The first time I saw this bag, I immediately fell in love with it and have longed for it ever since. How can you not love this thing? It's functional, elegant, and timeless yet with a modern touch-It's a bag that effortlessly stands out without even trying! No wonder it is one of Prada's most popular handbag styles ever created!
So I'm doing a review for the said bag today today. This will also serve as an authentication post for those who currently own Prada Tessuto Gaufre' BN1789M in Nero, and those who are going to purchase it in the future. Please take note that this authentication post is only intended for this style--Conditions and features may vary depending on the style and model of the Gaufre'.
The only uniform and recognizable features of the Gaufre' bags-no matter what color and style-are the following:
1. Brand logo on the center and topmost part of the bag's exterior- It's one of the newest brand logos of Prada
2. Bag tag- All Gaufre bags-from the biggest to the smallest styles-have the leather tag with brass hardware, slim buckled strap, and a metal plate with the word PRADA engraved on it.
3. Leather Straps- Leather straps have buckles and hooks made from brass hardware
4. Metal Zipper Pulls- The zipper pulls of all Gaufres are made from brass
5. Leather Tag- This is found in the interior, and is located below the zippered interior pocket of the bag.
Make sure you're not missing any of the five in your BN1789M bag, or the one you're currently eyeing.
THE FIRST GENERATION AND SECOND GENERATION GAUFRE'
- I was told that Prada has started phasing out the previous Gaufre' models: The first generation models have metal buckles and rivets on the base of the strap. Check the photo below:
The second generation Gaufres no longer have the metal buckles and rivets. Instead, the base of the strap was left plain, but it became lighter in terms of weight. Similarly, this first gen style, BN1792, was replaced with BN1789M. BN1789M marries the wide structure of the BN1336 and the curvaceous shape of the BN1792-the result is a versatile style that adjusts to your space needs.
Methinks the first generation Gaufres are still in production but sooner or later, they will be completely replaced.
Click READ MORE and see the bag in detail, and start authenticating your Prada BN1789M now!
When your Gaufre' is fresh from the store, the bag tag and leather strap are wrapped in a thin kind of paper, and sealed with a masking tape. If the bag you're eyeing is store- fresh, BUT the tag and strap are wrapped in plastic, BEWARE!
Closer look. You will get two cards right inside the zippered pocket of the bag: The pamphlet contains information about your bag, and the envelope contains the control card or authentication card. The pamphlet and envelope are made from high quality cardboard- like paper, and the color is deep purple. If the paper looks flimsy, glossy, or thin in appearance, BEWARE!
At the back part of the control/authentication card, you will see the following. Pay close attention to the words written on the card and pamphlet. If there's a slight inconsistency in the details of the authenticity card and pamphlet of your bag or the bag you're eyeing, BEWARE!
The bag is made from high quality and sturdy nylon, (Tessuto) a signature material of Prada bags, particularly the first Saffiano styles. (I have one and it's still alive!) The Gaufres come in two models: Nappa Gaufre (All- Leather) and Tessuto Gaufre (Nylon with Leather Trimmings). I like the Nylon one best because it's more lightweight than the former. Going back, the Nylon style has the ability to retain its shape and stand firm even without contents. If the bag you're eyeing looks flimsy, BEWARE!
BN1789M opens up to a wider shape when you unbutton the sides.
Sides when unbuttoned.
Sides when fastened. Notice that the rutching folds up nicely and neatly when the bag is buttoned up. If your bag or the one you're eyeing has a crumpled side, BEWARE!
Back part of the bag. The BN1789M has three major rutched layers. If your bag or the one you're eyeing has less or more than three layers, BEWARE!
Base of the bag: Tessuto Gaufres have four brass rivets placed on the four edges of the bag's base-notice that the rutch looks clean and even as well. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing does not have brass rivets, and the rutch looks uneven and messy, BEWARE!
Closer look at the brass rivets on the bottom of the bag. Please take note that the metal hardwares namely the zipper pulls, metal linings, rivets, hooks, and locks of all Prada handbags bear the PRADA logo. Sorry, this part is quite hard to photograph so I'll just describe it to everyone: The base rivets are made from shiny brass hardware with the word PRADA engraved on its top and bottom parts. If the base rivets of your bag or the one you're eyeing do not bear the PRADA logo on the top and bottom parts, and are tarnished, BEWARE!
Body of the bag: Notice that the rutching (yeah I totally misused that word) looks clean and consistent. If the rutching on your bag or the one you're eyeing looks uneven, messy and much worse, some of the rutched parts are out of place or protruding, BEWARE!
Here's the overall stitching of the bag: It looks clean and consistent as well. The thread is thick and black. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has uneven stitching, and the thread looks thin and is not uniform with the color of the bag, BEWARE!
Leather straps: Material is calf leather. It feels soft and buttery, and it falls elegantly and neatly when it's attached onto the bag. If the leather straps of your bag or the one you're currently eyeing is stiff, and if its shape looks crinkly, BEWARE!
Metal Hooks: Made from brass. The hooks are secured with a rotating round rivet on a rectangular buckle. The hooks feel very thick, and they don't come with levers. Notice that the edge of the leather strap also has keepers, (the loop where you insert the excess strap of a clothing belt to seal it) and they are immovable. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has thin, tarnished, levered buckles, does not have rectangular buckles and rotating round rivets, and the keepers slide along the strap, BEWARE!
At the sides of the hooks is where you'll find the engraved PRADA word. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing does not have it, BEWARE! If it has, but it looks messy and tilted, BEWARE AS WELL!
This is the new logo of PRADA, and it is used in all Gaufre' models. It is placed neatly on the exterior of the bag, and is made of brass. The letter R on PRADA logos has a slanted and curvy tail. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has a tarnished and tilted logo, and the letter R has a straight tail, BEWARE!
Bag tag: Made from thick calf leather with a buckled strap, has clean stitching, and the metal lining has the word PRADA engraved on it. It also has a picture slot. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has a thin- looking leather tag, tarnished hardwares, uneven and messy stitching, and if the metal lining does not bear the word PRADA on it, BEWARE!
Handles: The handles are made from calf leather as well. Basically, all the leather trimmings of a Tessuto Gaufre' are made from calf leather. The straps feel thick, and texture is very smooth and buttery. It also has small, pebbled markings on the leather. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has cheap- looking leather handles with long, crinkly markings, (the handles of fake Tessuto Gaufres are usually made from cheap bonded leather) BEWARE!
Base of the handle: Triangular in shape, leather in material, has a smooth surface with small pebbled markings, and has a thick, round brass buckle between it and the handle. The stitching looks clean and consistent too. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has uneven and messy stitching, round base, thin and tarnished buckles, and crinkly, cheap- looking leather, BEWARE!
We are almost through! We're now on the interior of the bag!
Rim of the bag: The rim is lined with smooth calf leather, and has a small leather flap where the brass female button is attached. The zippered pocket is made with a thick brass zipper pull and lining.
This particular model does not have a zipper closure. Instead, it has three buttons: Two on the sides and one on the center. I tend to reach for so many things so an easy- access bag really does it for me. But unlike Louis Vuitton's Neverfull, this one is a tad more secure because it has an extra button at the center.
Zipper Pull: Made from brass and the words PRADA MILANO are engraved on it. It also seems to me that the zipper pull has a Metronome- like shape. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has a leather zipper pull, BEWARE! Or if the zipper pull is made from metal, but is not shaped like this and does not bear the words PRADA MILANO, BEWARE AS WELL!
Leather tag: At a small, open pocket right underneath the big, zippered pocket is where the leather tag is sewn. This is also one of Prada's new interior tags: It's square, made from calf leather, has four brass rivets on its four corners, and the words, graphics, and border are in gold. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has a metal tag, BEWARE! Or if it has a leather tag and does not look like this, BEWARE AS WELL!
Bag lining: Prada bags are well- known and well- loved for their signature Jacquard lining: It's thick yet lightweight, almost waterproof, and sturdy--the secret why Prada's bags last for a long, long time. The lining also bears the PRADA word all throughout, its finish is semi- matte, and its color is uniform with the exterior of the bag. If you look closely, (please enlarge the image if you have to by clicking on it) the lining has a distinct pattern: The PRADA word is separated by the infinity sign, and is inverted alternately-there are also curvy, slanted, small lines that serve as a border for the rows. If the lining of your bag or the bag you're currently eyeing is highly reflective, (Fakes use cheap, shiny nylon material) looks flimsy, does not match with the distinct pattern in this photo, and if the lining's color is not the same as the exterior, BEWARE!
For lighter colors, Prada uses either a beige or olive shade for the jacquard lining.
Extra pockets: The other side of the bag has two small open pockets with leather lining-that makes four interior pockets all in all. If your bag or the bag you're currently eyeing does not have four pockets, and the open pockets are not lined with leather, BEWARE!
Prada's Gaufres are made in Italy. Inside the bag, you'll find a small black tag that says MADE IN ITALY in all caps. I won't state where you can find it to prevent counterfeiters from perfecting their fakes. :D If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing does not have this black tag, BEWARE!
You will also find two white tags which contain the bag's batch and serial numbers. The front tag is looped, and the one underneath is just made from one strip. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing does not have these two white tags, BEWARE! Again, I won't state where you can find it in the bag-same reason as with the black tags. :D
Side buttons: Made from shiny brass, and the female button has two PRADA words engraved around it. If your bag or the one you're currently eyeing has tarnished buttons, and does not bear two PRADA words around the female button, BEWARE!
Center buttons: Bear the same features as the side buttons. The male and female buttons are also attached on a mini leather flap. If the buttons on the center of your bag or the one you're currently eyeing are not attached on a leather flap, BEWARE!
Dust bag: Made from thick, sot, and semi- fluffy cotton with thin white strings. If your bag or the bag you're currently eyeing comes with a silk, satin, or canvas- like dust bag with rope- like strings, BEWARE!
Closer look at the Prada logo on the dust bag. If the logo on your dust bag does not look like this, BEWARE!
Here's the paper bag. It also has a box, but the seller did not include it anymore so we could both save on taxes. My bag came all the way from Prada La Fayette in Paris, and the paper bag is like this. I also bought a pair of Prada shoes for my mom last Christmas from our local Prada boutique and the design of the paper bag is very similar to this, except that it's much smaller in terms of size. Methinks that this is already the new design of Prada's paper bags.
I've always had a liking for versatile bags such as this one: On casual days, I use the strap to give it a more relaxed vibe while for night events or semi- formal ones, I remove the strap and carry it by the top handles. It's like I bought two bags with the price of one! :D
Here's an idea of how much stuff it can carry: I have here my wallet, a perfume bottle, an umbrella, a card holder, my makeup kit, and an everything kit. (it's where I put random stuff like pens, supplements, alcohol, keys, etc.) It's quite deep and wide, which makes it perfect for somebody who likes bringing a lot of stuff. I can still squeeze in a notebook, book, my camera, and two more 100ml perfume bottles in there. Yes! That's how spacious this thing is!
So here's my current bag family. Hmmm...Looks like they're still looking for their Balenciaga, Chanel, YSL, Givenchy, Goyard, Bottega Veneta, Celine, and Hermes sisters! LOL! Alright babies, I will adopt your Balenciaga sister this year. :D
Hope you guys found this authentication post helpful. When buying luxury bags online, it's always best to meet the seller in person and have the bag authenticated in local flagship stores--luxury brands offer connoisseurship services around the world. It's also best if you will buy from a reputable seller. I got mine from Shop a Bag!-it's an online boutique owned and operated by Ms. Cynthia Bumstead, and she's been retailing luxury bags, shoes, and leathergoods for a long time now. She also offers the cheapest prices around! This Prada bag costs 50k in her boutique, while other sellers offer it at a minimum of 60k. I brought this bag to Prada Greenbelt 4 last week, and the connoisseur there deemed it as authentic. :)
If you're interested, please visit her official Multiply store and view her entire collection. She always has fresh stocks too!
Have a great Monday everyone!
Check out my other bag reviews:
23 Comments
Wwow congratulations, parang kailan lang i read that youre lemming for that, on one of your posts sabi mo its going to be a black christmas and now here you are with the bag. congrats again
ReplyDeletehuwaw!!! 0_0 that's all I can say hihi..
ReplyDeleteThank you for the tips. I'll be wary if ever I decide to purchase a Prada bag. Love your bag collection :)
ReplyDelete❤ Beauty Colada
wow you've got a lot of designer bags already quite impressive :)
ReplyDeletewow, you've got yourself a gorgeous bag! you also got a nice collection! :)
ReplyDeletethis is very informative post as imitations are left and right.
ReplyDeletei hope one day i can buy my self a prada bag :)
Super love your collection. Specially the prada bag. Ganda
ReplyDeletewow dream come true, you're a bagaholic indeed, nice choice.:)
ReplyDeleteI love your bags.
ReplyDeleteHope I can have one. It's too expensive.
Love this bag! (Though my dream Prada bag is the Saffiano Luxe Tote). Btw, it is possible that a Tessuto Gaufre has more than three major rutched layers cause their latest, B1789L, has four. (It may not have been available yet when you wrote this article) =)
ReplyDeleteAnna: Hi Anna! I want the Saffiano Lux too, preferably in Yellow (Mimosa) and an orange Vitello Daino. This post serves BN1789M bags only and yes, it's possible that Gaufre's may have more than three major layers-I think BN1336 has 4. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Where did you bought it? Did you bought it in installment? Waaa I want to have one too!
ReplyDeleteStephanie; I got it from Shop A Bag. I bought it straight. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, I saw a similar bag and everything looks fine except that the zipper is leather and not brass. do you think its a fake?
ReplyDeleteHi, just want to ask, So prada Philippines will also authenticate your bag? I just called their Greenbelt branch a few days ago and the person who answered said they do not authenticate bags. Is this true? Thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteIt is no news though that today we can all have a piece of the chicness. Prada is worldwide & includes everything that embodies the chic & fabulous from makeup & skincare, handbags & travel goods, shoes & jewels, perfumes & sunglasses all the way to the most coveted clothes a girl could wish for. Check out Robecart.com Designer Women's Top Fashion Brands it has the best selection of fashionable clothes, jeans, dress, bags, shoes, accessories, etc.
ReplyDeleteHi martha. I saw someone using your prada pics on olx. Authentic Prada Tessuto Gaufre Nero BN1789
ReplyDeletehttp://olx.ph/item/authentic-prada-tessuto-gaufre-nero-bn1789-ID6QA3k.html I knew ive seen the pics before somewhere, then i remembered ur post
Hi there!
DeleteThank you so much for reporting this to me. I reported it right away to OLX and as of this writing, the listing has been taken down already.
Thank you again! Please be vigilant when shopping online. :)
I thought i was being vigilant when i reported it to you. But sure, you are welcome.
DeleteOf course, you are. It was just a friendly reminder. :)
DeleteHi this post is very helpful, i have a query on a bag im eyeing on, someone is selling her preloved rosso tessuto gaufre. Im concerned on its authenticity, do you have an email account or fb account where i can send the pics of the said bags to for 2nd opinion?
ReplyDeleteHi Martha, just thought that you might want to check this user out and report her for using your photos.
ReplyDeletehttps://carousell.com/vellian/
Hello. Just wanted to ask if they released an orange version of this? One of my colleagues is trying to sell me one and all seems pretty legit except the color.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of this post! :)