TOD'S HANDBAGS-AUTHENTICITY CHECKLIST

This guide was brought about when I attempted to sell a Tod's handbag for a friend, who had presumed it to be authentic, and it turned out it was not. I would like to thank my very helpful and knowledgeable buyer for helping to educate me in the world of Tod's handbags! Very little information exists regarding the details that make a Tod's bag authentic. Tod's bags feature a superior quality of construction that is, first and foremost, the key to an authentic Tod's bag. Beyond that, only a few details exist that can truly distinguish an authentic bag from a fake one.

BAG LINING
The lining of a Tod's bag is one way to spot a fake rather quickly. Most of their bags are lined with a simple, smooth canvas fabric usually in black or a light brown color. There is never two different fabrics in the main bag area and the inside pocket for a bag produced for Tod's boutiques. Very rarely you might find two-fabric interiors in bags made solely for their outlet stores. One example I have seen has this arrangement but it is in an entirely different fabric as well, not the usual canvas. One other lining Tod's bags may have is full leather interiors, which are popular now on many of their current styles.

In the photo below, the black bag has a beige and white tweed lining that is NOT a Tod's fabric. The authentic red bag has a sort of ridgy faille type fabric in the main compartment and the same fabric in a moire version on the interior pocket. This bag was made especially for their outlet store, and was never a floor model in a boutique.

        

FEET
If the bag has metal feet, they should also have screws that go all the way through the bottom leather and be visible from the interior of the bag. In the photos above, the black one does not have the screws, where the red one does.

ZIPPERS
Tod's bags that have zippers will have them in a silver finish and the underside of the zipper pull has the word "Lampo". Older Tod's bags have this written in a sort of script (see photo below of camel bag). The black bag has a copy zipper with the "Lampo" in block print as well as a "Made in Italy" label. Handbags currently available in Tod's boutiques also have the "Lampo" in a slightly different script with a zig-zag lightning bolt shape under the name, unfortunately I don't have a photo of that version. On each zipper pull, a leather tab is attached, embossed with a "T" and an ornate lion's head decoration to the right side of the "T".

        

HARDWARE
Many Tod's bags do not have hardware, others have very limited usage. In the examples below, the hardware for the Diana bag is shown. The black (copy) bag has a very thin, uneven, inconsistent engraving of the Tod's name on the strap hardware. One end even had the name stamped crookedly. Compare it to that of the camel (authentic) bag and you will see a nice, even engraving, with thick, deeply stamped letters.

LOGO
Each bag has a Tod's logo embossed on the interior above or below the pocket, and sometimes on the exterior as well as seen in the photos below, again from the Diana bag. The black logo is barely embossed and is off-center in the medallion, while the camel has nice even embossing with depth to it you can feel.

        

OTHER EMBOSSING
Many Tod's bags also have "Made in Italy" embossed inside near the pocket. They also may have "Genuine Leather" and a date stamp imprinted there as well. According to a tod's sales associate at the Chicago boutique, the date stamp can be used to verify only the production date and is not otherwise useful for tracking a particular bag.

SLEEPER/DUST BAG
The sleeper bags that come with Tod's handbags are a nice chocolate brown with the Tod's logo imprinted in their signature mustard/orange color. In the photo below, the top bag is the copy and features a logo that is a different, duller color, and is larger than the one below which is the authentic one.

On the replica bag, the logo has bled to the back side of the bag due to sloppy screenprinting.

The fabric on the copy also has a much lighter hand, is a rougher weave, and is not as substantial feeling as the authentic one. The authentic bag has a much smoother feel to it and is fuzzier on the inside. The drawstring cords also are different. The authentic bag (on the left) has a much thinner, finer cord, while the copy (on the right) is thicker, yellower and not as fine a weave.

CARE CARD
An authentic handbag may also have a care card with it. A folded card in the same mustard/orange color of the logo on the bag, it features the logo on the front and a description of the leather used in the bag and how to care for it. The information is in Italian on the left and English on the right side of the interior of the card.

CONCLUSIONS
I am hopeful that this guide has helped you to be more educated about the Tod's line of handbags, and the impeccable quality they are known for. If you have any other characteristics to add that can help others beware of merchandise that is not authentic, please contact me  and I will add it to this guide.

TYPES OF BAG

Athletic bag: a soft, roomy bag used to carry sporting equipment and apparel to the gym.

Backpack: a bag that is supported by the shoulders with double handles and lies across the back. Backpacks are supported on either one or both shoulders.

Baguette Bag: A purse that is relatively long from side to side and small from top to bottom – basically a little like a baguette with a handle.

Bowling Bag: A bag originally made to hold a bowling ball, this has become a fashion item.

Bucket bag: roomy bag shaped like a bucket, usually has an open top and shoulder strap.

Clutch Bag: Small but long bag (rectangular), evening bag without a handle. You have to clutch it – hence the name.

Cosmetic case: bags of varying sizes and shapes with a zip closure lined to hold cosmetics.

Doctor's bag: A traditional doctor's bag is a duffel-shaped leather satchel used primarily to carry small medical necessities when making house calls. The classic doctor's bag is flat-bottomed with rounded sides, slightly elongated. Two large handles come together over the top for easy carrying. The mouth of the bag has a collapsible metal frame that springs open when handles are separated and tugged. The gaping mouth makes it easy to see into the bag and extract items.

Duffel Bag: A large bag usually used for travel or sports. The name comes from Duffel, a town in Belgium where the thick cloth used to make the bag originated. Duffel bags are often used by sailors, and are sometimes called sea bags in this capacity.

Envelope bag: a flat, square or rectangular bag with a triangle-shaped top flap that folds over like an envelope.

Feed bag: bag that is used to feed an animal (such as a horse); covers the muzzle and fastens at the top of the head.

Fold over clutch: a clutch with or without a handle that can be tucked or folded.

Hobo Bag: a large crescent-shaped shoulder bag or any large bag that hangs from your shoulder and has a main compartment closure (unlike the "tote" which is normally open top).

Messenger Bag: A bag with a long strap to be worn across the body that winds around the chest resting the bag on the lower back. Materials used in messenger bags are often more durable and water-resistant than traditional bags. Messenger bags are often used by bicycle messengers, though they are increasingly becoming an urban fashion icon.

Minaudiere: a small evening bag embezzled with pieces of metal, semi precious stones or beads or covered with fabric or leather.

Muff: a winter bag made of real or faux fur, wool or velvet that has zippered compartments and a slip opening for your hands.

Saddle Bag: a large bag (or pair of bags) hung over a saddle. Many designers use saddle bag as an inspiration for their designs. Therefore, their bags are called saddle bags, even though they are not actually saddle bag.

Satchel: A structured handbag with double handles, locking hardware and a wide, flat bottom. May be large or small.

Shoulder bag: any bag with a shoulder strap.

Sling Bag: A bag with a long strap (similar to a messenger bag), yet smaller.

Tote Bag: A medium to large bag with two straps. Sometimes sold as a reusable shopping bag, this bag can carry anything that is too large for a common handbag – also called a ‘Shopper’.

Weekend Bag: A bag of a size to carry clothing and personal articles for a weekend trip.

Wristlet - a clutch shaped bag that comes with an attached leather or bracelet-looking strap allowing you to hold your bag and dance freely.

SOME STEPS TO KNOW A FAKE CHANEL CLASSIC

Chanel Classic

Authentic	With fake bags, most of the time the lines of the bag is not clean, the shape is wrong and you can see the overall quality is not even close to the authentic one. Authentic Chanel bags have superior workmanship. We can see that the fake Chanel has a really heavy quilting compare to the authentic one.
Fake
Authentic	From this side view you can see that the perimeter of the flap of the authentic bag does not have any stitching, like the fake one does. This stitching is actually for the Chanel Caviar leather not the lambskin leather. Most of the fakes that I’ve seen use the perimeter flap stitching on the lambskin leather.
Fake
Authentic	One of the easiest to spot a fake Chanel is by looking at its’ back pocket. Fake Chanels usually have the wrong size of pocket. Notice how the fake Chanel has bigger pocket than the authentic one? Also the diamond quilt on the authentic Chanel lined up perfectly while the fake one does not. The top edge of the authentic Chanel looks more like a soft wave while the fake one looks like a flat curve.
Fake
Authentic	The inside of the first flap should be smooth. Notice how the inside of the first flap of the fake Chanel is all wrinkly.
Fake
Authentic	Inside the second flap there is the interlocking CC logo. This particular fake Chanel has too skinny C’s compared to the authentic one.
Fake
Authentic	On this other fake Chanel the interlocking C’s are too fat and too flat. The interlocking C’s are supposed to be raised a little.
Fake

Read more tips on recognizing an authentic Chanel.

How to Spot a Fake Balenciaga Bag

The Leather
One of the reasons Balenciaga handbags are so popular is because they are made from some of the softest, thinnest, and most lightweight leather available. Once you’ve touched a Balenciaga handbag, you will be instantly “hooked”! The leather is very thin, but extremely durable. The type of leather used by Balenciaga is a very distressed looking type of leather. Every bag has a unique appearance. You’ll find lines, wrinkles, folds and smooth spots all over the bag’s body. No two Balenciaga bags look identical.

Most of the fake bags are made from cheap leather, which has a shiny and stiff appearance to it. The leather on the fake bags looks more “cracked” than distressed.

Look closely at the fake bag’s appearance. See how shiny it is? An authentic Balenciaga bag doesn’t have this much shine to the bag. You’ll also notice that the bag’s material appears more “cracked” rather than distressed. Almost as if those lines were intentionally put there:

The leather on the fake bag is too even and structured. It looks the same all over the bag. An authentic Balenciaga will usually “collapse” when empty. This is because the leather is so thin and soft, whereas the fake bags tend to hold their shape even when they’re not stuffed.

Here is a close up comparing the leather of an authentic bag to the “leather” of a fake bag.

When you look at it this way, the differences in the appearance & texture of the leather, become much more apparent. You can actually see the stiffness & cracked appearance in the fake bag versus the soft and distressed look of the authentic.

The most obvious difference between most of the fake Balenciagas and the authentic Balenciaga is the leather. The Authentic’s is so soft that there’s no way the bag will stand upright unless it is very tightly stuffed. As I mentioned above, the authentic bags tend to collapse when you set them down, even when the bags have many things inside. It doesn’t take much inside of a fake Balenciaga bag in order for it to retain its shape.

The Tassels
The tassels that are connected to all of the zippers should be just as soft as the bag’s leather. They should hang loosely, and feel like velvet in your hands. The tassels on most fake bags are stiff and hard, and do not hang loosely.

The Hardware
The hardware on the fake bag is too silver & shiny. The hardware on an authentic bag is either brass or “dirty” silver. See the tonal differences in the authentic bag?

There are other differences also, if you look closely. See the hardware that connects the handles to the bag? On an authentic bag this hardware is rounder and wider, while the hardware on the fake bag is much more narrow and longer. Also, the studs on the bag. The studs on the fake bag have a very flat appearance to them and look as if they protrude from the bag. On an authentic bag, the hardware is three-dimensional and appears to “blend” with the bag. Also, the hardware on a fake bag is single-toned, meaning that it is only a single shade of silver (or brass). The hardware on an authentic bag is multi-tonal, and looks like different colors in different light.

Another thing to look at are the small rings on the zippers where the tassels are tied. There should be small rings on each of the zippers (the top zipper, the front zipper and the inner zipper pocket). All of these rings should be sealed or welded closed so that there are no gaps and/or spaces. Most of the fake bags (that I’ve seen) have small gaps where the ends of the ring meet. These rings are also made from a type of metal that cannot be easily bent and/or “pinched”, whereas the rings on the fake bags tend to be much to thin and can be easily bent or pinched together, or in some cases, easily fall off.

The Straps
The shoulder strap of an authentic bag should should be one solid piece with small openings at the ends where the hardware fits into. The leather on the shoulder strap of most fake bags are folded over the hardware and wrapped around it, creating a double layer of leather. The hardware at the ends should have a rounded, curved appearance to it, while most of the fake bags have more of a squared appearance to this hardware. There should also be a small eye hook that connects the hardware together. The tip of the eye hook should have a flat head and should be pushed up through the corkscrew shaped hardware. It should not stop just below it, as it does on most of the fake bags. The detachable shoulder strap is almost always connected to the bag, it is also never wrapped in plastic (or bubble wrap) and tucked inside the bag.

The Zipper
As I’m sure most of you know, authentic Balenciaga bags are made with Lampo zippers. The thing that most people don’t know is that Lampo makes two different types of zippers. An authentic Balenciaga should have the type of Lampo zipper that is written in italics with a line underneath which extends from the bottom of the “L” and the TM symbol in the upper right corner. The other type of Lampo zipper, which is printed in uneven, capital letters is NOT the type of the zipper that should be found on an authentic Balenciaga bag. The word “Lampo” should be embossed on the zipper (printed in raised letters), whereas most of the fake bags have the word “Lampo” engraved into the zipper. Please be aware, however, that there are many fake bags with authentic Lampo zippers. YOU CANNOT TELL IF A BAG IS AUTHENTIC BY LOOKING AT THE ZIPPER ALONE!!

The Handles
The handles are weaved, or braided with leather. Balenciaga calls it “sueded leather”, which has a raw appearance to it and looks more like rope or a shoelace. It shouldn’t be finished leather, coated or protected. The following picture shows the difference in the braiding on an authentic bag and a fake one. See how the braiding on the fake bag looks like it has a protective coating over it:

The Tags
The Classique (small), the City Classique (medium) and the Voyage (weekender) should all have a leather tag with a silver plate on the front side. The Office Bag (large) and Boston Twiggy should just have leather tags with no silver plate (some older Twiggy bags had silver plates, but this was changed in 2004). Most of the numbers should be the SAME on every bag in one style. The only number that is different is the first number on the top of the silver plate (the one that starts with “No.”). The number 103208 is the model number of the Classique (small) and should appear on the bottom of the silver plate and should be the first set of numbers on the back of the leather tag, followed by the numbers 213048. The model number of the City Classique (medium) is 115748 and should be found on the bottom of the silver plate and should be the first set of numbers on the backside of the leather tag, followed by the numbers 3444.The model number of the Voyage (weekender) is 110506 and should be found on the bottom of the silver plate and should be the first set of numbers on the backside of the leather tag, followed by the numbers 213048. The model number of the Twiggy bag is 128523 and should be the first set of numbers on the backside of the leather tag, followed by the numbers 3444. The model number of the Office Bag is 132110, followed by the numbers 1669. All of these numbers should be found on all authentic bags for the current season. Many fake bags have one set of numbers on the silver plate, with another bag’s model number on the backside of the leather tag. The numbers and “made in italy” should be evenly centered on the backside of the tag. On many of the fake bags, these numbers are printed too high on the tag, or sometimes printed unevenly. The pics below show the tags from an authentic Classique and a fake Classique. You’ll notice that numbers on the backside of the tag inside the fake bag are the numbers that should appear on the tag of a Twiggy bag!

The Cosmetic Mirror
When purchasing a brand new Balenciaga bag from an authorized retailer, the cosmetic mirror that is included with the bag comes tied around the rear handle of the bag so that it hangs. It does NOT come wrapped in platic (or worse, bubble wrap!).

The Extras
You may notice that many of the bags that you find listed, will include all the “extras” wrapped in plastic. The only item that comes with an authentic Balenciaga bag that is wrapped in plastic are the extra tassels, that are included with every bag. While I’m sure it’s always POSSIBLE that a seller might wrap the accessories for protection during shipping, this is not how brand new bags are normally sold and is another way that may help you determine if the bag is fake (but again, you should not rely on this alone).

A few other things you should do when considering placing a bid on one of the Balenciaga bags listed on ebay,
(1) Contact the seller and ask them when and where they originally purchased the bag. This shouldn’t be a big secret. There are only a handful of retail locations that are authorized to sell authentic Balenciaga handbags. Many of the online sites that are selling bags with the Balenciaga name, are actually selling fake bags. (The fake Black Twiggy bag pictured above was purchased for more than $1100 from one of these sites!) You can usually tell that these bags are not authentic because either the colors are wrong, or they have way too many available. There are waiting lists that are months long at most authorized retail locations. It’s impossible for any retailer to have as many of these bags available for immediate shipment as some of these websites have.

(2) Familiarize yourself with the names of the styles, the colors and when they were released. Only a handful of colors are produced each season, and they are almost always “retired” at the end of each season. The only colors that are continuously produced are black and white. Red is an older color from approx 2 yrs ago, so if a seller has a brand new red bag which they claim they just bought, chances are it is not an authentic Balenciaga bag. You can get a list of the current colors from any authorized Balenciaga retailer.

(3) Know your seller. Check their feedback. How many Balenciaga bags has this seller sold? Do they have a continuous inventory of these bags, as well as other designer bags. Do they have more than 2 or 3 black bags currently available? Black is the most popular color and the hardest to find. It would be next to impossible for any ebay seller to have more than 2 or 3 black bags available for bidding.

(4) Unless the bag has been previously used, it is IMPOSSIBLE to purchase an authentic Balenciaga bag for less than its retail price. At its current price, with sales tax, the lowest possible price to buy a brand new authentic Balenciaga handbag (in the US) is approx. $1000. If a seller has a brand new bag that they’re selling for much less than this, chances are, the bag is not authentic. You know the saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not.”