Spot a Counterfeit at 10 Paces
Hermès Birkin bags are the most exclusive and coveted bags in the world, so it’s no surprise the counterfeit industry is thriving. Fake Birkin bags can be sophisticated, but it’s impossible to replicate the craftsmanship and extraordinary quality materials that set Hermès apart. With a little know-how and a keen eye for detail, you can learn to authenticate a Birkin bag and spot a fake Hermès.
Quick Checklist:
Size/ Leather/ Color/ Model Consistency
Overall Quality
Structure
Stamps and Engravings
Hardware and Clochette
Stitches
Zips and Padlock
Lining
Packaging and Dust Bag
Smell
“If you find a Birkin in an irregular size or made from a leather or color that were never used for the model, these are good indicators that the bag is a fake.”
Size/ Leather/ Color/ Model Consistency
Do a little background research before you buy. You can sometimes rule out a fake if there are discrepancies in the size, variety of leather or color. For example, unless it’s a special edition, Birkins are only available in 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 centimeters. The measurements will be exact on a genuine Hermès handbag, so measuring along the bottom can be a quick way to spot a counterfeit.
Similarly, there are some leathers and colors that have never been used for certain models or certain combinations of size, leather, color and model that have never been made. If you find a Birkin in an irregular size or made from a leather or color that were never used for the model, these are good indicators that the bag is a fake.
Overall Quality
Inspect the overall quality of the bag. If you’re fairly familiar with Hermès bags, you will often notice immediately if the ratios are wrong or if something is “off” with the quality. Hermès bags are exceptionally well made and the leather should be flawless. If you are buying a pre-owned bag there is always a chance of staining, wearing or scratches, but the original leather will always be impeccable. Comparing the base of the bag with the handles or the front of the bag from the back may reveal variations in the leather, which is a sure sign of a fake.
One of the first things an authenticator will do is run their fingers along the opening to feel the thickness and smoothness of the bag. A seasoned authenticator will know if there are any inconsistencies that point to the bag being a fake.
Structure
A genuine Birkin should stand up on its four studs without toppling or slouching and the handles should stand to attention and not flop.
Stamps and Engravings
Pay close attention to both the Hermès stamp and the blind stamp. The Hermès stamp is gently embossed into the leather at the front and center of the bag, just below the stitching. The lettering should be evenly spaced and the embossing shouldn’t be deeply impressed into the leather. This heavy-handed approach is a sure sign of a fake. The stamp’s color should match the color of the hardware except in a few instances (Barenia and Chamonix leather) on which the stamp is a colorless imprint. Where applicable the stamp also features a symbol indicating the exotic skin from which the bag is made.
An Hermès blind stamp indicates the year your Birkin was manufactured and who made the bag. This information is codified into shapes, symbols, letters and numbers. These serial numbers are fairly complex to throw off would-be counterfeiters.
The blind stamp is embossed into a hidden spot on the handbag, which varies with the model. However, it is often found on the inside of the closure straps, inside the exterior pocket, or on the top inside of the side panel. Research where the model’s blind stamp should be to ensure it correlates. Additionally, check that the color of the bag you’re looking at was produced during the year the blind stamp indicates. Any discrepancy points to the bag being a fake.
“Hermès does not issue certificates of authenticity, so your Birkin should never come with one. Ironically, a certification like this points to the bag being fake.”
Hardware and Clochette
Counterfeit bags often have hardware that is overly shiny and cheap-looking. Hermès hardware should never be too shiny or too badly worn, even on older, heavily-used bags. The hardware on most Hermès bags should not tarnish or chip. So Black is one exception, and it was discontinued because of the fact the hardware tended to chip (this rarity only made it all the more desirable to collectors). All the hardware of your Birkin, including the turnlock, padlock, key and feet (clou) should all match. Check the clou to see if they feel like they could easily be unscrewed. Counterfeit Hermès bags often have cheap and sloppily affixed clou.
Run your fingers along the inside of the bag. If you can feel the hardware from the inside, it is likely to be a fake. Another giveaway is the protective covering on the hardware of a new Birkin, which is always a clear film. The hardware of fake bags is sometimes covered with white film or paper tape, however the better fakes use clear film, too.
The Birkin’s clochette, the leather case that stores the keys, is always made from one piece of leather. A clochette made with more than one piece of leather is certainly a fake.
Stitches
Sloppy stitching is an easy way to spot a fake. Hermès is notorious for its impeccable eye for detail and it takes apprentices (even those with plenty of prior experience at other fashion houses) a year of practicing the unique two-needle hand-sewing technique, called saddle stitch, used to sew a Birkin before they are allowed to work on one. A real Birkin will have beautiful stitching that isn’t as uniform as machine-stitched mass-produced bags.
Zips and Padlock
Poorly manufactured zips are one of the easiest ways to spot a fake Birkin. Authentic Hermès zippers never fall to an angle and remain parallel with the zip at all times. The pull tab of the zip should match the bag material exactly. Each zipper is marked with an ‘H’ or ‘Hermès’ in capital letters or a square on older bags. It will never have any other branding, such as YKK. Similarly, a Birkin padlock is engraved with ‘Hermès’ on the base, and the number on the padlock should correspond to the number on the accompanying keys. White Birkins have a white padlock and exotic skin Birkins feature a padlock covered in the exotic leather of the bag.
Lining
The lining is never an afterthought with Hermès. The bag should be as beautifully finished on the inside as it is on the outside. Many Hermès bags are lined with chevre goatskin, a grained leather. If the bag is unlined, poorly lined or has messy stitching, it is certainly a fake. Another way to authenticate an Hermès handbag from the lining is to verify the color scheme of the interior and exterior on the Hermès website. If you can’t verify the color combination used, you have a fake on your hands.
Packaging and Dust Bag
Hermès does not issue certificates of authenticity, so your Birkin should never come with one. Ironically, a certification like this points to the bag being fake. However, Hermès bags authenticated by Ginza Xiaoma come with a certificate issued by us.
Hermès bags are never wrapped in plastic as they can damage the leather, so never accept a Birkin that is. Instead, the bag should come with a rain cover and be presented in a dust bag, which features the Hermès logo encircled by one or two rings, depending on the year it was produced. Dust bags are high quality and come in either tan velour, orange cotton flannel, or beige canvas. The fabric should be thick, well sewn and feature drawstrings and seams. Some special edition bags come in a silk dust bag, though this is rare.
In recent years, Hermès boxes have carried brand markings that can only be seen under a UV light, making it harder to counterfeit.
Smell
Hermès uses the absolute highest quality leather and, as such, the smell is hard to replicate. A new Birkin has that distinctive rich, earthy smell. Fake bags will often smell more overpowering, often with a chemical or rubbery smell. Each leather has a slightly different smell and a seasoned authenticator can smell the difference between each leather. If the smell doesn’t match the leather type, the bag is a fake.
At Ginza Xiaoma, each item in our collection is hand-selected by our in-house experts. Our team of highly skilled authenticators have between 10 and 30 years of experience. They help ensure the world-class craftsmanship of Hermès is lovingly preserved for generations to come.
