How to Spot Fake Louis Vuitton Speedy

As incredible as it may sound, spotting a fake Luis Vuitton bag is not an easy task. Nowadays, replica manufacturers have perfected their designs so well that it is almost impossible to differentiate a well-made fake from the original product. Still, there are some guidelines that one should follow when trying to assess the authenticity of an LV Speedy.

The most important thing is to know its parts. What type of lining should it have? Should it have feet or not? How should the base be? Is it a model with a d-ring inside? Where the d-ring should be positioned? What codes and markings should it have? Where? All these details matter and it will help you determine if the bag is original or not. So check out the Louis Vuitton website and gather all this information about the model you are interested in, also search the web for any relevant piece of information you may find about it and start comparing. Additionally, I will present below a series of general guidelines you will need to know about the Luis Vuitton Speedy.

I will start with the particularities of its lining. The insides of a Monogram Speedy bag are always a little bit tricky and here’s why. The original bag has a brown cotton canvas, but on replicas you will find many variations for this very simple and common brown cotton canvas lining. Do not be fooled by a brown suede lining. LV has never used this type of lining on its Speedy Monogram models, not even on the vintage ones. There is indeed a fabric called Alcantara that resembles a lot to suede, but it isn’t actually suede and its specific color is a grey mushroom color. It isn’t available in dark brown.  A Monogram Speedy must have a brown cotton canvas lining regardless of its manufacturing year. Any other kind of lining means it isn’t real.

Even the stitching is important. Louis Vuitton is very careful about this very small detail. An original bag will have even and regular stitching. Similar locations on a bag should have an identical stitching pattern. For example, on a Speedy the leather tab where the handles attach onto the bag should have 5 identical and even stitches.

The font used to write LOUIS VUITTON PARIS and the codes on the leather patches or tags is a very specific font. The use of a different looking one shows that the item is a fake. Original LV products have a very round “O”; the two letters “T” don’t touch in the word “VUITTON”; and the “N”, “A” and “V” are quite pointy. Regardless, where these words are stamped, these need to look clean and clear without any smudges or surfaces that have a lower legibility.

Literally, Louis Vuitton has put his name on every important part of its bags and the hardware is no exception. Any metal clasps, buttons, zippers, plates or locks will have a number or the Louis Vuitton name printed on it. Original bags use brass or gold metal, but low quality replicas have these parts made out of plastic with a layer of gold paint over it.

If your bag says made in USA, Spain, Germany or Italy, this doesn’t mean that it’s a replica. Indeed, the origins of Louis Vuitton are in France, but for over 25 years it has also been manufacturing products in USA, Spain, Germany and Italy.

And last, but not least Louis Vuitton Speedy bags are very expensive products and everything about it needs to feel of very good quality. No part of such a purse is allowed to feel cheap or to be made from a plastic material. It must be made from high quality fabrics and to feel nice and refined. Consider all the above when you are assessing the authenticity of a bag or even when you are looking to buy a good quality replica Speedy and you simply can’t go wrong.