How to Spot a Fake Hermes Purse: Bogus Birkins

Every Ebay shopper knows how hard it can be to buy used bags online. From the time you hit 'buy' until the moment your bag arrives all you can do is cross your fingers and hope it looks great. Of course, the biggest fear is that we'll be sent  replica bags and won't even know the difference, or we'll somehow be unable to return them. Well today we're going to help put your mind at ease, because by the end of this article you'll be an expert on the Birkin  - the world famous Hermes purse. You'll also pick up some general tips about spotting replica bags for any brand and model.

Proper Pictures

Before you buy any designer bag online (especially secondhand), you need to see close-up high-quality photographs, and lots of them! Replicas are very well made these days, and you won't be able to spot the difference with just a few grainy pics. You need photos that will demonstrate the quality and grain of the leather, the stitching, the interior and the hardware.

Good Posture

A real Hermes purse will always stand up straight and tall like this lovely orange Birkin. When you see a slouching bag like this version in black, you know it's a replica, and not a very good one!



Lovely Linings

It's what's inside that counts! First off, go to the Hermes site and verify the color for the lining of your bag - a lot of Birkins feature bold and unusual color schemes. Next you want to look at the stitching. It should be neat and proper with no loose threads or dangling loose ends.

Stamp of Approval

Between the clasp and the bag's opening you'll find the Hermes stamp. It says "Hermes Paris - Made in France". The stamp on some replicas will fade away or flake off, so watch out for that, and be sure that the color of the stamp matches the hardware.

Grand Engravings

On some of the hardware on a Birkin you'll find some very delicate engravings. The clasp, for example, should read "HERMES-PARIS" as you see in the photo. On a lot of replica bags you'll notice that the engraving is deeper, and the lettering is a little it chunkier.



I.D. Check

Every Birkin features an I.D. code discreetly tucked away on the reverse side of the right strap. The number/letter combination identifies the craftsman who made the bag, while the letter inside the square tells you the year the bag was made. "L" is 2008, "M" is 2009, and so on.

The Bag's Bag

Any authentic Birkin should include the famous orange dust bag you use to store the purse when you're not using it. Some older models might have a tan colored dust bag, but they're pretty rare.

Sturdy Stitching

Birkins use what are called saddle stitches, in which the stitches cross back and forth to create a string of X's. They should be very even and tight without exception.

If you've considered all these tips and you still can't tell if a bag is real or not, it's probably best to walk away. Patience is a virtue, so never by a Hermes purse until you're absolutely sure it's the real deal.