How to spot a fake Louis Vuitton Speedy Monogram Bag

In this “How to spot a fake..” review I will explain how you can spot the difference between a counterfeit and an authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy Monogram bag. 

If you want to be sure that the designer item you own or want to buy is authentic, please continue reading. I can help you authenticate your designer bag. In my opinion it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Basic Information -

The Louis Vuitton Speedy bag is first launched in 1930 and is one of the most known and counterfeit bag of the Louis Vuitton collection. The Louis Vuitton Speedy bag comes in five sizes: 25, 30, 35, 40, 45. The sizes correspond to the cm in width.

Monogram Toile Canvas Print -

The Monogram Toile canvas is been launched in 1896 and was based on the trend of Japanese and Oriental designs in the late Victorian era. Below you will find some basic rules that apply to most Louis Vuitton Monogram products:

The V of the LV logo should be slightly above the L without touching the __ of the letter “L”. If  I’m really honest I have to say that most replica Louis Vuitton Monogram products have a very good looking LV. However, they almost all go wrong on the colour of the Monogram print and the colour of the hardware!

An authentic Louis Vuitton product should have an even pattern that is well matched and proportionate! The asymmetrical pattern (for example from left upper corner to right down corner) of an authentic Louis Vuitton Monogram pattern should be: a LV logo, a quatrefoil flower, a flower in a circle, again a quatrefoil flower and again a LV logo. This pattern should repeat until you reach a stitch on the opposite side.

  

The Monogram pattern on the left and right side of the zipper should also have a symmetrical (!) mirror image. This is the easiest way to spot a fake Louis Vuitton Monogram bag.

Louis Vuitton takes pride in it’s LV logo and therefor it will not be cut off in the corners. However, there are some authentic (vintage) models that have a cut off LV logo. But this is very rare and certainly not the rule!

The Speedy bag is made of one continuous piece of leather that wraps around from the front to back with NO seam on the bottom. Therefor the LV logo on the opposite side of the bag will be upside down. NOTE: this does not apply to some vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bags!

Stitching -

The stitching on an authentic Louis Vuitton product is placed with care and that should show! The stitches should be need and even. On the leather tag, where the handles are attached to, you will find 5 stitches going across. It doesn’t matter which size the Louis Vuitton Speedy bag is! Please note that some vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bags DON’T have 5 stitches on the tab! 

Although most good replica’s have 5 stitches on the handles, the stitches are often sloppy and/or don’t have the right colour. An authentic Louis Vuitton bag should have mustard yellow stitches and not bright yellow as you can see on the picture below of the fake Louis Vuitton Speedy Monogram bag.



Handles -

The handles of an authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag are made from Vachetta leather (untreated cowhide leather) which will tan naturally as the bag ages. This process is called “Patina”. Even if you don’t use the bag the handles will get Patina! The inside of the handles of an authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag should have a dark burgundy red trim, which also will darken in time. However, most replica Louis Vuitton bags have a more lipstick red trim that doesn’t darken in time. Please note that some replica Louis Vuitton bags now have a patina look(!) to make the bags look more real! 

Heat Stamp on Leather Tab -

On one side of an authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag you should find a leather tab with a “R” in a circle “Louis Vuitton Paris” “Made in..” heat stamp.

Louis Vuitton uses a really specific font. The “O” is very round and the upper half circle of the letter “S” must be smaller than the bottom half circle. Please not that this only applies to the heat stamps and NOT to the embossing on the hardware!

The stitching on the leather tab is often a major give always. Fake Louis Vuitton Speedy bags often have a short V stitching on the leather tab. However, the V stitching on an authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag should almost touch the “R” in the circle.

The size of the Louis Vuitton Speedy bag (25, 30, 35, 40, 45) is stamped on the back side of the leather tab. Most replica Speedy bags don’t have that and if they do, the size is not stamped but just painted on. Also pay close attention to structure of the back of the tab. As you can see the structure of the tab of the fake Louis Vuitton Speedy bag is very different than of the authentic one. Please note that some vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bags DON’T have the bag size stamped on the back side of the leather tab! 

Hardware -

The hardware of authentic Louis Vuitton bags is often made of brass metal (an alloy composed of copper and zinc), Due to oxidation the brass metal will in time darken into a browns colour and will show a greenish glow around the corners. On the picture below of the authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bag you can see how brass metal after oxidation will look.

Most replica’s use a gold colour metal base, which will not darker in time. Unfortunately the quality of the hardware can be hard to see on a picture. Especially when the bags is quite new. However, almost all replica Louis Vuitton bags have a to bright gold colour hardware. The colour of the hardware can really help you to determine if a Louis Vuitton bag is authentic or not.

Authentic Louis Vuitton hardware studs, even the small once, have “Louis Vuitton” embossed. The embossing should be detailed and fine. Fake embossing tend to be thick. Also please pay close attention to the letter “0” of the embossing of the hardware. In comparison to the way it’s heat stamped(!) the letter “0” on the hardware is much more oval. “0” instead of “O”. Please note that some vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bags DON’T have “Louis Vuitton” embossed on the studs! 

Lining -

Authentic Louis Vuitton Speedy bags should have a honey brown cotton canvas lining and an even stitched inner pocket. The canvas lining should be one with the outside. You shouldn't be able to pull them apart. The inside of the inner pocket should have a platinic feel. Please note that some vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy bags DON’T have that!

Louis Vuitton Date Code -  

IF a Louis Vuitton Speedy bag has a date code, you should be able to locate it behind the inner pocket on the backside of the handle on a leather tag. NOTE: if a Louis Vuitton product doesn’t have a date code it doesn’t automatically mean it’s fake! 

The leather tag should be a bit oval with a braced hardware closure. The words “Louis Vuitton” are embossed on the hardware. As you can see on the picture below, the fake leather tag is to long, to light, the hardware is to bright of a yellow and the letters and digits of the date code are stamped to close together. Also the colour of the canvas lining is dark brown and not honey brown.

If the Louis Vuitton item is manufactured prior to 1980 it shouldn't have a date code, because Louis Vuitton started using date codes in the early ’80.

The first Louis Vuitton date codes from the early ’80 have 3 or 4 digits, representing the month and year the product is manufactured. In the late ’80 Louis Vuitton added two letters after the 3 or 4 digits, which represent the location (“Made in” stamp) where the product was manufactured.

In the early ’90 Louis Vuitton changed it again and placed the two letters before the 4 digits (no 3) and gave the digits an other meaning. The FIRST and THIRD digit represent the month and the SECOND and FOURTH digit represent the year the product is manufactured. This formula applies to all Louis Vuitton products manufactured from the early ’90 till late 2006.

The current meaning (started in the year 2007) of the Louis Vuitton date codes is yet again a bit different. The first two letters still represent the location where the product is manufactured. However, the FIRST and THRID digit now represent the week and the SECOND and FOURTH digit represent the year a Louis Vuitton product is manufactured.

For example if you come across the date code SP 1907 you now will now know that the Louis Vuitton product is “Made in France” in October of 1997. Or if you for example come across the date code FA 1029, you now will know that the Louis Vuitton product was “Made in Italy” in the 12th week of 2009. Please note that most good replica Louis Vuitton products have a date code and that having or not having a date code unfortunately doesn’t mean anything!

If the Louis Vuitton product has a date code, please make sure that the “Made in” embossing matches the letters in the date code! However, some bags have contradicting date codes because they were repaired abroad. Louis Vuitton never repeats date codes but adds a new one after repairmen.

Packaging and wrapping -

1) Authentic Louis Vuitton bags NEVER have plastic wrapped around the handles. Designer bags that come with a plastic wrapping around the handles are often fake.

2) Authentic Louis Vuitton bags do come with tags, but they are simply placed in the inner pocket of the bag or in the dust bag and NEVER attached to the bag itself with plastic or pins.

3) Authentic Louis Vuitton bags do NOT come with a plastic (yellow) authenticity card!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my “How to spot a fake Louis Vuitton Monogram Speedy bag” review! If you have any questions please feel free to comment below.