Celebrity Designer Handbags: Don't Get Caught With a Knockoff!

The best celebrity street-style is often polished with a luxury handbag like Louis Vuitton, Hermès, or Chanel. Before adding these lust-worthy purses to your collection, be wary of falling victim to fakes in the second-hand marketplace. From color variations to interior lining and zipper details, there is a lot to evaluate when accessing the authenticity of designer bags.

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Jennifer Lopez, Khloe Kardashian, Eva Longoria and so many other starlets are obsessed with the classic Hermès Birkin. Its iconic namesake and its ladylike allure make it worth the hefty investment. The authentic shape is very structured with defined edges. A fake version will show bulges where there should be straight lines. Hermès leather and exotic skins are sourced from all over the world, so the color of the bag should never look like it is painted on.

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Louis Vuitton is a top choice for many celebs like Miranda Kerr and Zoe Saldana because of its attention to craftsmanship. Many Louis Vuitton bags are made of a coated canvas with a leather trim. Feel the leather out. It should feel dry at the touch, not oily or sticky. The Spring/Summer 2015 collection consist of new designs of the Twist Lock Shoulder bag, which has a noticeably puffier quilted exterior. Deflated sections are an identifying clue to a replica version.

Chanel’s signature flap bag makes for chic arm candy on Lauren Conrad, Miley Cyrus, and Kendall Jenner. Look for perfect stitching. It should be seamless from the front to the back and the quilting should be symmetrical and perfectly aligned.

Design logos are always a clear detector for any fashion house. For instance, the letters of Fendi’s FF logo should never touch and Louis Vuitton’s logo will never be cut off at the seams.

Check out the video for more on how to decipher the real from the fake.