Authenticate Designer Handbags, Part Two: How to Tell the Difference Between a Fake Vintage Dooney & Bourke Handbag Verses a Real One?

     I thrifted these two little jewels for $3 and $4, respectively (high five!).  The reason I've been able to score these for so little isn't because I was there first.  It was because I was the only person at the thrift store who knew that they were authentic!

     I’ve been asked this question a lot, so I will explain how to judge vintage Dooney & Bourke bags here. 

     This style of Dooney & Bourke, namely the All Weather Leather vintage bags, were counterfeited quite often back in the day.  This is obvious when you do an online search to buy one.  I want to say that at least 10-15% of the vintage AWL bags I see for sale online are actually fake.  I'd like to give a few pointers on authenticating them.

     First off, make sure that the style even exists.  There are tons of fakes out there that I don’t even know which Dooney bags they were even trying to replicate!  This is the best way to gauge if a newer style of Dooney is fake or not.  I haven’t come across too many counterfeits of the newer styles, but as long as the style exists, and the bag is made with excellent Dooney quality, it is authentic.  Counterfeits are not quality.  So, I’m not going to go into too much detail about the newer bags.

     Once you have determined that the style of bag was indeed produced by Dooney, you have to check a few other things:

     Lining: Vintage Dooney AWL bags have a suede lining.  If you come across one with any type of fabric lining, it is counterfeit.  The suede needs to match the exterior in color.  So, a brown bag with a black suede interior is not authentic.

     Hardware:  Solid brass hardware.  Contrary to what some sites may say, not all of these bags have their hardware stamped with the actual words, “Solid Brass”.  This doesn’t indicate a counterfeit.  Just feel the hardware.  If it’s heavy and obviously brass, then it’s solid brass.  Be aware that newer Dooney styles can have nickle hardware.  This post is geared more towards vintage mid-late 80’s to mid 90’s AWL bags.

     Strap Attachment:  This is important.  If the bag has small brass buttons to attach a strap, they must be REAL, functional buttons.  If they are just “for show”, and don’t actually come apart, the bag is fake.  Run away!  Refer to my picture below.  See the slit below that button?  This is a real, functional button that would allow the strap to be removed and is a sign of authenticity.

     Feet:  Not all Dooney bags have feet on the bottom.  But when they do, they need to be brass.  The number of feet can’t be used to judge.  A common myth is that there should be an even number of feet.  This is false.  Dooney made bags with five feet as well.

     Rivets:  These bags are held together with brass rivets.  You should be able to see them on the bottom and/or sides of the interior of the bag, as well as at the base of the straps.  When you find them, check to be sure that they are stamped with the words “Dooney Bourke”. 

     Duck Logo:  Check the logo.  The duck’s bill should be separated from its face by a tiny bit.  Also, the stitching around the logo should be neat and even.  The logo is not always on the front of the bag.

     Leather:  Besides the suede interior, the exterior should be made of a sturdy, authentic pebbled leather.  The trim will be British tan, dark brown, red, black, or beige depending on the style of bag you have.

     Tag:  The inside should have a red white and blue tag with a serial number on the back.  Sometimes these were cut off.  Just so long as you can see that it was once there.  Don’t rely solely on the tag for authentication, because many fakes have replicated this tag.  This is only a part of the bigger puzzle.  Also, older 1980’s bags may have a sewn in green fabric tag, or even a DB stamped into the interior leather.  This is fine.

Hangtag: Sometimes these aren’t present on used bags because they have been removed.  But if it is there, it should be attached with one continuous strip of leather which will match the exterior trim.  The duck itself should be heavy, solid brass.  The impression should be neat and of excellent quality.  Some earlier bags have a fob that is stamped with DB, instead of a duck.  As long as it is solid brass and high quality, it is probably legit.  However, don’t gauge the entire bag by the fob.  People have been known to put authentic fobs onto knock off bags. 

     Things to stay far away from: ANY Velcro, snap closures, fake buttons that don’t function, cloth lining, faux leather.  If any of these are present, the bag is 100% fake.

     Well I hope that clears that up!  Do you have a vintage Dooney that you aren’t too sure about?  Leave it in the comments and I will try to help!

Authenticate Designer Handbags Part One: Beware of Counterfeit Bags on the Shelves of Your Favorite Department Store

     Yes, it happens and yes, they are lurking around even your favorite retail stores.  Counterfeit designer handbags.  Don’t fall prey to this scam.

     I was inspired to finally start my blog last week when I spotted a counterfeit Michael Kors handbag for sale at one of my favorite local department stores.  Before I get into the details of how I became the type of girl who will grab a purse off the shelf and run straight to the store manager with it, allow me to give a little background about myself.

     I love handbags.  As a little girl, I always had a tiny little bag to match my outfit (even if I didn't actually have anything to carry in it lol).  As I grew up, my tastes have changed, but my obsession with bags has stayed the same.   From vintage Coach and Dooney & Bourke that are usually older than myself, to antique Lucite or Whiting and Davis bags which pre-date my beloved grandma, I love and can appreciate them all!  Except, of course, for counterfeits!  Very few things upset me more than seeing someone spend their hard earned money on something that isn't what it appears to be.  So, this blog post will be the start of several posts explaining how to authenticate handbags.  It's easier than you might think, and once you get the hang of it, you will be able to discern a fake from across the thrift store, or better yet, from across the internet (yeah, I'm lookin at you phony bologne's). 

     Now onto last week.  This isn't the store's fault.  They were actually the victim in this scenario, so I was glad to have been able to help somewhat.   I've heard about the old switcharoo before, but never actually witnessed it firsthand.  What happened was, apparently some unsavory individual purchased an authentic bag and then swapped it with a counterfeit one to make a store return.  Then the store becomes liable for having a counterfeit purse on the shelf, since it is a crime to sell fake designer purses.  So it's a lose/lose for everyone.   This is not cute.  It is THEFT.  Obviously some people don't realize that there are cameras pointed at the return counter. 

    I'm browsing the handbags when I see this odd looking white MK bag.  As my eyes focus on the logo emblem, I notice that the color is way off and almost an orangy gold.  Also, the finish looked uneven, and pretty "blurry".  The hardware felt like plastic with a heavy coat of spray paint.  I knew it was a fake right then, but I needed to inspect it a little further to give the manager some more proof other than just an ugly emblem.  

     Upon picking up the bag, it felt too light and thin, not genuine leather.  The zipper was cheap and flimsy, the lining was cheap and thin, all of the hardware was that awful blurry orangy gold color, and some of the gold "spray paint" had been rubbed off.  

     The strap was coated foam, and at the place where it was folded over the buckle and secured, the edges were actually raw, exposing this foam.  

     

     So with my arsenal of reasons why I believe it would be in the best interest of the store to remove the bag and maybe investigate whoever had returned it, off I went to find a sales rep.  This is where it got a little frustrating.  I approach sales rep #1 to show the shoddy craftsmanship and reasons for the bag being a counterfeit.  She responds with, "Yeah, but how do you know it's fake?"  Hmm, ok.  Sales rep #2 wasn't so quick to brush it off, but still seemed to doubt that this was indeed a counterfeit.  Thankfully, she called over the store manager to speak with me.  I showed the manager, and she knew it as soon as she saw it.  She was very thankful that I would take the time to bring this to her attention, and seemed a little shocked that someone would actually do something like this. 

My goal is to help other women to be able to spot things like this.  I know somewhere out there is a woman who unknowingly has paid several hundred for what she believed to be a quality handbag, only to have it fall apart within weeks.  I'm definitely not a brand snob, but I do believe in quality... and counterfeits are just gross. 

     That's it for now!  I will be sure to post more info for authenticating bags from different designers soon.  Do you have your own counterfeit scam handbag horror story?  Leave it in the comments!