Fake and “Replica” Juicy Couture bags seem to be everywhere these days! But how do you know if the bag you’re buying is authentic? The only way to be 100% certain that you get what you’re paying for is to purchase the bag from a Juicy Couture retail store or high end department stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdale’s. Of course this is also the most expensive way.
So how do you get the same bag for less money and not end up with a knock off? Education is the key. So I’ve outlined a few tips to help you spot a fake!
The first thing to know and the most unknown information on finding an authentic bag is that 90% of Juicy Couture Bags are actually manufactured in China and have “Made in China” on the manufacturers tag. I encourage all of you interested in buying a Juicy Couture Bag to take a trip to Nieman Marcus or Nordstroms and check out the tags and you will see they all say “made in china”. But you thought Juicy Couture was Made in the USA right? So did I until I started researching them for this article. The truth is almost all affordable designer bags are manufacturer in China, however the company itself is “made in the USA” hence why Juicy Couture and many other popular Designer Handbags such as Kenneth Cole and Coach all claim to be USA companies, but get their bags manufactured in China. This is why Juicy Couture uses the slogan “Made in the USA”. So what does this mean? Unfortunately the actual tag is not as much help in determining a Fake Juicy Couture Bag, however your bag should definitely have a tag on it and make sure real cowhide leather is used.
*Almost all authentic Juicy Couture carriers have small metal knobs with Juicy Couture Engravings on them. If your bag has little metal knobs or feet at the bottom of the bag, make sure there are little Juicy Couture markings on them. I have seen several replicas with plain knobs.
* The tag should say 100% Cowhide Leather, cheap imitations have “leather like” material. Authentic Juicy Bags & Carriers use 100% real leather trim, handles, etc. Real Leather is nice and soft and has a matte pebbled finish on almost all leather Juicy Couture Baby Fluffs, Totes, Satchels etc. Even the Metallic Leather Bags have a more Matte Finish. Unfortunately fake bags are becoming more advanced and many actually use real leather.
* Almost all charms & hardware will have Juicy Couture or some type of Logo engraved into the metal. I’ve seen several imitations where the hardware is plain.
* Look at the quality of the bag. Juicy Couture bags are expensive for a reason, so you won’t see a real Juicy bag with sloppy stitching. One dead give away is to check the “J” stitching on the mirror fob. Real Juicy mirror fobs should have a well-defined heart shape and a well-define “J”. Also, the “I am the Fairest.” on the mirror strap and “Hello?” on the cellphone pocket should be embossed (you can see/feel the dent where the writing is) as opposed to just painted on.
* Look closely at the color of the bag. One thing I noticed was that the colors on the fake bags are way off from those of the authentic bags by several shades. So research your bag online before you go to buy, this way you can get a good idea of what the bag looks like ( ie: hot pink not soft pink, teal not light blue). Also look at the shape of the bag, as this is often a common sign of a fake.
If you’re buying your bag from an online auction site like Ebay, get to know your seller.Be very weary of seller who do not disclose information about themselves (look for an About Me section). Consider the seller, are they male or female? Where do they get their bags? Ask questions! If they have nothing to hide they’ll have no problem answering them. Also, a low starting bid is a good indication that the bag you’re bidding on is not a real Juicy Couture. After all if someone purchases a bag wholesale for $100 they aren’t going to sell it for a penny, 50 bucks or anything less than $100 for that matter! The majority of the authentic bags that I found on ebay were listed at FULL PRICE, it’s not common for people to be able to by wholesale although there are sellers out there that can and do. Most Juicy bags retail for $200 – $400 so you can expect to pay $150 – $300 as a reduced rate.
More you should Know …
* Most people don’t realize that about every 6 months Juicy Couture comes out with a new style of the same bag. For example the most popular styles like the Baby Fluff & Daydreamer Tote are constantly coming out in various styles, new colors, etc. Only the newest styles are available in Department Stores and when they sell out the latest season bags take their place.
* The interior of Juicy Couture Bags vary depending on the color of the bag NOT the style. Every Baby Fluff Satchel does not have the same interior. That also goes for most of Juicy Coutures Bags. They are color coordinated, so if you ordered a Tea Dye bag it has a blue interior it doesn’t mean its not authentic. Again this is were researching the bag you want online before you buy it is helpful.
The inside should be made out of cotton and not of any synthetic materials. Is the fabric smooth to the touch and flexible? , Fake distributors will not pay for quality material. So, if the material inside of the purse is ruff and is made with polyester and stiff, it is definitely a fake Juicy Couture handbag.
I hope that these tips will help you spot a fake Juciy Couture bag from a real one and to get what you’re paying for. Good Luck and Happy Shopping!
