How to Tell an Authentic Coach Patchwork Purse from a Fake

The Commonly Replicated Coach Handbag

From classic signature totes to festive seasonal hobos, Coach's styles are still dominating the handbag market. One of the most attractive aspects of Coach handbags is their ability to make quality goods transcend the exclusivity of luxury goods by making them classic and playful enough for true everyday use. Whereas a Chanel quilted model is still too strong a piece for a typical jeans and t-shirt afternoon, Coach's subtle styles remain versatile enough for their wearers to remain devoted fashionistas without taking themselves too seriously.

Yet, this amazingly broad appeal of Coach is what makes the designer so readily desirable to the replica industry.

With prices that typically range between 300 to 500 US dollars, Coach handbags are regularly affordable to the upper middle class and still irresistible as a yearly splurge to the average consumer. People are buying Coach products to the degree that special outlet stores have been opened by the company to separate the average consumer products from the seasonal retail lines. After all, a company like Coach that deals in luxury goods can only keep its venerable name by maintaining some sense of exclusivity. Still, consumers of all economic classes are clamoring for items that bear a Coach label and counterfeiters are entirely aware of the brand's increasing popularity.

Tips on How to Tell an Authentic Coach Patchwork purse from a fake

Products from the Coach signature monogram line are the most commonly counterfeited items from this designer on the internet. In fact, if you are attempting to purchase a Coach handbag off of online auctions like eBay, most of the severely discounted goods you will peruse are fakes. Still, as if it wasn't hard enough to find an authentic designer handbag on these online auctions, counterfeiters are also replicating seasonal and collectable lines like the Coach patchwork collection and many other of Coach's prominent designs.

Know Your Coach

The best defense against purchasing a counterfeit product online or from a street vendor is to research your designers. That's right, if you want to know how to tell an authentic Coach patchwork purse from a fake in mere minutes, you need to familiarize yourself with the quality of Coach products. Some internet websites claim that counterfeiters have become so savvy at replicating designer goods that only the manufacturer will know the difference. This is not necessarily true. A skilled fashionista who already owns several Coach handbags will be able to determine the authenticity of the product by the weight, interior, and stitching of the handbag. Bottom line is: if you don't know what an authentic Coach patchwork handbag looks and feels like, you won't be able to contrast it against a fake product.

Hence, spend some time in a Coach store before purchasing any Coach merchandise on the web. Take a look at the product discount. If the average price of a Coach handbag is close to 300 dollars and you're purchasing the bag for close to 100 online, then something is most likely wrong with the vendor. Even vendors who buy Coach bags at wholesale prices cannot afford to sell goods at a fifty percent or more discount.

The Monogram

One of the tips many skilled buyers take into consideration when purchasing Coach goods from somewhere other than a Coach retailer is the alignment of the monogrammed "C's". Although this technique may be difficult to apply to the patchwork handbags, the Coach signature "C" monogram is still included in some of the patches along the bags exterior. Do the "C's " line up? Luxury manufacturers like Coach take great pains to ensure the symmetry of their monogram. Counterfeiters, however, don't, and the alignment is often neglected and flawed.

The Interior

Coach bags are also heavy due to the luxury hardware and leather used. A Coach bag should also sport a quality interior. Unless you have been face to face several times with a Coach bag it will be difficult for you to determine the authenticity of the product by weight alone, but luxury goods are made with quality materials. Knowing how to tell an authentic Coach patchwork purse from a fake means knowing how to determine high quality metal hardware from coated plastic, and synthetic leather from genuine costly leather.

Final Thoughts

Do research your vendor carefully. Street vendors should never be trusted. Coach does not want its merchandise sold on the streets or discreetly out of car trunks. Online vendors who hide their feedback are giving you a clear red flag.