First off, remember that shopping at legit stores is usually a safe bet. Duh, right? But hey, it’s worth saying! Like, if you’re snagging a bag from some random dude on the street corner…well, good luck with that. Seriously, stick to reputable retailers – you know, the places you *trust*.
Okay, now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. Apparently, you gotta become a font detective! Seriously, since around 2000, all Kate Spade labels are supposed to use the same font. If something seems off, like, *really* off, that’s a major red flag, people.
And, OMG, the metal! Listen up: Kate Spade generally doesn’t do metal brand tags. Like, almost never. The exception? Way back in 2001, there was the Palm Beach collection. So, unless you’re time-traveling back to the early 2000s, a big ol’ metal tag is probably a fakey-fake. I’ve seen pictures of the real deal, and yeah, metal is rare.
Serial numbers, people, serial numbers! Authentic Kate Spade bags usually have a unique serial number. Where do you find it? Probably inside, lurking somewhere. If you can’t find one, that’s like, strike one. Strike two would be if the serial number looks totally wonky or like it was printed by a drunk printer.
Country of Origin! Apparently, post-1996, Kate Spade bags gotta have a country of origin tag. It’s usually hiding in an interior pocket or sewn into a seam. I think, personally, it’s weird that they hide it. Like, why? Are they ashamed of where it was made, hehe?
Speaking of seams… check the stitching. Is it straight? Is it even? Or is it all over the place like a toddler went crazy with a sewing machine? Bad stitching is a hallmark of a cheap knockoff.
Now, here’s the thing. Sometimes, even if you do all this, you *still* might get fooled. Seriously, some of these fakes are getting scarily good. I remember watching a video comparing a real Kate Spade bag to a fake one. It wasn’t even a fair fight, because the real one was a few years older, but even still, it’s crazy how close they can get.
