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Vintage Gucci & Louis Vuitton – How To Spot A Fake Item

At the vintage market in Lucca: Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton on the stalls, the stamp to check on a Louis Vuitton, and how I avoid fakes.

By Gracie Opulanza3 min read

Open vintage suitcase on a market stall holding a monogram handbag, a small black bag and a green quilted bag

Lucca is a walled city in Tuscany and the birthplace of the composer Giacomo Puccini. I go for the market.

The vintage market in Lucca

A vintage fashion and antique market is held in Lucca on the third weekend of every month. It can be hard to tell a genuine vintage handbag by a house like Gucci or Louis Vuitton from one that is not. But the demand for vintage is high, and I understand why. We all crave a bit of nostalgia.

This Gucci bag carries the shield and armoured knight crest, which looks back to the 1950s. Notice the hardware too. It is sturdy.

Vintage Gucci handbag in beige diamond-pattern fabric with brown leather straps and a gold crest plate, on a market stall

Vintage Gucci

There were many Gucci bags and shoes on different stalls. They were all niche pieces and in great condition. After that it comes down to your own taste and what you are going to use it for.

Beige Gucci monogram canvas hobo bag with a brown leather strap, on a cloth-covered market stall
Black leather high-heeled ankle boots with a silver horsebit buckle, on a red cloth at a market stall

The best way to know it is the real item is to wait, listen, and check the other bags around the market for an honest comparison.

These Tom Ford-era high heels by Gucci are in excellent condition. They had been worn only once. With shoes, of course, the buyer has to be the one they fit. In my case they were a perfect fit, so I bought them, and now they go with my Tom Ford-era Gucci handbag, the burgundy one with bamboo handles. They are beautifully made, with nails in the sole so they last.

Grey knee socks tied with black ribbons, worn with buckled heels, beside a pair of tan lace-up leather boots

Vintage Prada

There was plenty of Prada on sale. Prada is hugely popular in Italy. It helps if the piece still comes in its box.

Market table of shoes and bags: red patterned mules, beaded black sandals, floral sandals and a monogram holdall

Louis Vuitton: inspect the stamp, and the shape and size of the font

One thing you will find in every Louis Vuitton handbag is the stamp. Inside the bag there is a leather label stamped Louis Vuitton Paris. Look closely at the shape of the letters, the spacing and the quality of the stamp, because this is where counterfeiters often slip up. There are a lot of counterfeit Louis Vuitton pieces about, so take your time and check the print.

Smiling woman at a market in a burgundy leather coat and green skirt, holding a Louis Vuitton monogram handbag
Louis Vuitton monogram bucket bag with tan leather trim and a long strap, carried on the back at a market

Watch out for fake luxury goods

If the price is cheap, there is a reason for it. A fake may convince you at first glance, but it is a waste of your money, and it pays for counterfeiting. Learn the signs: poor stitching, a misspelt brand name, low-quality materials. And if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Black crocodile-effect leather bag with a chain strap and metal monogram, among handbags on a market stall

I don’t own any fakes. I don’t even see the point. A bag does not define me or my bank account, even when I own the real thing. People carry fakes to make out they are rich. I say earn rich and buy the real deal.

Market stall display with a wooden box, red leather belts with gold buckles, a woven box bag and an ornate gold mirror

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