Real Gucci Handbags Vs Fakes: 9 Step Gucci Authenticity Check (2023)

Gucci handbags here.

Gucci bags there.

Gucci purses everywhere!

When Guccio Gucci first opened his Italian luggage boutique in 1921, I’m sure millions of fake Gucci handbags scattered across the globe was not included in his business plan.

While replica handbag sellers make these substandard bags available on the web and in back-alley boutiques, you’ll need a real Gucci authenticity check strategy to tell a real Gucci purse from a fake.

Table of Contents

Gucci Authenticity Check: How to Tell if It’s a Real Gucci Purse vs a Fake Gucci Handbag

1. View the Bag for Fake Gucci Details

For Gucci purses sold on Ebay or via other online retailers, look for closeup pictures of the GG logo.

Look for a leather tab with the style/ serial number imprinted on the back of the tab and the words “Gucci Made in Italy” located inside the bag.

2. Examine the Sales Receipt

If there are no closeup pictures, ask the seller for the original receipt. Although receipts can be fabricated, the sales associates number and the date of purchase cannot.

If it is a second-hand Gucci bag, call the store where the original purse was sold to verify the purchase.

3. Look for Inferior Quality Zippers, Hardware, and Clasps

Gucci bags use thick and sturdy brass hardware in the construction of their purses. Inspect the back of the YKK zipper.

Examine the fake bag for the use of cheap plastic zippers instead of sturdy metal YKK zippers. If the handbag’s clasps are hard to fasten, the bag is fake.

(For more Gucci zipper intel, check the bottom of the post for more pictures of the top and inside of a Gucci Boston Bag.)

4. Check the Handbag’s Materials

Every real Gucci handbag, purse, or backpack is constructed from the finest materials: leathers, suedes, patent leather, and canvas.

The stitching on the outside seams of the bag should be uniform, and the bag should feel soft and supple to the touch.

5. View the Handbag’s Lining

The inside lining of a bag is a good indicator of overall quality. If you see a purse lined in plastic-looking or wrinkly fabric that bunches at the seams, it is not a Gucci product.

6. Ask for the Gucci Dust Bag

Real Gucci products are sold with two types of dust bags.

The dust bag will have the double G logo or have the name “Gucci” written in gold lettering across the front of the bag.

If the bag is wrapped in plastic, it is not authentic.

7. Look for the “Controllato” Card

Gucci has a control system that ensures that all bag purchased by Gucci customers are authentic. Each handbag is sold with a controllato card ( which is the Italian word for checked.)

Each card has the words “Gucci” centered on the card in all capital letters. Underneath the card, the words “controllato” are displayed in lowercase letters.

8. Check the Seams for Faulty Stitching

An authentic Gucci purse will feature even seams along the sides and bottom of the bag. A real Gucci will not pucker at the seams or have threads dangling off the bag.

9. Look for a Gucci Bag Serial Number

Do all Gucci bags have serial numbers? Yes, they do!

Based on the age of the bag, Gucci uses 10-12 numbers in the two rows — with no more than six numbers in each row. It is also common to have the same supplier/vendor code for more than one bag.

Here’s how to determine what the numbers on the back of the leather tag mean:

The first six numbers in the top row indicate the style number. In the picture above, my Gucci Black Perforated Leather Reins Hobo Bag has a style number of 114869.
The second row of numbers is the supplier code. The bottom six digits represent the particular factory where the leather goods were manufactured.

Tell-Tale Signs of a Fake Gucci Handbag, Purse or Wallet

Stitching is crooked and uneven–on the inner seams and the handbag’s edges.
Gucci does not wrap their handbags in plastic.
No dust bag with the double “GG” logo or with the name “Gucci” written in gold across the front of the bag? The bag is a fake.

Gucci uses the finest materials: leather, suede, patent leather, and nylon, to construct their quality handbags. Now, if you own a real Gucci handbag, you know the intense pleasure you get from smelling the Italian leather and rubbing your manicured fingers across all the opulence located inside and outside of this bag.

For those purse lovers who’d rather buy their bags outside of a Gucci boutique or authorized resellers like Neiman Marcus and Saks, use these clues to tell real Gucci handbags from fakes.