of the secrets to purchasing an authentic Prada bag. The main thing is to use common sense!
There are more than 300 specialized stores in the world that sell collectible bags.
Summary:
Most often, people who decide to purchase Italian models encounter crafts. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to several signs.
Price
A real bag can't cost $100. To quickly sell an unscrupulous product, sellers set a low price. Models made from low-quality materials quickly fail. The manufacturer produces leather bags that cost several $1,000.
Certificate
There is a barcode on the inside of the bag that must match the card. On it you can see:
- model characteristics;
- stamp of the store that sold the product;
- date of receipt of goods.
What kind of packaging does the bag come in?
The authentic product is packaged in a bag with a drawstring, which is made of natural cotton. Inside there should be a tag with the inscription “Prada 100% cotton Made in Italy”.
Important! At the factory, each bag is placed in a box; selling a product without branded packaging indicates that you are looking at a counterfeit product.
What logos should be present on original bags?
When purchasing, you must pay attention to the presence of 2 branded images. The external logo consists of a metal triangle on which the brand name is indicated. It is secured to the product using rivets.
Important! The inscription must match the color of the material from which the bag is made. In leather products, the logo is stitched with a tight seam.
Particular attention should be paid to the letters, which should be even and at the same distance from each other. These products can be identified by the characteristic curve of the letter “R” and the increased slope.
The internal logo is a metal platinum that is located inside the product. When choosing a bag, you must take into account the shade of the lining, which in the original models must match the color of the plate. There are no labels on the bag made in Italy.
Quality of tailoring of goods
Thanks to the use of high-quality materials, the product can last for several years. Most often, genuine leather is used in the manufacture of branded items. You can distinguish the original from the fake by the precise contours of the tailoring and neat stitches.
Fraudsters do not invest in the expensive equipment needed to sew hems. Usually they are simply sealed to give the bag an attractive appearance.
When choosing a bag, pay attention to the color of the lining. They must have the same shade. The materials used in this bag are high quality calfskin or satin.
How to distinguish a real Prada handbag? Let's figure it out now. For more than a hundred years, the world-famous Italian company Prada has been producing bags made from exotic types of leather. The company's boutiques are located in a huge number of cities, and products are produced in large quantities, distinguished by quality, durability and environmental friendliness. How much does a Prada bag cost? The price of one model is $1,300 or more.
The increased interest and demand could not go unnoticed, which is why Prada ranks first in the number of counterfeit products. Fake women's and men's bags are produced by many underground organizations and flood markets and stores in huge quantities.
It is not surprising that real manufacturers made sure that their products differed from counterfeit ones in many ways. How to distinguish a real Prada handbag? Now let's look at the distinctive features of genuine products.
Certificate and bag packaging
The manufacturer provides a certificate for each branded product. This document, sealed in a black envelope, contains all the information about the product. The Certificate of Authenticity also contains a barcode required to confirm authenticity. In most cases, in addition to the document, the envelope contains a plastic card. The brand, color, material and similar information for each model are printed on it. If the store does not have a certificate, then there is no doubt that the bag you like is a fake. In the case where the certificate is presented, it is imperative to compare the document number with the number located inside the bag.
Manufacturers of branded bags treat their products with care, as they are made from expensive materials. Therefore, each bag is packed in a white or blue cotton bag. In this case, the product is placed in a box in which a tag with the name of the company is inserted, containing information about the country of manufacture and the material used for production. The brand logo can be in two colors: black or gold. Counterfeits are packaged in polyethylene or paper, without worrying about providing any information.
Label and external logo
What else distinguishes authentic Prada bags? The original usually does not have labels, especially those in blue, green, white or yellow. The company also does not attach labels made from a small piece of genuine leather to its products.
During production, the company logo is attached to each bag with solid rivets. It is an inverted triangle with "Prada" written on it. The logo is located on the side, back or front, in the middle, and metal is used as the material for it. In this case, the enamel is selected specifically for each bag so that the coating is identical to the color of the bag or at least matches it in shade. Less common are models in which the plate is made of leather. In this case, the logo is embroidered on the bag with threads, and the letters and the distance between them are subject to strict proportions.
You should also pay attention to the right leg of the letter R. It should be positioned in such a way that its slope is much greater than that of the right leg of the letter A. Very often, the authenticity of a Prada bag is determined by this subtlety.
Plate inside
The metal logo plate is attached to the lining of the original and has semicircular corners. Fake bags also often have plates, but they have sharp corners and the material used for their manufacture is plastic or fabric. Depending on the model of the actual bag, the plate may have one of two inscriptions: “Prada - Made in Italy” or “Prada - Milano - Made in Italy”.
Lining
How to distinguish a real Prada handbag? Pay attention to the lining. In most cases, it is made of genuine leather or satin. The color of the lining is black or matches the color of the bag. In addition, a distinctive feature of the original products is the presence of a woven pattern on the lining (if it is made of fabric). It is depicted in the form of ropes or chains, and the inscription “Prada” is also present on the pattern. The drawing should be clear and there should be no traces of glue visible on it.
Zipper
The external zippers on all genuine bags are made of metal and have the logo of the company that produces these products on the reverse side. The bag should fasten smoothly, since high-quality zippers are always saturated with lubricating fluid.
Accessories
Details on Prada bags can be silver, gold or pink. In this case, the company logo must be the same color with all kinds of decorative details. Even the slightest discrepancy in shades means that the bag is fake.
Knowing all the features and distinctive characteristics of natural Prada bags, anyone can choose a real product for themselves. Moreover, all differences from fakes apply to both women's and men's bags. Therefore, representatives of both sexes should be careful in choosing.
A small conclusion
Now you know how to distinguish a real Prada handbag. We hope that the tips given in the article will help you. We wish you good luck in your choice!
Dear friends! Thank you very much for your continued interest in this post. Despite the fact that I wrote it a long time ago (apparently few people pay attention to the date), it continues to be popular, since, I suspect, the information in it is very relevant for many of you🤗 I have only one request to you: read, please post until the end! I’m honestly tired of answering stupid questions and angry attacks from some commentators😂 You can always get authentication done in an official boutique, as well as with certified experts, for a fee, of course😉 Here you will find information that may be useful to you, completely free . Welcome!
As promised, today’s post is about another super popular Prada Saffiano lux tote model and, mainly, about how to distinguish its original from a fake.
First, as usual, let's take a look at its appearance:
Original
Fake
As often happens, the ideal geometric shapes of the original cannot be repeated by manufacturers of fakes. The sides of the bag should not extend beyond the edges, as this model is made from specially treated calfskin leather, which is characterized by maximum rigidity and scratch resistance. Upon closer inspection, it looks like this:
Original
Such strong graining makes the bag almost “indestructible”, and the perfect seams in a contrasting color are another distinctive characteristic of the original.
Now let's look inside. First of all, we must pay attention to the Prada badge sewn onto the pocket:
Original
Fake
The original badge reads Prada Milano in gold letters on a black background. I found fakes on different sites, some of the background of the inscription was the color of the bag, which absolutely does not correspond to the original. Also, all the fakes I found had the wrong inscription: Prada Made in Italy. In addition, special attention should be paid to the inner lining of the bag: it is made of fabric matching the color of the bag with Prada Milano engraving over the entire area.
And also look at the locking tab of the inner pocket - it should be metal with the inscription Prada Milano:
Original
As can be seen from the examples of fakes above, each of them does not correspond to the original in one way or another, which ultimately gives them away.
By the way, the PRADA inscriptions on the original bag should appear on all elements of the fittings:
on rivets
on straps
on legs
Now let's talk about Prada model certificates and codes. As is commonly believed, it is even easier to fake a certificate than the product itself. But, as it turned out in the case of these bags, the Prada brand has its own ways of combating counterfeiting. Each certified boutique in any corner of the world, when receiving the goods, must put a special stamp on the certificate of authenticity with the name of the store and the date the goods were accepted for registration:
Original
Fake
I bought my bag at the Prada boutique in Paris at Fabourg Saint Honore on December 15, 2012, just shortly after it was accepted for registration. A fake has never been accepted for registration anywhere, so the stamp spaces on its certificate are empty, it does not confirm any authenticity.
Be careful with fakes, do not hesitate to carefully examine the bag from the outside and inside, check the certificates, especially if you buy the bag second-hand or through intermediaries, who are now all over social networks, apparently and invisibly...
Thank you very much to all readers for your continued interest in this article! I wrote this post almost 4 years ago (if we take into account today’s date, January 10, 2017), before that it had never been updated or updated. Since a number of questions arose, the need for small additions arose.
Firstly, any brand, be it Prada, Celine, Fendi, etc., every year improves and complicates the process of manufacturing their goods, mainly to minimize counterfeits. They can change the standards of holograms, inscriptions, codes, maps and anything else. It’s difficult to keep track of this, so your main reference point should remain official websites. All of them, as a rule, actively support the stop fake policy, so you will always find there up-to-date information on the latest changes in standards, color combinations of the current collection, as well as official sales points (both offline and online retailers). But don't forget that the Chinese are not asleep either☝🏻 they can also modernize their fakes and bring them more in line with the original.
In addition, in this post we are talking about one model - Saffiano Luxe tote. Every year Prada releases new models, some of them have similar standards, some of them are completely different. For example, the same logo: Saffiano Luxe has it in a triangle, but there are bags of the same totes category, but of a different shape and their logo is larger, and the inscription without a triangle. This is a completely different model, naturally, it may differ, and the inscription inside it may also have no frame. All this information is on the official Prada website, but you must understand what you are comparing and with what. When you write: “I have something like this on this model,” then you should compare your bag with the same model, and not with the Saffiano Luxe tote.
Secondly, only an official boutique is always a 100% guarantee that they sell original products. But this does not always apply to corners in famous department stores. I was very surprised to learn from the whispering sellers that all the chain department stores in the UAE (Bloomingdales, Saks, Harvey Nichols, etc.) do not belong directly to these chains, their owners are Arabs, and whatever they want, they do there (they want they sell the original, they want a fake). Of course, this is all at the level of gossip from sellers working in these malls, but personally I lost the desire to buy anything there. The same is true with the reputation of the Moscow Central Department Store, tarnished by numerous scandals. Many of you write to me both in personal messages and in the comments: “but in TSUM, but in TSUM,” but if I were you, I wouldn’t so categorically accept bags bought there as a standard.
Happy shopping!
