Authentication Class // Tory Burch Reva Flats

Anyone who owns a pair of Tory Burch Reva flats knows that I'm not exaggerating when I say they are one of the comfiest flats out there that also look super chic!  Revas are one of the most popular pieces from TB, and unfortunately, one of the most counterfeited designer products in the world.

Today I have a little photographic guide using my Tory Burch Revas to walk you through authenticating your pair and spotting a fake.  I realized recently that I hadn't done an Authentication Class post in a while.  Let me know if you like these kinds of posts, since I enjoy doing these guides and they are relatively easy!

How to Authenticate Tory Burch Reva Flats (and spot a fake)

Buckle-  Tory Burch Revas have a monogrammed logo buckle on the toe of the flat.  The logo comes in GOLD and SILVER.  No other colors. Brand new flats do not have plastic on the logo buckle.

The logo is attached to the shoe by a thin piece of leather underneath it, color coordinated to the shoe.  It is never attached directly onto the flat without a piece of leather under it.  If your logo is glued onto the toe of the flat or attached by metal screws or pieces, it is a counterfeit.

Stitching- The stitching on Reva flats is in a V shaped stitch, never a standard horizontal stitch.  The stitching should be uniform and color coordinated to the shoe's body.  

Seams-  The seams on the Reva flat are only in one place- on the back of the shoe in the middle of the heel.  This is the only seam on the exterior of the shoe.  The rest of the flat is smooth leather.  

Label- The Reva flat does not have a fabric tag in it.  The label that says where the shoe is made and the material in inside the flat, tucked in the side of the shoe up by the toe.   I labeled the area with an arrow in the above picture.

Tory Burch Reva flats are made in Brazil.  TB manufactures their shoes in Brazil, and their clothing/accessories in China.  If you have a really old pair, they might be made in the USA.  However, some counterfeits may lie about the country of manufacture, so be sure to check other indicators.

It should read Leather Upper, Leather Lining, Manmade Sole, Made in Brazil, a numerical code, and the size.

Soles-  Reva soles are rubber and can bend.  They have circular logos embossed into the rubber.  The heel part does not have the circular logos on it.  

The sole is also where the size sticker is usually located.  I threw away the size sticker on both my pairs, but it is a circular, transparent sticker that with read the size in gold lettering like this: 6M.  If the size sticker simply says 6 or 7, it is not authentic.  

Interior Sole- The interior is embossed with a Tory Burch logo and label in the heel.  The interior sole is leather as well.

Material- Tory Burch flats are made of Nappa Leather.  They are very soft once broken in, even if they might be a bit less flexible when new.  The leather is not overly shiny, even in the metallic styles, nor is it flat matte.  The leather is also not smooth, and will develop natural creases and wrinkling over time. 

Hope this guide was helpful!

Shop Tory Burch Revas here:

Authentication Class // Louis Vuitton French Company Monogram Speedy

The LV Speedy is an iconic bag!  The classic international Speedy bags are gorgeous, but the Louis Vuitton French Co. Speedy is almost like a hidden surprise. 

From the late 70's to early 90's, Louis Vuitton manufactured bags in partnership with the French Luggage Company in the U.S. under special license.  These bags were sold at exclusive department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.  

You all might remember my vintage Speedy 30 from this post!  I'll be using it here in a little photographic guide to authenticating your Louis Vuitton French Company Speedy.  

How to tell if your Louis Vuitton French Co. Speedy is Authentic

The Speedy is made of the classic LV monogram canvas material.  The LV monograms should have faint diagonal stripes through the gold icons.  

The leather used on French Company items is not the oxidizing leather that Louis Vuitton uses today, but a treated leather in a caramel color that does not darken or patina, so it stays protected longer.  

The international Speedy bags have a leather zipper pull tab with a hole and seperate lock and key, while the French Co. Speedy has a Talon zipper pull and a Tucky lock, which is great for keeping your bag secure and safe.

The French Company pieces are one of the RARE exceptions to the "no monograms cut off" rule in Louis Vuitton products.  On the sides of the Speedy, there are some LV monograms on the edges.  

The leather tabs that attach the strap to the bag on Speedy styles has 5 stitches across the top, except on the French Company Speedy bags.  This is the only exception to the 5 stitches "rule".  

This is the only Speedy style with a seam on the bottom.  International Speedy bags are made of one continuous piece of canvas, so the monograms on one side are upside down, but on the French Co Speedy bags, the monograms are all facing up!
The strip is made of the same leather as the handles and should be in the inside as well.

Here's a shot where you can see that both sides have LV monograms facing upwards in the canvas.

The interior tag is a little paper tag that reads Louis Vuitton, Manufactured in the USA Under Special License to the French Co.  There are no other interior tags.  The lining of the bag is a brown canvas instead of the suede they use on International Speedy bags.

FAQ:

How much did the French Company bags cost?

They cost the same as regular LV styles.

Does being a French Company Louis Vuitton make it less valuable than a regular?

No!  If anything, it might be even more valuable as the quality produced during this time period was very good and these bags are harder to find.

What should I keep in mind while authenticating my French Co. bag and spotting a fake?

Not all the same rules apply to French Co. bags as International LV styles.  Some things are indisputable (for example the monograms should still have the same gold stripes through them, or the stitching should be precise and straight).  Other than that, you can throw out the rules that no monograms can be cut off on the sides, that Speedy bags have no bottom seam, and that the Speedy bags and Keepalls have 5 stitches on the tops of the handles.  These are all exceptions with French Co.

Authentication Class // Longchamp Le Pliage

The Longchamp Le Pliage is one of the most popular handbags right now, and one of the most functional!  I love how the Le Pliage totes fold up, which is perfect for travelling.  I'll be using my  red Longchamp Le Pliage Medium Shopping Tote in this photographic guide to authenticating your Longchamp.

How to Tell if Your Longchamp Le Pliage is Authentic

The leather on Longchamp totes have a diamond pattern.  The diamond pattern is on all the leather used on the handbag.  The leather is a rich cognac color.

Here's a picture of the front flap.  There is a jockey logo imprinted in the leather above the snap, pointing to the left.  Older models of the Le Pliage tote have a line imprinted below the horse, but new style do not.  The gold snap should read "Longchamp 1948".  It has an engraved jockey logo in the center of the button.    

The jockey logo in the leather is visible from the inside.  It is imprinted in the leather, and you should be able to feel the indentation when you run your finger over it.  

The back of the flap is a light tan suede.  The back of the snap should read "Original PRYM 6/4B".  

 The material of the tote is a nylon.  It is matte, and is not shiny.  

 The handle is sewn onto the bag, it's in the same diamond printed leather as the flap.  The stitching on the handle and the bag should be precise and straight, not sloppy.  The color of the stitching on the bag should match the color of the bag.

The handles also have the diamond pattern, and are relatively flat.  A new tote might have stiffer handles, but an older tote's handles are soft after use.  They are stitched together with the first three stitches extra thick, as pictured.  The edge of the handles are painted black or dark brown.  

 The Longchamp totes do not have interior tags with the Longchamp logo on it, just one sheer tag in the side of the bag reading where it was made.  Longchamps are manufactured in France most commonly, but some are made in Tunisia or China.  The lining of the bag should be white if it it light or colorful, and it will be black if it is a dark color.

 At the end of the zipper, the leather flap should bear the same diamond pattern and have white stitching.  The bottom of the flap has brown stitching.  There is extra thick stitching at the end (count 6 thick stitches going across).

On the zipper itself, you can just make out the letters "YKK" and "T" engraved into the gold metal.  The zipper pull reads "Longchamp" on the top and "1948" on the bottom, with a jockey.  Older versions might read "Paris" or "France" beneath the jockey.  These old models will not have the YKK and T engravings in the zipper.

There is also a kink on the G, which distinguishes it from a C.  Fakes might read Loncchamp, not Longchamp.

 On the zipper, you can see the engraving of "45".  This might not be present on older models.

Snap buttons inside the bag have a transparent disc around them.  

Hope these tips helped out!  Check out my past Authentication Class posts here! 

Tote:  Longchamp

Authentication Class // Louis Vuitton Pochette

The Louis Vuitton Pochette Accessoires is a classic Louis Vuitton style!  I have a pochette in  the classic monogram canvas, and today I have a guide on how to make sure your pochette is 100% authentic.  Here's a few pictures of my pochette, and some tips on authenticating yours.

How to Spot a Fake Louis Vuitton Pochette

Here's a full picture of my pochette.  On all Louis Vuitton bags in monogram print, none of the LV monograms should be cut off on the sides.  The body of the pochette is made of monogram canvas, the metal accents are made of brass, and the strap is made of natural cowhide leather, which darkens over time.  As you can see, the leather strap on mine is very dark, but the new pochette comes with leather much lighter, and it develops a dark patina over time.   

The inside of the pochette is a brown canvas material, and there are no interior tags, except for a little leather tab in the side with the date code on it.  

The leather tag on the side should read the brand name, Louis Vuitton in all capital letters, then read Paris underneath.  It will then say where the pochette was made.  Louis Vuitton manufactures their products in France, United States, Spain, Germany, and Italy.  

The stamping is centered on the tab, in a very uniform style.  Fakes might have the stamping off center, cut off by the stiching, upside down, or even backwards.  

On all Louis Vuitton products in the monogram canvas material, the monograms should be a gold color with very subtle diagonal lines through the monograms and other insignias.  If the emblems are completely solid in color, the piece is not authentic.  

The zipper pulls on a Louis Vuitton should have the LV logo in raised font on the metal pull.  Also, the stiching along the zipper area should be in brown thread for the monogram pochette and the damier  ebene pochette.  As you can see here, the stiching is very precise in a straight line.  Fakes usually have sloppy stiching, but authentic pieces have impeccable stiching.  

The d-rings on the pochettes are made of solid brass.  The one on the side should be attached to a continuous piece of canvas.  You should be able to tell that the material the d-ring is attached to is the same piece of material that makes up the side of the pochette.  Fake pochettes will have the d-ring attached to an additional piece of material.  

On the leather tag, the stitching down the sides should have five stitches in yellow thread, the last stich being extra thick.  There should also be six stitches going across the tab by the zipper.  The stiching should be precise and straight.  This stitching on the tab is the same on all Louis Vuitton pochette accessoires styles, such as the damier ebene and damier azur pochettes.  

The print on the bottom fabric portion of the pochette should have only one row of symbols, the flowers and the diamonds.  Fakes might have a line of LVs on the bottom, or might have two rows of symbols.  

The brass clasp attached to the side d-ring should be gold in color and have an LV logo engraved into the metal.  The strap should also have a leather loop attaching it to the clasp, and two very thick stitches holding the leather together.

Hope these tips helped!  Stay tuned on the blog for future authentication posts of other designer items!

Buy the Louis Vuitton Pochette Here