- 6) It should have a serial number from prada and come with authenticity tags and a dust bag (please note if someone is selling a used Prada bag and all 5 things above are present but they do not have the item number, authenticity tags, or dust bag ask questions about where they bought it from, some people dont keep those things after buying a bag)!
- Certificate of Authenticity All genuine, brand new, Prada handbags come with two authenticity cards. One will be paper and the other a plastic credit card-like card, typically in a small black envelope. The latter not only holds details of the bag style but also its serial number.
Trying to authenticate designer handbags online is like trying to find a needle in a hey stack so when I come across a great article, I immediately want to share. Some of the information you may already know but have a reference is always great when shopping resale.
That's an authentic vintage Prada. Seems to be in good condition. Prada bags generally don't have serial numbers. (SOME bags have an extra leather tag on the inside zipper but those are rare.) #8 Sep 26, 2006.
Authentic Prada bags do not have a serial number on the bad itself but do have an identification card that contains both the model and serial number of the bag. You can call an authorized seller (like Neiman Marcus or Saks) and they will check the serial and model number information for you (no worries whether bought from them or not - they. Prada has serial numbers and model numbers associated with all of its merchandise, so you can verify the authenticity. If you have all of the right information, checking the serial numbers is a simple task. Locate the Prada.
Material World just sent this one out in an email blast and while i have been a fan of Mulberry bags for years, sometimes it’s really difficult to authenticate (mostly due to those little Mulberry trees in their logo!).
The below article is reposted from there website and you can read that article here.
Founded in 1971 by a young entrepreneur named Roger Saul and his mother Joan, Mulberry established itself as a British lifestyle brand specializing in leather goods. Today, Mulberry houses a full range of products including menswear, womenswear, leather goods and footwear.
Vintage Prada Shoulder Bag
In 2007, designer Emma Hill was appointed as the creative director of Mulberry. She is credited with turning the Somerset-based brand into an international fashion powerhouse. With the introduction of new handbag styles named after modern fashion icons like Alexa Chung and Cara Delevingne, Mulberry has cemented itself as the go-to label for a quintessential British “It-Girl” look.
Although Mulberry is fairly new to the luxury market, counterfeit handbags are frequently produced. This fact, in tandem with the rise in popularity of luxury resale, can make shopping for an authentic designer bag seem daunting. Below are some tips to guide you through authenticating Mulberry handbags.
1) Leather and Lining
Many Mulberry bags are made from grained, thick calf leather that makes them sturdy, durable, and structured. A calf leather Mulberry bag should be able to stand up on its own. Contrary to the belief that luxury handbags should always be lined, Mulberry bags can come lined or unlined. Some will have a plain canvas lining, while others may have a fabric lining that is printed with the mulberry tree logo. The above are authentic Mulberry bags in lined and unlined styles.
2) Inside Heat Stamp and Brass Disc
Every Mulberry bag comes with a leather tab heat-stamped with its logo as well as an attached metal disc engraved with the iconic Mulberry tree. The font of the heat stamp on the inside of the handbag will always be sans serif, like the photo on the left. You will also notice a difference in the stamped mulberry tree on the metal disc: The tree should be stamped very delicately with negative space between the leaves.
3) Serial Number
Not all Mulberry bags come with serial numbers – for example, if they are an older style or come from an outlet. Though Mulberry uses a unique serial number for each bag, there are certain serial numbers that are red flags and oftentimes used in counterfeits. The serial number on the counterfeit Mulberry bag above is actually a common number used in many replicas. In addition, the counterfeit disc is deeply engraved, rather than lightly laser etched like the authentic one on the left.
4) Hardware
Mulberry handbags will always have stamped buckles (if the handbag style has buckles), and the font should be consistent with that of Mulberry’s branding. The counterfeit Mulberry handbag has stamped buckles, but the font is thinner and slightly askew. On the authentic Mulberry handbag the branded stamp is thick, straight and even.
Note: Mulberry also stamps rivets and other round small hardware with the mulberry tree logo. This stamp should be consistent with that of the mulberry tree on the inner metal disc (see above).
5) Stitching and Trim
Stitching on Mulberry handbags can also be an indicator of authenticity. Oftentimes, counterfeit handbags will have uneven stitching and the casing around the edges of the leather is painted carelessly. On the authentic Mulberry handbag, you will notice that the stitching is extremely straight and that each stitch is the same size throughout. The casing around the edges of the leather is neat and there is no sloppy edge.
When inspecting Mulberry handbags, it’s all about the details – luxury handbags cost as much as they do for their quality and craftsmanship. Attributes such as leather weight, texture and even scent are indicators of quality and cannot be replicated in a non-luxury good. The most popular Mulberry styles, such as the Alexa, Bayswater, and the now-discontinued Roxanne, are some of the bags most often seen on the counterfeit market.
It is also important to note that Mulberry used to produce all of its leather goods in England, but in recent years has started outsourcing some of its production to places like China and Turkey. Today, only about 30% of Mulberry bags are actually produced in England and it is not out of the ordinary to find a “made in china” tag inside a newer Mulberry bag.
This guide is meant to spotlight characteristics shoppers can expect to find on authentic Mulberry bags and some tell tales that may point to authenticity.
Material World also has authentication guides on Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton and while they are a little on the short side, knowledge is power!
Prada handbags are one of the hardest types of bags to authenticate. It's impossible to say that a bag will 'Always' have this, or 'Never' have that because things change as new styles are designed. Replicas are also getting better and better every day, making it harder to distinguish between an authentic bag and a fake one. For those reasons I can't guarantee anything, but hopefully with this guide you will have a better idea of what to look for, and what to look out for.
Prada's Exterior Logo
Most handbags have the Prada logo outside, usually in the center on the front of the bag. The logo can vary, but is often the triangle plaque. The Prada logo plaque will be firmly attached with neat, even stitching, as well as rivets on all three corners of some styles. The rivets on newer bags will be completely filled in, while older styles will look like donut holes.
The color of the plaque will match the exact color of the bag or be very close. The letter R on the Prada logo will be curved with a notch taken out of its right leg. The letters will all be uniform in placement, size, and spacing. The plaque will have a nice thickness to it, and the logo is slightly raised. Some styles of Prada handbags have an embossed logo instead of the triangle logo.
Warning Signs:
A straight right leg on the letter R
A thin, flimsy plaque
Plaques attached with tape or glue
Prada's Interior Plaques
Prada bags will have also have a logo plaque on the inside of the bag. The Prada plaque will usually be made of enamel, but can be a leather patch. The color of the enamel will match or be very close to the color of the lining. The plaque will have a rim around it (gold, silver); this will match the hardware of the bag. If the logo is a leather patch, it will be attached with four rivets. The plaque will firmly be attached on all sides, and you should be able to feel a piece of backing material underneath it. All four corners of the Prada plaque will be rounded. The letter R will usually be curved, but a few newer models have a straight leg.
Warning Signs:
- Logos that are misspelled
- Thin, flimsy plaques
- Plaques that are not firmly attached
Prada's Zippers
The zippers can also be very helpful in determining a handbag’s authenticity. Prada only uses high quality zippers from Lampo (with and without the lightning bolt), Ykk, Riri, Opti, and Ipi. These names will be embossed on the back of the zipper. Older bags used plastic zippers on the inside, but newer bags use mostly metal zippers on the inside and outside.
Vintage Prada Bag
Warning Signs:- A zipper from any other company
- A zipper that is flimsy
- A zipper that does not zip very smoothly
Prada's Interior Lining
A lot of Prada handbags will have its signature interior lining. This is the Prada logo repeated horizontally throughout the lining with a symbol that looks like a fancy sideways S ( For example: Prada~Prada~Prada~). Other possible linings are smooth calf leather (vitello), satin (raso), and nylon.
Prada Serial Number Check
Warning Signs:- Misspelling of the name Prada, or an entirely different word
- A cheap, flimsy interior fabric
- Stuffing in the bag such as newspaper or colored tissue
Hopefully these hints will help you in determining the authenticity of Prada bags. Part 2 will discuss more things to check including the hardware, materials, and authenticity card.
Vintage Prada Bags Pictures