![]() ![]() Determining whether there is enough reason to doubt an item's authenticity often comes down to a judgement call. ![]() There is always a discussion, says Gorra, about imperfections: "Are these manufacturing defects or are these proof this could be a counterfeit?" When bags are handmade, for instance, it's not unusual for there to be subtle variations. It's not only possible to mistake a fake bag for a real one, but now that authenticators have to be so vigilant, it's also very possible to mistake a real bag for a fake one. And still, the company admits there is grey area. Rebag has developed a seven-pronged approach to examining its designer handbags, and even after those seven prongs, it has specific frameworks for individual brands, meaning there are elements it looks for that are only found in Hermes products same with Chanel. Tiny things such as the casting of a zipper pull, the shape and size of a screw head, or how a pocket is stitched and finished can be the clue we need to differentiate the product as counterfeit." "We have to dial in on the tiny details these people overlook or still can't emulate due to resources and technique. The hardware bares branded marking, there are serial numbers which are often correct, and they regularly come with seemingly accurate literature, tags and packaging," says Wetzbarger. "It has made authentication harder because the inconsistencies are now less obvious. Big, undiscerning online marketplaces like Ebay, Jet and China-based Alibaba have become infamous resources for these inauthentic products. "The time between a new bag and the equivalent fake bag entering the market is, even in the three years we've been in business, it's been incredibly shortened." Gorra says counterfeiters are sometimes even producing in-season knockoffs, perhaps proving the old pro-"see-now, buy-now" argument that showing items six months in advance helps counterfeiters. And not only are knockoff bags getting better, but so are categories like jewelry, streetwear and sneakers.Īs for where consumers are getting their hands on these items, it's online. According to the International Trademark Association, $460 billion worth of counterfeit goods were bought and sold last year, with most of sales happening online. "The online part is growing exponentially," says IACC President Bob Barchiesi. Photo: are also getting faster: "There's fast fashion for counterfeit items," says Gorra. "Our whole mission, to provide certainty on goods, is always to try and supersede the trends and that's a really hard thing to do." He says that's because fakes have become more sophisticated, with some looking and feeling so close to the real thing that it's "borderline impossible to figure out." "Authentication is a little bit like viruses in the software industry in the sense that those who create the viruses tend to go faster than technology," explains Rebag CEO and Founder Charles Gorra. Related Articles Are Fakes Back in Fashion? Chinese Retail Giant Alibaba Launches 'Big Data Anti-Counterfeiting Alliance' With Louis Vuitton, Swarovski and More IACC Suspends Its General Membership Category, Including Alibaba The RealReal and As the designer resale market has grown rapidly online with the proliferation of websites like The RealReal and Rebag, these fake bags are being given second lives, and their trained authenticators are learning firsthand how good fakes can be nowadays - and they're having to overhaul their authentication processes as a result. ![]()
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