Fashion Forward: Fighting fakes

There are but few shopping experiences that end with that punched-in-the-gut feeling; that time you spent some cash on a high-end handbag that turned out to be fake counts as one of them. Some fakes are obvious, but others look similar to their big-ticket counterparts and conceal their flaws fairly well.

This summer, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) spoke out extensively against knockoffs, and launched a line of its own handbags, designed by fashion brands and emblazoned with the phrase, “You Can’t Fake Fashion.”

While some secondhand shops guarantee the authenticity of their wares, it helps to be a savvy shopper who can spot a fake. It’s best to have peace of mind, even when you’re only shelling out moderate bucks for a piece that cost three times more when it was new.

Janel and Brittany, two creative minds at Chic to Chic consignment boutique (locations in Frederick and Gaithersburg), teach us how to spot a faux Louis Vuitton bag in the video below. While the video is specific to Louis Vuitton, the key points they present can be applied to other luxury brand bags as well. Always check zippers and pattern alignment if applicable, and do a bit of research about a brand’s serial numbering system if it uses one.

It always helps to be an informed shopper, whether you’re shopping direct from a brand, in a consignment shop, or in the trenches at a thrift store.