Continued from Part 3 on Construction....(PLEASE READ MY FIRST THREE GUIDES BEFORE PROCEEDING)  There will be additional guides to cover details on TRIM, METAL RINGS, and ROPE HANDLES posted soon!

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Anya Hindmarch I'm Not A Plastic Bag Guide to Fakes PART 4

"Stitching"

This guide (Part 4) will cover things to look for as far as stitching.  First of all, I'd like to say that no stitching will be EXACTLY alike on two bags if you examine every single stitch....but....MAJOR things will not waiver, like the type of stitching and the thread used and major flaws like you will see below. 

At this point, if you have read my three previous guides, you know the basic things to look for and hopefully some more advanced ways to spot the fakes, particulary replicas.  In case you aren't aware of this, over 80% of ALL designer handbags on Ebay are fake...and about 50% are true replicas.  Most people buy the replicas thinking they are real because they aren't as AWFUL as the bad knock-offs.  Most "100% guaranteed authentic" handbags on Ebay are FAKE.  Isn't that scary?

IMPORTANT:  I would like to point out that the things I am telling you to look for are "puzzle pieces" for you to put together to determine whether or not the bag you have or are looking to buy is a replica (fake).  Your bag may not have ALL of the indications of a fake but it may have one or two and this should be enough.  If it has more than two, then you definitely have a fake.

Example:  You  may have a bag that seems to have good construction (i.e. it folds up nicely and easily and lies flat.  The sides form a pretty "A line" from the side. The canvas feels soft also.)  But the letter "A"  on the front of the bag may have a rounded top.  So, even if your bag has good construction, if it has a rounded top A or an apostrophe in clearly the wrong place, you still have a fake.   You bag may also have an almost perfect logo, even under magnification but if it has some of the other errors (wrong trim), then it is still a fake.

Spotting a replica is like spotting counterfeit money.  Currency is very inexpensive to produce.  It is also fairly easy and cheap to copy...at least in a form that will fool most people.  That is why retailers often use those gold pens to mark currency, it is the only way to tell if it is real or if it is countefeit.  But there are people who are trained to look at money to be able to tell whether or not it is counterfeit without the pen. I'm here to be your "gold pen"on these bags.  

It is like an elaborate game of "spot the differences" like you see in magazines (you know the little cartoons where you find all the differences in each picture.)  A lot of people can look at these all day long and not be able to spot the differences.  While others can spot them in a matter of seconds.   I'm here to provide you with the "Cliff's Notes" verson of how to spot the differences in an authentic "I'm NOT A Plastic bag" and a replica and it will take a number of guides to do this as Ebay only allow 10 pictures per guide.

I could end up with as many as 10 guides posted to get all the information to you that is needed.  So, please continue to check back to see if I have posted additional guides. I will post as many as it takes.  I'm determined to help keep innocent people from getting scammed and from spending $100 on the same bag they can get on Ebay or Ioffer for $25.  In case you aren't aware of this, IOffer is a site notoriously well known for being a place where counterfeit goods are sold.  Take a look at it....everything you see is pretty much counterfeit and it is very alarming.

Remember, a knock off and a replica are different.  A knock-off is an obvious copy, a replica requires you to pay a little more attention. Many people on Ebay are getting rich selling replica bags as 100% authentic (in various brands).

Don't forget to ask questions as far as how the bags were acquired. If they say they have a "supplier" then get prepared to received a fake.  Remember, these bags are scarce and people waiting in very long lines to get them and thousands of people were turned away because they ran out of these bags. And there was a limit as to how many a person could buy.  Some locations had a limit of ONE.  Others had a max of THREE.  So, does it make sense logically that someone would have a whole lot of these to sell?  Doesn't it make even less sense that they have a whole lot of these to sell and NO original receipt? And also...if they wanted the bag bad enough to wait in line for hours in the rain (as so many people on Ebay say they did) would they be willing to sell it for $40 or less if they paid $15 plus tax? (close to $20 plus all of that time in the pouring rain?)  I can understand making a $100 or more...but who in their right mind would stand in the rain for hours, fighting mobs, for a $20 profit?  If that sounds a little fishy, ask yourself why they would do this to basically break even (if they are selling them for $20).

Back to the guide.....

This guide which is on "stitching" may seem a little confusing because not everyone has an eye for detail.  You may not be detail oriented but you must learn to be in order to spot a good replica.  If you have your heart set on an authentic bag and are like me and would not consider carrying a replica, even in a canvas grocery bag, then look below and study the photos showing the differences in stitching.

When a designer (or whoever) decides on a manufacturer to produce their items, they don't just throw them the plans and say "have at it".  Every step is agreed upon, samples are made, then the designer agrees that the work is up to their standard.  Then they sign agreements and the process is started.  I'm telling you all of these details because you are going to have sellers dispute the details that I am telling you in my guides.  They are going to do this because they want to keep selling their replicas and they do not want you to know the difference.  They will also tell you "this is a cheap canvas bag and you can't scrutinize details like this".  And I beg to differ. 

Yes, this is an inexpensive bag to make but I can't point this out enough, the AH company is going to have a standard for these bags and the standard must be met by the manufacturer, whether they are in China or anywhere else.  Yes, small errors can be made, such as a piece of thread that may slip out on occasion but the STYLE OF THE STITCHING WILL NOT CHANGE mid-production. 

Look below at the stitching comparisons.  As usual, the real bag is on the left.  Take a look at the quality of the stitching, how straight the line is and how uniform each stitch it.  Something to look for in an authentic bag stitchwork is tiny holes where the thread enters the fabric.  The reason why there are holes is because of the sewing process and the size of the thread.  Thinner, less expensive thread (as used in the fakes) will not leave as noticeable holes.  Here is an example:

REAL:                                               FAKE:

See how uniform the stitching is on the left?  See how clearly defined it is? 

Now look on the right.  It looks kind of undefined...not standing out.  It blends in with the canvas.  Now, on the colored trim, you want the stitching to blend in more.  But on the canvas, you want clearly defined stitching and you want to be able to see the little black holes like you can on the left.  This requires a pretty good eye for detail but I've magnified this, hoping this will help you to see the difference.  Also, see the position of where the stitching is with relation to the edge of the canvas?  Its much closer to the edge on the authentic bag.  I also want to point out that I'm not going by ONE authentic bag, I had my hands on a number of them AND a number of fakes, the the details that I am pointing out DO NOT WAIVER on the authentic bags. 

Some of these things will pretty much require a real bag next to a fake bag to tell the difference but I think if you study your bag and compare it to the photos you may be able to spot the differences.

Now, look at the UNDERSIDE of this same stitching:

REAL:                                            FAKE

Look at the bottom of the stitching...see the looping?  See how rounded and uniform the stitch work is on the left?  The the slight sheen of the thread?  See the uniform "squiggley" line that runs across the top? And the left (the real bag) you can even see the looping along the bottom. This is quality stitching.  Now, look on the right.    Can you see the difference?   Also, look at the stitching across the top...the top line of stitching that is closest to the top edge.  See how straight across the stitching is on the fake bag?  The stitching on the left, it has a nice curve to each stitch (each stitch is at a slight angle).  It is stitched correctly on the back (at an angle) so that it looks the way it should - nice and arrow straight - on the front.  Look and compare the top pictures again and you'll see why the back has to look a certain way for the front to turn out correctly. 

These are the kinds of things you have to look for when spotting a replica.  Anyone can spot a "big blob of an apostrophe or an upside down apostrophe" on a TERRIBLE fake. And unfortunately, we have been led to believe this is what shows you that a bag is fake.  This only shows you when a bag is a low level knock-off.  You will not find a blob of an apostrophe on a replica but you will find inferior stitching.

Now, look below.  See the perfect stitching on the left?  Straight as an arrow again and you can see the little hole (black speck) where each stitch is made.  See the fake on the right?  Messy stitching at the top and all the way down.  Again, this is stitching on a level three (3A) replica.  This is the bag that I paid $69 for from a highly respected seller if you can believe it.  I promise, it gets much worse below.

REAL:                               FAKE

   Now, look at the mess on the UK and HK bags below.  You will NOT find this kind of inferior stitching on an authentic "I'm NOT A Plastic bag", at least not one that would have been allowed to venture out into the hands of anyone.  If you have a bag with this kind of crap, congratulations, you have a fake.  Even if you paid over $100 for it.  See the lovely fake HK gray bag below?  See the hideous stitching?  This thing was sold to me for $69.  At least the hideous UK bag was only $32.  I was expecting a fake for that price...I bid on it on purpose to have it for these guides.  But I didn't expect the gray bag to be fake.  This seller has sold many bags for well over $100 and has written a number of guides on how to spot the fakes.  For some reason, he left out some details..... 

What the heck is going on here?     See the little piece sticking out?   LOOK AT IT CLOSE! GROSS!

Is this not awful?  You have to pull the seams apart to see this stuff usually. Take your bag and pull it apart at the seams around the piping at the top.  If you see anything resembling the monsters above, your bag is very fake. You will not see multi-color stiching like this. Your authentic bag should look like this:

I'm pulling the seam apart just like I did on the above disgusting gray bag.  (You can see my fingers in the photo.) And you don't find multicolor stitching anywhere!  Or big ugly yellow strings hanging out!

And please note that all of the above hideous fakes were sold to me as 100% guaranteed authentic.  One was even described as 110% authentic.  All are 200% fake!!  AND they all offered a money-back guarantee in the listing and when I asked for a refund from one seller, they flat out refused and said "you saw the pictures and bid on it anyway so its not my problem".  How's that for a money-back guarantee?  Paypal agreed with me and I was issued a refund.  Be careful of those money back guarantees! If a seller has no morals and is willing to sell illegal goods, they probably aren't going to honor their word.  Remember that.

And the absolutely worst fake that I received was the $69 HK gray bag. The seller with the gray bag has offered to refund my money in full which is a plus to his credit....but he continues to insist that the bags are authentic and said they are taken from the "side door" in a manufacturing plant in Asia from a supplier who guarantees authenticity. Uhhhh, what have I been trying to teach you in ALL of my previous handbag guides? STAY AWAY FROM ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY HAVE A SUPPLIER.  

I'll tell you this until I'm blue in the face:  SUPPLIERS only have two types of bags - FAKE AND STOLEN.  Since this bag came from the "side door"  it appears to not only be FAKE but also STOLEN.  And VERY STINKY.  Beware of buying these canvas bags online sight unseen, they tend to absorb the smell of their surroundings and sometimes it is not very pleasant. 

IMPORTANT NOTE:  All of the things I'm pointing out to you in my guides are to be used as "puzzle pieces" to be put together to figure out whether or not your bag is fake.  A fake bag may not have ALL of the issues I am describing in my guide but it may have ONE or TWO.  A bag does not have to have ALL of the problems I'm describing in order for it to be fake.  The letters on the front may look okay but the stitching and trim may be wrong, etc.  The AH logo may look really good but the rope handles may be wrong.  If your bag has issues with all of these things, letters not right on front, trim wrong, stitching wrong, rope handles wrong, metal rings wrong.....it means you have a HORRIBLE FAKE!!!  NOT JUST A REPLICA!!!  A replica means you may only have one or two issues with it (such as bad stitching and the apostrophe in the wrong place).

***Please check back for the additional guides I will be posting on: METAL RINGS and ROPE HANDLES.

Thank for taking the time to read my guides!  Please remember to register your vote if you found any of this information helpful!  I've worked very hard to provide this information to you and I like to know that my efforts are helping people. 

Thank you!

Christi