INSPECTING A FAKE LONGCHAMP LE PLIAGE

Welcome to the third and final installment of the BE YOUR OWN LONGCHAMP CONNOISSEUR entries.

For my last entry, I shall thoroughly inspect a fake Longchamp Le Pliage.

All authentic-- NOT!

You're probably going gaga over low bid and dirt cheap LCs sold in different buying and selling sites online. The seller would provide a singular pic, and you rationalize that the item seems authentic.

The word "SEEMS" means uncertainty. It may seem authentic on the pics, but in actual, it is fake (SORRY!). The truth lies in the littlest details.

Before contacting the seller or hitting that "Buy it Now" button, you have to be 200% sure that what you'll get is the real thing.

Look at the first pic of this entry and examine the Red Garance Le Pliage. Seems authentic, eh? I took a group picture of my LCs along with the red one. I'm pretty sure you're all telling yourselves right now: "Oh my, the Red Le Pliage REALLY looks authentic!"

Very deceiving, eh? Prior to the group pic, the red LC looked like this:

It costs 380php, and the seller gave me a 30php discount. Great bargain, huh? She even told me that this is an authentic Longchamp, straight from the LC factory in France, and is part of a wholesale order, hence the cheap price. Of course I didn't want to be rude even if I know that the LCs she's selling are fake.

Let's now scrutinize the bag.

Check the material of the bag. The fabric is identical to the glossy China- made LC, and the thickness and weight is that of a France- made LC. Bear in mind that China- made LCs are glossy, lightweight, and thin, while the France- made is matte, thick, and heavy. These are the characteristics that differentiate one version from the other. The material of this fake LC is inconsistent in terms of characteristics. Also, notice that the bag material of the fake LC is stiff, and it does not fold seamlessly on its sides.

Fake bags usually come with plastic tubes on the handles like this one.

It comes with a paper tag. LCs do not come with tags. They only come with care cards. This fake LC does not have a care card included in it.

Is it just me, or is the jockey riding a Llama here?

Check out the flaps. The fake LC has a wooden brown color, while the authentic LC oxidizes to a rich camel tan shade. Check the leather. The fake LC is trimmed with fake leather with scale- like markings all over. The leather trimmings of an authentic LC have natural cracks and diamond- shaped markings.

Compare the jockeys-- the Longchamp brand logo. The jockey on the fake LC is poorly drawn, has a line underneath the image, and blends with the scale- like marks. And the horse on the fake jockey really looks like a Llama to me. On the other hand, an authentic LC's jockey is intricately and carefully drawn and embossed on the leather. Also, the logo does not blend with the leather markings.

Check the buttons. The fake one also has the 'LONGCHAMP 1948' words engraved on the gold- plated button, but the jockey image looks like a mess here.

The snap closure. It does not have the words 'ORIGINAL PRYM' engraved on it. Instead, it bears the words 'SUN 484 KM HK' around the closure. However, engraved words on fake LCs may vary. I saw one that says "GUANGTONG" on the snap closure..

Check the leather on the inner part of the flap. The leather looks scruffy and feels grainy.

The words that indicate the Le Pliage style are poorly embossed on the leather. I had a hard time taking a clear pic of it!

The back part of the flap. It bears the words "LONGCHAMP TYPE "M" MODELE DEPOSE". It did agree with the type and size of the LC, and the Es have accents, but the sizing is a far cry from the standard size of a medium Le Pliage. Check out the pic below.

The handle of the fake LC is somewhere between an SH (Short Handles) and an LH (Long Handles). Obviously, the fake medium Le Pliage is a tad smaller than the authentic medium Le Pliage.

Check the interior. A Le Pliage is only lined with either of the three colors: black, (for dark colors); white or creamy beige (for pastel and light colors). The lining of this fake LC is identical to the color of the exterior.

Inner pocket button closure

Interior with the button snap

Check the buttons in the inner pocket and interior of the Le Pliage. They do not bear white, transparent discs that serve as reinforcements for the button closures and snaps.

Check the inner pocket. It is an inch away from the zipper lining. The inner pocket of an authentic LC is stitched on the zipper lining.

Check the stitching. Tis' poorly done.

Check out the handles. The handle on the left side is from a fake LC, and the one on the right is from an authentic one. The fake LC handles are heavy, stiff, thick, and rough. Compare the stitching of the fake LC with the authentic LC. The fake LC has fine and beige- colored stitching, while the authentic LC has thicker, sturdier, and cream- colored stitching.

Lastly, let's check the zipper. The fake zipper is made of tarnished, gold- plated steel with rough edges. And I think you will now agree that the jockey is indeed riding a Llama, not a horse.

Nope, the zipper does not bear the YKK trademark.

There you go! This concludes my comprehensive comparison and in- depth research on fake and authentic Longchamps. I don't want to generalize, but most sellers who sell dirt cheap LCs are probably selling fakes. Much worse, some claim their items as authentic. But if you're lucky enough, you might chance upon sellers who sell authentic LCs at really low prices. Here are ways on how to spot a credible seller:

- Provides different pictures of an item in different angles

- offers a 'money back guaranteed' option

- Does not use images from the internet to sell their items

- Willingly provides additional pictures upon request

- Knows how to answer queries regarding authenticity

Remember that you have the right to demand if you are the customer. If the seller refuses to offer additional pictures, then it's time to look for another seller. Do not solely rely on feedbacks. Or better yet, buy from a trusted seller.

I hope my BE YOUR OWN LONGCHAMP CONNOISSEUR entries helped you in differentiating a fake from an authentic Le Pliage! :)