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Every day there is more fake Dior Homme listed on eBay and it can be hard for unaware buyers to tell the difference from the pictures. I am writing this guide because I think it is needed here on eBay. I don't like seeing people getting ripped off and I don't like seeing authentic sellers loosing business because people are afraid to shop on eBay. The fakes are poor quality and poorly tailored, which is the antithesis of what Dior is about. They may look good in the pictures but I guarantee you that once (...if) you get the item in the mail it will fall apart within days and look like crap. The reason is because the counterfeiters don't have the time, effort, or money to replicate the actual thing. The counterfeiters are NOT tailors they are thieves. In this guide I will list a few of the many ways to spot fake Dior Homme. Many of the following tips apply to all designer clothing on eBay (like Dolce & Gabbana, John Galliano, Kris Van Assche, etc). I am not going to list EVERY indicator of a fake Dior Homme piece because I do not want this to be a guide for the counterfeiters to 'improve' their knockoffs (and thus make it harder for people to tell the difference). If you are informed and know what to look for you can avoid getting tricked into buying fake Dior Homme because the counterfeiters will never be able to make the real thing (and even if they did, it would cost them so much to produce they wouldn't make any money selling it). This guide is an attempt to make buying authentic Dior Homme on eBay a little easier and a little safer. If you have anything to add or revise to this guide please let me know. The following tips are things that I have found to be true in my experience with authentic Dior Homme items. If you think I am wrong about something please let me know so I can research it further and fix it. Thank you.
PLEASE NOTE: EBAY ONLY ALLOWS 10 PICTURES PER GUIDE SO I COULD ONLY UPLOAD A FEW EXAMPLES. HOWEVER, BELOW EACH EXAMPLE IS A LINK THAT WILL DIRECT YOU TO MORE EXAMPLES OF THAT DETAIL. THIS IS CRUCIAL BECAUSE THE AUTHENTIC LABELS/TAGS CAN VARY BASED ON THE TYPE OF GARMENT AND THE SEASON IT IS FROM. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE EXAMPLES ONLY, AND NOT ALL OF THE AUTHENTIC VARIATIONS ARE REPRESENTED IN THE EXAMPLE PHOTOS. THE PHOTOS SHOULD SIMPLY GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES ARE. THANK YOU. -PETER
THINGS TO CHECK BEFORE BUYING:
1. THE SELLER:
Look at the seller's feedback: Know your seller. You should look at what items he/she has sold in the past. You should also look at the actual remarks left, not just the positive or negative score. There a some sellers out there that are notorious for selling fakes who have 100% positive feedback ratings. This is for several reasons. Firstly, some buyers have no idea what they are buying and have never seen the actual thing in a store. Secondly, some buyers don't mind the fakes and would rather save a couple of bucks (although I am sure they look like crap when the get dressed in the morning because they are more concerned with the logos, albeit fake, than the quality). But, many times buyers are afraid to leave a seller a negative feedback because they fear the seller will do the same to them out of revenge. As a result a buyer may leave positive or neutral feedback for a fake item but say something like "I was not satisfied but seller issued a refund" or, "Not quite what I expected but the price was good." If you see a lot of this type of comment it is a warning sign and means you should investigate further, and perhaps send a message to the buyer asking him/her why they were unsatisfied with the item the seller sold.
Location, Location, Location: One warning sign is a seller listed in China/Hong Kong. Now, please note, there are some good sellers from there who do sell authentic Dior Homme, but I have only seen a couple. The rest are all fakes. If you see China or Hong Kong in the location be very cautious, but remember, this is just a warning sign. There are also many sellers listed in other countries (such as Germany, UK, USA, Canada, etc) that also sell fakes. The reason so many China /Hong Kong sellers are dealing fakes is because many of the fakes are made there and/or sold from there. The government has been pretty lax in such matters. That, in combination with the cheap labor makes it ideal for counterfeiters.
Communication: If you are not positive an item is authentic feel free to ask the seller any questions you may have. If the seller is responsive and provides you with the information you request it is a good sign. A legit seller should be willing to work with you to answer your questions and not yell at you for asking them.
The Seller's Other Listings: Check what else the seller has listed. Many of the sellers of fake Dior Homme list hundreds of items at once, including many of the same item in different sizes. If you see a seller selling 90 Dior Homme tee shirts, it is cause for suspicion. Also, even if you can't tell if the item you are interested in is fake you may be able to tell if the other things he/she is selling are fake (which would suggest all of them are). Also be aware that in some cases an eBay member may buy a fake online, not knowing it is fake, then, re-list it either because they changed their mind about it, or they realized it was fake when the package arrived. If a seller is selling something they purchased on eBay check their feedback to see who they bought it from.
Location, Location, Location: One warning sign is a seller listed in China/Hong Kong. Now, please note, there are some good sellers from there who do sell authentic Dior Homme, but I have only seen a couple. The rest are all fakes. If you see China or Hong Kong in the location be very cautious, but remember, this is just a warning sign. There are also many sellers listed in other countries (such as Germany, UK, USA, Canada, etc) that also sell fakes. The reason so many China /Hong Kong sellers are dealing fakes is because many of the fakes are made there and/or sold from there. The government has been pretty lax in such matters. That, in combination with the cheap labor makes it ideal for counterfeiters.
Communication: If you are not positive an item is authentic feel free to ask the seller any questions you may have. If the seller is responsive and provides you with the information you request it is a good sign. A legit seller should be willing to work with you to answer your questions and not yell at you for asking them.
The Seller's Other Listings: Check what else the seller has listed. Many of the sellers of fake Dior Homme list hundreds of items at once, including many of the same item in different sizes. If you see a seller selling 90 Dior Homme tee shirts, it is cause for suspicion. Also, even if you can't tell if the item you are interested in is fake you may be able to tell if the other things he/she is selling are fake (which would suggest all of them are). Also be aware that in some cases an eBay member may buy a fake online, not knowing it is fake, then, re-list it either because they changed their mind about it, or they realized it was fake when the package arrived. If a seller is selling something they purchased on eBay check their feedback to see who they bought it from.
2. HANG TAGS:
An authentic tag does not guarantee an authentic item but a fake tag does guarantee a fake item. It helps to see store tags attached but just because something does not have tags does not mean it's fake. Many of the legit sellers are selling authentic Dior Homme they have purchased (and perhaps removed the tags) but then decided not to keep. Or, they have bought on sale or at a discount retailer to resell on eBay. What you want to watch out for though is the fake hang tags (but keep in mind that an authentic hang tag does not guarantee an authentic item, tags can be switched).
One of the most noticeable fakes is the one shaped like the Dior rectangle paper tag but with "DIOR HOMME" and a bee printed on it in big black letters (The real ones have a small "CD" embossed on the front, and then the bar code etc. on the back).
3. SEWN TAGS:
One of the best ways to tell if an item is fake is by inspecting the tags sewn inside the garment. If the seller does not include pictures of the labels, request them. You should never buy any Dior Homme on eBay if the seller will not supply you with photos of the labels. There are several different types of labels, most of which appear in every garment, but not all.
Fabric Content/ Care Instructions: A version of this tag is sewn in ALL Dior Homme garments. It is sewn in the side seam of shirts and sweaters. It is sewn in the inner pocket of suits and coats, and it is sewn in the side seam of jeans and pants. It is good to familiarize yourself with the way these look (while noting that they vary based on collection and type of garment). Many of the fakes have larger or thicker printing than the real ones. Although it is important to note that the garment tags do vary some from season to season. I have noticed that the earlier season's tags have slightly smaller and thinner printing. Something to watch-out for is misspellings. Although typos do occur sometimes with authentic pieces, the fakes are notorious for their misspelled labels. The fabric content is often incorrect, such as labeled wool when the garment is cotton, etc. Furthermore Dior Homme is not made in Hong Kong, some of the fakes actually say "Made in Hong Kong", which is nice that they're honest, but they're still fake. However, Dior Homme does produce authentic items in various countries other than Italy and Japan, such as Turkey, France, Spain and a few others. Also note the washing symbols although they can vary on the authentic Dior pieces many of the versions of the symbols on the fakes are never seen on real Dior tags.
Fabric Content/ Care Instructions: A version of this tag is sewn in ALL Dior Homme garments. It is sewn in the side seam of shirts and sweaters. It is sewn in the inner pocket of suits and coats, and it is sewn in the side seam of jeans and pants. It is good to familiarize yourself with the way these look (while noting that they vary based on collection and type of garment). Many of the fakes have larger or thicker printing than the real ones. Although it is important to note that the garment tags do vary some from season to season. I have noticed that the earlier season's tags have slightly smaller and thinner printing. Something to watch-out for is misspellings. Although typos do occur sometimes with authentic pieces, the fakes are notorious for their misspelled labels. The fabric content is often incorrect, such as labeled wool when the garment is cotton, etc. Furthermore Dior Homme is not made in Hong Kong, some of the fakes actually say "Made in Hong Kong", which is nice that they're honest, but they're still fake. However, Dior Homme does produce authentic items in various countries other than Italy and Japan, such as Turkey, France, Spain and a few others. Also note the washing symbols although they can vary on the authentic Dior pieces many of the versions of the symbols on the fakes are never seen on real Dior tags.
Example of Fake Fabric Content Tags:
See More Examples
The 'Paris' Tag: This is a silver loop tag that is sewn into the collar of the garment. This tag is found on suit coats, jackets, and vests. Though some of the older pieces have a metal bar logo on a chain attached inside the collar instead. The Paris tag is NOT on t-shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, pants, or jeans. This silver fabric tag has "PARIS" stitched into it and is covered by a sheer black fabric loop that is a little narrower than the silver loop. Often the Paris tag on the fakes is wider than it should be, sometimes the sheer black one is the same and sometimes not. Also, on the fakes the letters of the word PARIS are often spaced farther apart and larger as well.
See More Examples
The 'Paris' Tag: This is a silver loop tag that is sewn into the collar of the garment. This tag is found on suit coats, jackets, and vests. Though some of the older pieces have a metal bar logo on a chain attached inside the collar instead. The Paris tag is NOT on t-shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, pants, or jeans. This silver fabric tag has "PARIS" stitched into it and is covered by a sheer black fabric loop that is a little narrower than the silver loop. Often the Paris tag on the fakes is wider than it should be, sometimes the sheer black one is the same and sometimes not. Also, on the fakes the letters of the word PARIS are often spaced farther apart and larger as well.
Size Tag: This little tag is also located in all garments. In the suits, jackets, and vests it is with the fabric content tag. With other items it is usually either sewn into the waistband or collar (depending on what the item is). The biggest giveaway with this is a size tag that is too big and has larger numbers or letters than the real ones.
Silver Dior Tag: This is the logo tag that is sewn inside either the collar (for shirts, sweaters, etc.) or the chest (for suits, coats and jackets) of the garment. The tag in the jackets and suits is usually larger (about 3 inches long and 1.5 inches tall) than the tag in the other items (around 1/8th of an inch tall and 1 3/4 inches long). It is important to note the scale of the letters and the exact font of the logo. With many of the fakes the "Dior" logo is vertically elongated a bit or scaled larger in proportion to the whole tag. It is also important to know that the letters of the first couple of seasons were embossed into the tag, where as the following collections have the letters stitched. This tag is always 'tacked' in place with either two (shirts, sweaters, etc) or four (suits, coats, and jackets) small silver stitches. In the suits, coats, and jackets the stitches are in the four corners and touch or go over the outside of the label, they do not start and end far inside the rectangle of the label. However this does NOT hold true for other Dior Homme items such as shirts and sweaters when the label is sewn in the collar of the garment.
It is all in the details. Although an item may look authentic at first glance you should always inspect the details. If the seller's pictures are dark, blurry, or just of poor quality, you should request better images. Do your research and know what you are buying. There are several websites with images from the actual runway shows where you can sometimes find the item in question to compare to (style.com, firstview.com, etc). Also if it is from a current or recent season you can check out the images from reputable online stores that sell Dior Homme (diabro.net, luisaviaroma.com, eluxury.com, etc). Things to look for are the proportions of the details like how wide a trim detail is, or the proportions of details such as waistbands or pockets. There are also some fakes that are totally made up, not based on any actual piece Dior ever made (such as the all-over bee print sweater). But don't worry, you do not need to be an expert or memorize every stitch. It just helps to keep an eye out for such things in case you see something that 'doesn't look quite right.'
On occasion a seller will use stolen pics of an authentic item, or they will use a combination of authentic pics and their own pictures of their fake item. This happened recently on eBay with an auction for a Dior Homme "napoleon" jacket from the Luster collection. The seller used one picture of his own and the rest were pictures from another guys auction. The stolen pics were details of an authentic Dior Homme "napoleon" jacket. However, if one inspected the one picture they guy took himself they would see that the details were all different. The differences included the zippers (square vs. round), length of the shoulder straps, and the length/quality of the horse hair trim.
On occasion a seller will use stolen pics of an authentic item, or they will use a combination of authentic pics and their own pictures of their fake item. This happened recently on eBay with an auction for a Dior Homme "napoleon" jacket from the Luster collection. The seller used one picture of his own and the rest were pictures from another guys auction. The stolen pics were details of an authentic Dior Homme "napoleon" jacket. However, if one inspected the one picture they guy took himself they would see that the details were all different. The differences included the zippers (square vs. round), length of the shoulder straps, and the length/quality of the horse hair trim.
5. REFERENCE NUMBER:
Dior Homme has reference numbers sewn inside most of its items. This number can be found on the fabric content label of the jackets, suits, sweaters, and shirts. Most of the jeans only have a reference number on the hang tag and not printed inside (at least none that I have ever found). Many of the fakes have reference numbers printed in them, but they are incorrect. These numbers are codes that are specific to the item's style. The first few characters of the number are the important ones for our purposes.
For example: 5HH1015421. The first number denotes the season the piece was from. In this case it is 2005 (indicated by the 5). The second two letters indicate the season. I have found that it is usually marked EH, for spring/ summer collection, or HH for fall/winter collection. I have been told that there is also EF and HF which is marked on petite sizes instead of EH and HH as well as other codes for pre-season pieces etc. The important thing is to know what collection and season the piece is from so that you can cross reference the number. The fakes are often marked with the wrong season and collection so it helps to know what season and year the design is from. If you are not sure, do a little research. There are also several online discussion forums where others can help you verify the number and the authenticity (groups.msn.com/DiorHomme, honestforum.com).
6. OTHER MISUNDERSTOOD FACTS:
Low Prices: A low starting price should NOT be a red flag. It is a strategy of many sellers to start their items at low prices to draw interest, often as low as .99 cents and then bidders bid the item up to a high selling price. One should be wary of extremely low Buy It Now prices though. If you see a Dior Homme winter coat with a $200 Buy It Now price you should be suspicious and investigate further, despite the temptation to buy it before someone else does.
High Prices: In the same respect, a high starting price is NOT an indicator that an item is authentic. Some sellers list their fakes with high starting prices hoping people will assume they are authentic based solely on the price. Furthermore, sometimes fakes get bid up to a high price by bidders who either don't know how to spot a fake or who haven't looked closely at the auction. The bottom line is that the price of an item is NOT a reliable indicator of authenticity.
Factory Seconds: "Factory Seconds" is just a fancy way of saying fakes. Dior Homme does not produce lesser grade versions of their pieces to be sold as "seconds". Furthermore, when a seller states that there may be variations in the garment from one sold in the boutiques, it is probably fake. Although, there are a very small number of prototype preproduction pieces out there that Dior has made and the style may vary from the production pieces or be one of a kind pieces (but the quality is the same), but these only appear on eBay once in a blue moon.
High Prices: In the same respect, a high starting price is NOT an indicator that an item is authentic. Some sellers list their fakes with high starting prices hoping people will assume they are authentic based solely on the price. Furthermore, sometimes fakes get bid up to a high price by bidders who either don't know how to spot a fake or who haven't looked closely at the auction. The bottom line is that the price of an item is NOT a reliable indicator of authenticity.
Factory Seconds: "Factory Seconds" is just a fancy way of saying fakes. Dior Homme does not produce lesser grade versions of their pieces to be sold as "seconds". Furthermore, when a seller states that there may be variations in the garment from one sold in the boutiques, it is probably fake. Although, there are a very small number of prototype preproduction pieces out there that Dior has made and the style may vary from the production pieces or be one of a kind pieces (but the quality is the same), but these only appear on eBay once in a blue moon.
If this guide has been helpful please click the yes button below to vote for it so it can help more people. If it has not been helpful please scroll back up and send me a message explaining why so I can add/delete/fix what ever the problem is. I appreciate your input. Thank You. -Peter (couture_homme)
Guide created: 05/03/07 (updated 09/17/08)
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