Koyaana Redstar, the head of luxury buying at Luxe Du Jour, an online boutique specialising in vintage designer handbags, has shared key tips for identifying genuine luxury bags. With 20 years of experience in the resale industry, Redstar spoke to Business Insider about her methods for spotting authentic items from high-end brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, and Fendi.
Redstar’s journey in luxury resale began early. At the age of 13, she sold her mother’s old Kate Spade handbags on eBay, quickly developing a passion for the business. “After my first sale, I was hooked,” she recalled. “The quick turnover and liquidating items so fast were exciting. From that moment, I wanted to see what else I could sell.”
Over the years, Redstar has honed her ability to identify authentic designer bags through subtle details. One of the main indicators, she explained, is symmetry. “Luxury brands invest time in ensuring their pieces are perfectly aligned,” she said. “For instance, Chanel’s quilting should be centred on both the front flap and back pocket. If the pattern is off, it’s probably a fake.”
Redstar pointed out that this focus on alignment also extends to other brands. “Gucci and Louis Vuitton, for example, ensure their patterns are aligned and centred. If a bag’s design looks off-centre or misaligned, it’s not worth your time,” she advised.
Another key aspect Redstar highlighted is the quality of hardware. “Authentic luxury bags have a certain weight to their hardware,” she said. “When you open or close the bag, or use the zipper, you should feel and hear quality. Counterfeit bags often use cheap, hollow metal that feels and sounds inferior.”
One of her more unusual methods for authentication involves the smell of the leather. “You can often tell a lot just by smelling the bag,” Redstar explained. “If it’s genuine leather, it should have a distinct scent. However, if it smells too much like leather, it might not be authentic. For example, Hermes Birkins have a subtle, almost perfumed smell due to how they treat their leather, while vintage Louis Vuitton bags can smell like Crayola crayons as they age.”
Redstar also stressed the importance of examining a bag’s finishing details. “You need to assess the overall quality,” she noted. “Does the fabric feel cheap or luxurious? Are the seams neat and the engravings on the hardware done with precision? If anything feels flimsy or poorly made, that’s a bad sign.”
Finally, one of the most straightforward indicators is the type of screws used in the hardware. “Luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Hermes typically use flathead screws,” she said. “If you see a Phillips-head screw on a designer bag, that’s a major red flag. You can spot that a mile away.”
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