Watch out for fake!!

Hi girls! Most of us fashionista's want to buy a chanel bag or maybe a LV handbag?  And it's a big temptation for us not to spend a fortune for the handbag and look on the internet for an alternative. But be aware...here is an article of the Wall Street journal and giving you some tips for the fake handbags...

When one of the handles of Karineh Gurjian-Angelo's Yves Saint Laurent bag broke, she took the tote to a YSL boutique to have it fixed. Instead of repairing it, the sales associate told her it was fake.

How to Spot a Fake

A new generation of counterfeit fashion goods -- made of high-quality materials, with zippers and grommets boasting brand names -- are fooling even savvy shoppers. Luxury goods authentication expert Elizabeth Bernstein points out some key details to look out for.

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He pointed out all the subtle ways he could tell it wasn't authentic, including the bag's improper lining and lack of embossing on the bottom. She was mortified.
"I felt like I was back in school in the principal's office," said Ms. Gurjian-Angelo, a New York photographer who often shoots accessories and is familiar with high-end handbags.
She had been thrilled to get the shiny black YSL bag on eBay for $300. The low price made her suspect it might be fake, but when it arrived with price tags that looked authentic, she said she thought, "Wow, it is real."
Ms. Gurjian-Angelo fell victim to a new generation of counterfeit fashion goods, offering much more convincing facsimiles of actual products. They are a far cry from cheap knockoffs, with "Prado" or "Cucci" logos sold out of trash bags on street corners to consumers who know they're buying fakes. The goods are made of high-quality materials, with zippers and grommets boasting the brand name, and are stamped with what appears to be the proper manufacturing location and date. They're fooling even savvy shoppers, especially online.

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A real Hermès bag

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A fake Hermès bag imitates the real bag's leather 'veining,' but doesn't feel as supple, says Elizabeth Bernstein, an expert in authenticating luxury goods. Other signs of a fake: hardware that feels lightweight and zippers that catch.

Vendors selling fake merchandise can easily set up legitimate-looking ecommerce sites, with full product descriptions as well as marketing images and logos that look like those on websites selling authentic goods. They also buy keyword advertisements on search engines to lure in bargain-hunting shoppers, said Frederick Felman, chief marketing officer at MarkMonitor, a firm that helps companies protect their brands.
The prices of the imitators are rising, confusing customers who are looking for the real deal at a discounted price. Still, the higher-priced fakes are just a fraction of what a real item would cost. YSL's authentic version of Ms. Gurjian-Angelo's bag sells for more than $1,500.
The second-hand marketplace is often where counterfeiters sell fakes to unsuspecting customers.
Ebay says it combats fakes aggressively, in part through a program which gives brands or other intellectual property rights owners special tools to report listings. When brands flag a listing as inauthentic, it is removed within hours, the company said. EBay also independently scans its millions of listings for fake products.
In a statement, eBay's Dan Dougherty, associate general counsel, intellectual property, said, "In the rare cases when a counterfeit item appears on the site, buyers are covered for eligible purchases through our Buyer Protection programs." The programs enable buyers to return an item if it wasn't what the seller promised. (Ms. Gurjian-Angelo didn't take action regarding her bag.)
Some manufacturers are fighting back by embedding hidden security devices into products and scouring the Web to attempt to stop unauthorized sites selling their products.

F. Martin Ramin for The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

On a real Vuitton, the pattern would not be interrupted by the zipper.

Don't Get Fooled

• Buy directly from the brand. A sure-fire way to buy an authentic product is to purchase a new item at the brand's own boutique.
• Find an authorized retailer. If you cannot buy something from the brand directly, ask for a list of its approved sellers. Department store chains, such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, are reputable points of sale as well.
• Check the authenticity policy when buying second hand. If buying a used luxury item from a website or a consignment store, carefully read or ask for its sales policy. Make sure the seller guarantees its products' authenticity.
• Be wary of discounts. Top luxury brands rarely offer deep price cuts on their merchandise. Be suspicious if a luxury item is marked more than 25% off the retail price.
• Scrutinize websites selling the product. Counterfeiters have gotten more sophisticated in selling goods online. Examine the website for its validity, including product images—and price points. Another clue: often times the Frequently Asked Questions area contains grammatical errors.

To read the full article: Watch out for fake