REAL VS FAKE PRADA: TIPS AND TRICKS ON AUTHENTICATION
Posted onThe house of Prada is known for its highly sophisticated styling and covetable trend-ready accessories. It is no surprise, then, the iconic brand to draw in the attention of counterfeiters who attempt to pass off knock-off Prada handbags as the real ones.
At Bag Religion, where authenticity is at the core of our business, it's important to distinguish between a real vs a fake Prada bag – and we've got your back too. So here are the details of an authentic Prada purse so that you can keep an eye out for deviations.
1. The logo
The iconic Prada logo should sport evenly spaced letters that are legible. The logo plaque should also feature "Milano" – not "Milan" and "Dal 1913". Refer to the image above for details of an authentic Prada logo. Some vintage Prada bags do not feature a notch in the "R."
2. Hardware
Authentic Prada bags use zippers from Lampo, Ykk, Riri, Opti, and Ipi. All the hardware should be high quality and either gold or silver – Prada never mixes hardware colours on a bag.
3. Lining
Unlike the Prada logo on the plaque, the logo found on the interior rope motif lining of the Prada bag does not feature a notch on the "R" of Prada – the "A" does not overhang the letter as well. The font should be sans serif. On every other line, the "Prada" appears upside down. The lining should be embossed jacquard nylon fabric or Nappa leather, not cheap synthetic material.
4. The stitching
Prada has a very distinctive angled stitch pattern that is neat and even. Fakes usually have horizontal topstitching (a common tell-tale that is fake), uneven stitch holes, or thin threads.
5. Quality Assurance tags
All Prada purses (excluding wallets and wallet purses) have a white Quality Assurance Tag stitched into the seam of the interior purse pocket. The numbers printed in black on the tag denote the purses' factory number.
6. Authenticity Cards
When purchased at retail, Prada purses come with a sealed Authenticity Card, a white card that contains the bag's serial number and style information. The Authenticity Card should feature the Prada logo, with "Authenticity certificate card" printed in English and Italian on the front.
Always do a Google Search to cross-reference your bag's serial number and style to see if they match.
It is important to note that these are general rules and that superfakes may successfully pass off as authentic items to the untrained eye. We do not recommend anyone to authenticate their designer bags on their own as certain bags of different styles and seasons may vary in terms of quality and workmanship.
To be sure, we recommend getting a second opinion by having your bag inspected by third-party luxury authenticators like Entrupy and buying from a reputable seller.
Now that you know what makes up a genuine Prada bag, will you be buying one anytime soon?
ALSO READ: BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO BUYING AUTHENTIC DESIGNER BAGS ON CONSIGNMENT
