How to Spot Fake Coach Handbags and Purses

If you’ve worked hard for your first or third Coach purchase, you want the real deal, not an inferior fake Coach handbag.

To avoid purchasing a knock-off or fake Coach bag, you will need a thorough knowledge of Coach’s design methodologies and a keen eye for detail.

While Coach crafts fine leather goods for its discriminating and loyal clientele, replica purse sellers offer fake Coach handbags to handbag collectors on street corners, online and at swap meets.

Real Coach Handbags vs Fakes: 6 Authenticity Check Tips

Because Coach purses are knocked off as much as fake Louis Vuitton purses, you need tips to get an authentic piece of handbag history.

1- Look for Inferior Handbag Stitching

A real Coach handbag will feature even and straight seams on the sides of the bag. Watch out for puckering leather, threads hanging off the sides or zig-zag seams on the bottom of the replica Coach bag.

2 – Examine the Knock-Off Coach for Cheap Clasps, Hardware, and Zippers

Coach purses are known for their sturdy brass hardware. Check for plastic zippers used in your fake Coach. An authentic Coach handbag features YKK metal zippers and smooth clasps that are easy to fasten.

If you see a leather or pleather Coach tag glued to the lining of the purse, you’ve found a fake Coach handbag. Only authentic Coach purses have tags sewn neatly in the inside lining of the purse.

3 – Check the C Logo for Hints of Coach Purse Fakery

The Coach double “C” is famous and widely knocked off by replica handbag sellers. If you find a single letter C or a double G, you are in the presence of a Knock-off Coach handbag. Also, if the double C’s are not facing each other, the bag is fake.

4 – Pull Out the Lining of Your Coach Bag to Look for Signs of Coach Handbag Authenticity

Starting in 1970, every Coach purse has a small leather tag containing a serial number. This number has a varied combination of letters and numerals.

Look for plastic leather handles or straps in a knockoff Coach purse. If any glue is oozing out of the seams of the bag or loose threads are hanging from the purse, step away from this fake Coach immediately.

5 – Inspect the Coach Bag for Cheap Pleather or Leather

Fake or reconstituted leather (leather that is comprised of plastic and leather scraps fused together) is a clear indicator of Fake Coach handbag products.

6 – Get a Soft Brown Coach Dust Bag with Your Purchase

Real Coach Purses are accompanied with a dark-colored dust bag imprinted with the words “ Coach EST 1941” in white lettering. The dust bag will also have brightly-colored red stitching around the edges of the dust bag.

How to Find the Style of an Authentic Coach Purse or Handbag

For every Coach handbag collector looking to find the style of his or her favorite Coach purse, she needs expert tips to research the past and present Coach handbag styles for information on when the bag was produced.

Here’s how:

• Find a picture of the Coach handbag. Scour the internet for the latest Coach handbag collections. Visit websites that feature reviews of the latest handbags. These designer handbag review websites have extensive archives featuring past and present Coach handbag collections.
• Peruse your favorite fashion magazine for Coach purse magazine ads. Each week, People magazine, In Style Magazine and UsWeekly feature style sections showing what celebrities wore to red carpet events or even to the grocery store. If you’ve spied your favorite celebrity wearing a Coach purse, tear the magazine photo out of the gossip rag to use to search for the style of Coach handbag you want to add to your collection.
• Visit Coach.com to review their recent handbag collections. Each fashion season, Coach names their handbag collection using various themes and names. For example this season, Coach features the Madison, Poppy, Mia and Kristin handbag collections. Coach handbags often use variations of the same classic handbag styles each season, so you can find a handbag featuring a style similar to the Coach purse you are looking to buy.

Final Tips To Avoid Buying Fake Coach Handbag and Purses

• Only buy authentic and current Coach purses from a reputable and verified seller.
• Ensure that the seller has a working contact number and a complete address displayed prominently on their retail website.
• Check the Coach retail store or website to find current handbag collections. Peruse the images for design themes to help your detect knockoff Coach purses from the real ones.
• Visit a Coach store for handbag information and advice. A Coach handbag associate has current information old and new Coach products. Bring any images you’ve found from the web or fashion magazines to the store. If the associate does not have the information, ask to speak to the Coach store manager to assist you in finding the style of the Coach purse you want to purchase.

Using a few expert handbag sleuthing tips, you can win the war against knock-off and fake Coach bags and buy these sumptuous leather goods without fear.

How to Identify an Authentic Coach Handbag