This is a difficult question to answer because copiers and fake producers have asked themselves the same question for some time now.

Louis Vuitton’s quality has been a characteristic of the products since the very beginning. Copies of the Louis Vuitton products have been around for more than 100 years.

At first, copiers just claimed that their products were Louis Vuitton. However, after 100 years, they have learned to imitate the originals better than better, resulting in copies and fakes that are very difficult to tell apart from the originals.

Louis Vuitton himself had to invent ways to make sure his products weren’t counterfeited, creating the Damier Canvas patters, which included his logo with the French legend, “marque Louis Vuitton déposée,” which is the French equivalent to “Louis Vuitton copyright.”

Nowadays, there are some basic tips that can help you see the difference between a real and fake Louis Vuitton Bag

First of all, the place where you buy it can be a tip off. Louis Vuitton only sells its purses in its outlets throughout the world, so beware of any store that sells Louis Vuitton original purses. At least, they have to sell it as a resold item.

Another easy indicator is the packaging. The packaging of a Louis Vuitton purse is stylish and complex. The handbag is placed inside a soft tan “sleeper” that has the Louis Vuitton name printed on it. This in turn is placed inside a dark brown box, which also has the Louis Vuitton name printed on it, also in brown. This box is tied with a ribbon, which can be made of leather or satin. Finally, this box is placed inside a brown bag, which also has the Louis Vuitton name on it, in brown, of course.

Regarding the bag itself, there are some easy tip offs that tell you that you’re dealing with a fake. Any defect in design or material, asymmetry, or lack of the Louis Vuitton logo automatically lets you know you’re not dealing with the real thing. A logo that is not clear or that is strange looking also tells you you’re being presented with a fake. Of course, this means that you have to know the Louis Vuitton logo’s image and proportions by heart.

In fact, the best way to know how to tell a real purse from a fake one is to have a good knowledge and experience of the real Louis Vuitton purses and history. For example, if you’re presented with a Louis Vuitton Vernis in black, you don’t even have to look at it. It’s a fake because Louis Vuitton has never produced a Vernis in black. Likewise, there has never been a multicolor Papillon. And unless one of them is presented at the next Louis Vuitton presentation, those are clearly fakes. If it is produced by Louis Vuitton, you should know the specifics of your purse, what does the base look like? How many stitches does each part have? What is the canvas lining like?

Of course, this requires time and study from your part. But as all things Louis Vuitton, it’s not only about the money.