How do you spot fake bags? We asked Vestiaire Collective

How can you imagine working in the verification team at Vestiaire Collective?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "The Vestiaire Collective authentication team regroups 30 international experts from backgrounds in auction houses and fashion houses, with a great passion for fashion and luxury products. Each of us treats brands and categories according to our expertise and seniority, and some of us are specialized in specific categories such as streetwear and jewelry. Before receiving the items at our warehouses, the products are digitally checked by the curation team. The authenticator's first mission is to check items through image analysis. Our curation team vets and pre-authenticated every item before it goes live on the platform. We also offer security with the option to have items sent to our authentication hubs. The Authentication expert then looks at the packaging and dustbag of the item, specifically at its colors, finishes, typography, and materials."

Let's take a deeper look: what is the easiest way to tell if a bag is fake?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "The authentication process relies on digital and physical authentication and it's very much a manual process. The easiest way to authenticate a bag would be to physically check for its qualities and characteristics. This is done through touch, smell and verifying small details like engravings and stitching on the item. We know for instance that Hermès only uses leather of exceptional quality and that their craftspeople use a technique called ‘piqûre sellier’, a diagonal stitch. We should therefore see irregularities, which confirm that this piece is handmade. Digital authentication is also an important and complementary step to the physical process, this is why it is important to shop on a trusted platform. In the meantime, ID cards or serial numbers are also being counterfeited and no longer offer any security."

So how can one be sure that, for example, a Birkin bag bought second-hand online is not fake?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "For me, each bag is like an investigation that needs to be solved - I find it fascinating to look for the truth in the bag. Vestiaire Collective has a trained team of 30 authentication experts that provide trusted verification for every item. The first step is to shop on a trusted platform so you know you have reliable teams in place to ensure your items are verified. At Vestiaire Collective we take care of authentication in-house, it is part of our DNA and this is how we built trust with our community and why we committed to the Anti-counterfeiting charter. There are pre-checks you can also carry out on your side such as verifying if the price is consistent with the product/brand position, and similar items online. However, we would still always recommend getting the high price point items physically authenticated."

How can one imagine the training of the Vestiaire Collective verification team?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "Authentication is not something you can learn in a university, it is a passion and an art form. It is also a great way for individuals to get into the fashion industry, or expand existing expertise. It takes unique skills to become an authenticator, not just eyes, but also other senses such as smell. Authentication jobs also offer the right opportunity for learning, as at Vestiaire authenticators go through extensive training. In fact, Vestiaire Collective has developed an internal training hub to teach our authenticators called “Vestiaire Academy”. Each new expert is trained within our academy and receives an in-house training of a minimum of 3 months. During these three months, we train them on the methodology, and how to authenticate each brand, and category, whether vintage or contemporary. After the first training, they will start to authenticate the products of brands and categories of low risk, with the validation of a senior specialist. After several months of practice and with weekly ongoing training by a senior expert, our trainees are then able to authenticate the products of brands/categories with high risk and a high price point. Additionally, all authenticators will then receive new training every month, either through the Vestiaire Academy or external training providers. This enables our experts to continuously expand their knowledge and run authenticity checks on additional categories, new trends, and collections and further hone their craft."

How many bags are processed per day?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "Currently, over 25,000 products are uploaded every day on the platform, but the load depends on the time needed to authenticate each item, which can vary depending on the item itself or the brand. In comparison to last year, we have seen an average increase of 20% in bags being sold and processed per day. Particularly we have seen an increase in brands such as Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton."

What is the rate of fake bags at Vestiaire Collective?

Victoire Boyer Chammard: "We are always confronted with counterfeiting and that is why our service exists. Fortunately, there is a very low margin of error during the authentication process, as less than 1 out 1,000 products are currently identified as counterfeits. However, we have developed a very strict process to deploy counterfeits and limit them on the platform. Many other secondhand portals with a similar service repeatedly have the problem that fakes pass through even the strict controls."