How To Spot A Fake Fendi Bag

Have you ever authenticated your fendi bag? Don’t get duped by the alarmingly good knock-offs out there. Thanks to the combined knowledge of handbag addicts, experts and bloggers, we’ve pieced together a list of 12 ways that can help you determine the authenticity of a Fendi handbag.

How To Spot A Fake Fendi

1. Leather: Fendi handbags are always made from high quality leather. Leather of this quality should easily stand up on its own with out collapsing in on itself.

2. Hardware: All of the hardware should match exactly in both shine and color. All hardware on a real Fendi will have the designer’s name engraved on it. Also, real Fendi buckles are perfectly square.

3. Stitching: The stitching of the bag should match the coloring of the bag, and it should be evenly spaced. No loose threads, or threads that look askew.

4. Logo: On all hardware, the Fendi logo should be engraved or embossed and not printed on.

5. Lining: Most of the linings on a real Fendi are made of high quality satin. Good satin gives off a high, even shine. On a real Fendi, the lining is always stitched on. If the lining on a bag is glued on, it is definitely a fake. The lining should also be oriented horizontally. The FF pattern should not slant or look uneven.

7. Consider the source: If someone is selling their bag because “they got it as a gift, and they no longer want it,” doesn’t that seem a bit suspicious? These bags are gorgeous! Who wouldn’t want one as a gift? A more plausible story is that someone just has too many bags and is cleaning out their closet, or the bag is old and worn. Ask sellers why they’re selling and you’ll gain some insight into whether it’s real or fake.

8. Strap: Most real Fendi bags have genuine leather-cored straps. Even if the strap looks like plastic, the core will be a solid rope of leather. Also, the straps on real Fendi bags are never wrapped in plastic.

9. Serial number: The serial number plate is on the inside of the bag. It will have an embossed serial number on it. If any or all of the numbers are not clearly visible, it could be a fake.

10. Interior label: The interior label on a real Fendi should be a metal square with a leather background. The leather background will have square corners, not rounded corners, and the metal will be engraved with FENDI and MADE IN ITALY. Also check the stitching on the leather to make sure it is even.

11. Hang tags: There will never be a price tag or hang tag attached to the bag itself. Also, any tags or authenticity documentation that do come with a real Fendi do not come in an envelope.

12. Price: As always, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The cheapest Fendi bag will run close to $300 new, with expensive bags fetching $3,000 or more. If you are looking at a Fendi being sold for under $100 and it’s not severely damaged, it’s probably a fake.

Let the world know how to avoid the fakes:

Ready to look for the real deal? We know we are! Go ahead and start shopping:

More In This Series:

Presidential Fashion: Who would you elect Fashionista of the United States?

We’ve put together a list of influential people who we believe, if based on style and fashion sense alone, would make an outstanding President. Now is your chance to let your voice be heard! Who amongst these lucky few has the privilege and responsibility to be our country’s first Fashionista of the United States? Vote now and shape the fashionable history of this great nation and the Presidency of the United States!


Fashionista of the United States on HipSwap

Fashion and politics have always had an intimate, even symbiotic, relationship. A President’s sense of style shapes both his chances of election as well as the cultural imprint he leaves for decades and centuries to come.

Let me prove my point: What do you visualize when you think of George Washington? A white wig and wooden teeth perhaps? What about Abraham Lincoln? Maybe a black top hat? And John F. Kennedy? Probably an image of a perfectly tailored Brooks Brothers suit or rolled up chinos and a polo shirt? And let’s not forget about the First Ladies of the United States. Think Michelle Obama and every dress ever, or Jackie Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson with their hats, white gloves, and sleeveless dresses. So, you see, a President’s legacy, at least in popular media, has as much to do with his sartorial intelligence as it does with his political wisdom.

The November 6th Presidential election is fast approaching and the race for our next President of the United States is heating up. For the next two months, when President Obama and Governor Romney step off their tour buses, enter into the debate rooms, or approach the microphone to address the millions of eager viewers, there will be one thing these candidates have down pact and under control: their fashion. We’ll listen to their ideas, entertain their promises, even appreciate their fervor. But what we’ll especially pay attention to is how they’re dressed. In this way, fashion really does rule the world.

1. The Olsen Twins
Can you say “co-presidents”??? The Olsen Twins have been setting fashion trends for decades and have several clothing lines to their name. Can they add a second Oval Office to the West Wing?

2. Michelle Obama
Step aside, Barack!  Although you may be one well-dressed President, Michelle clearly has you beat in the fashion department.  FLOTUS -> FOTUS???

3. Lady Gaga
The Mother Monster’s fashion sense may not be for everyone, but there’s no denying that Gaga has a unique sense of style. From her infamous meat dress to her other outlandish costumes, you can always expect the unexpected.

4. Kate Upton
From landing the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Cover to her countless other commercials and magazine shoots, Kate seems to be conquering the world in 2012.  Is the Presidency within her reach?

5. Ryan Gosling
Often referred to as the best dressed man in Hollywood, Gosling has been known to show off his unique fashion sense (a moss green suit, anyone?).  His fans even staged a protest outside the Time-Life building when Bradley Cooper won Sexiest Man Alive.

6. Bradley Cooper
The reigning Sexiest Man in the World can’t be left off this list, right?  The always dapper Cooper burst onto the scene as “that guy from Wedding Crashers,” but he has since become a household name in his own right and a heartthrob for ladies around the world.

7. Justin Timberlake
He brought sexy back, alright.  The former mouseketeer and *NSYNC singer has since grown up and become one of the leading style icons for men around the world. Frequently spotted wearing sleek suits, JT could be our stylist any day!

8. Jay-Z
He may have 99 problems, but style ain’t one!  One of the most successful hip-hop artists and entrepreneurs of all time, Jay-Z has also become a fashion symbol in his own right (having Beyonce on your arm helps too!)

9. Heidi Klum
This fashion mogul has proven her chops both walking the catwalk and as the host of her hit TV show “Project Runway”.  This smokin’ momma has been wowing us with her beauty and style since the mid-90s.