Hermès Birkin: 12 Ways To Spot FAKE Bags (Oct. 2024)

Last Updated on October 1, 2024 by Ch David

Authenticate any Hermès Birkin with this guide — regardless of color, size, fabric, and year of manufacturing.

All info is provided by our expert Hermès authentications team.

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How to tell if a Hermès Birkin is real

Tell if a Hermès Birkin is real by checking the”HERMES PARIS MADE IN FRANCE” engraving. Fakes always flaw that little detail.

1. Engraving

Authentic:

1. “È” in HERMÈS: Diacritic on the letter “E” is fine and precise.
2. “S” in HERMES: Each letter is perfectly aligned. No floating or misaligned letters.
3. “S” in PARIS: Characters have smooth edges, and the overall print presents a refined shape.
4. “F” & “R” in FRANCE: Every print, including the “FRANCE” text, is flawlessly placed. Characters don’t touch each other.

Fake:

1. “È” in HERMÈS: Diacritic is too thick and lacks precision.
2. “S” in HERMES: The “S” character is misaligned and has a different curvature.
3. “S” in PARIS: Characters are boxy with sharp edges.
4. “F” & “R” in FRANCE: The “F” and “R” characters touch each other.

Instead of trying to analyze your bag’s details with the naked eye…

Take a clear photo of the details and compare them side-by-side with authentic versions.

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Is it too hard? Reach out to our expert Hermès authenticators:

2. Handler

It’s known that an authentic $5,000 Birkin can be replicated and sold for $30^[1]. With this bag being so pricy, it’s worth checking every single detail — including the handler.

2.1. Thickness

Authentic:

• Stitching: Fine and uniform, showcasing the brand’s meticulous craftsmanship.

Fake:

• Stitching: Thicker and inconsistent, particularly evident on the bag’s handles.

2.2. Angle

Authentic:

• Stitch Angling: Uniform stitching with angles consistently at 18°, reflecting precise craftsmanship.

Fake:

• Stitch Angling: Inconsistent, with angles reaching up to 14°, lacking the precision of genuine Birkin bags.

Not just the Birkin, but most other Hermès bags have their stitching angled this way.

3. Luggage tag

Authentic:

• Exterior Leather Tag Stitching: Fine and consistent, indicative of the high-quality craftsmanship associated with genuine Hermes bags.

Fake:

• Exterior Leather Tag Stitching: Noticeably thicker, reflecting the cost-cutting measures adopted by counterfeit producers to offer a less expensive version.

4. Strap shape

Authentic:

1. Negative Space: Distinct depth inside the hardware.
2. Surrounding Material: More material around the hardware.
3. Finish: Polished and refined.

Fake:

1. Negative Space: Less distinct angles.
2. Finish: Appears “sharper” and less polished.

A quick mention:

• The steps we’ve written so far are the BEST ways to authenticate this item
• The next few steps are still reliable methods…
• … but they apply to non-top-versions of replicas available for this item

If in doubt, we recommend double-checking the steps we’ve explained above this line.

5. Buckle

Screws on the Extremities:

• Authentic: Straight screws on the extremities.
• Fake: Curvier screws on the extremities.

Key on the Metal Strap:

• Authentic: Key has a normal shine.
• Fake: Key is excessively shiny.

6. Padlock

• Authentic: Consistent stripes on the left, right, and middle areas.
• Fake: Different stripes on the left, right, and middle areas, with varying depths.

7. Zipper

Being such a classy bag, you’d expect the limited Hermès Birkin^[2] to be of high quality even on the smaller details…

Like the zipper! Let’s check it out.

• Authentic Hermes Bag:
  • “H” character on the zipper is perfectly shaped and consistent in font-weight.
• Fake Hermes Bag:
  • “H” character on the zipper is inconsistent in font-weight.
  • The right vertical leg of the “H” is crooked and thinner than the rest of the shapes forming the letter.

8. Dust bag

• Authentic Hermes Bag:
  • Color is true to the genuine Hermes bags.
  • Cream-colored.
• Fake Hermes Bag:
  • Color is darker than authentic Hermes bags.
  • Darker brown shade.

9. Date code

Each legitimate Hermes Birkin bag has a date/code stamp printed on the interior side.

• Authentic: Inscriptions are thicker.
• Fake: Code stamp inscriptions are not as deep.

Here’s how to read it:

10. Arrow patch

Find this at the base of the handler.

• Fake Bag:
  • Top-down line in the middle side of the patch is incorrectly built.
  • Thickness, manufacturing method, and placement are wrong.
• Authentic Bag:
  • Presents a constant line of stitching.
  • Thinner and more defined than the fake bag.

11. Strap stitching

• Fake Bag:
  1. Wrong thickness for the stitching.
  2. Imperfect stitches.
  3. Too much empty space between stitches.
• Authentic Bag:
  1. Stitches are perfectly done.
  2. No thickness or other flaws.
  3. No space between stitches.

12. Lock engraving

• Fake: All three inscriptions are too thin.
• Authentic: Text engraved on the bag looks thicker and more defined.

Shortlist: Best spots to check

Here’s a checklist to help you spot a fake Hermes Birkin bag:

1. Check the Hermes engraving (“HERMES PARIS MADE IN FRANCE”). Look for font weight consistency and proper positioning.
2. Verify the stitching on the leather handler. Authentic bags have finely stitched handles.
3. Look at the exterior label for even and thin stitching.
4. Verify the rectangular metal strap for the width of the blank space.
5. Check the boxy metal strap for screw shape and key appearance.
6. Examine the lock for the depth of stripes.
7. Analyze the “H” shape on the zipper for consistent font weight.
8. Authenticate the dust bags for the correct color.
9. Inspect the code stamp for proper text thickness.
10. Check the stitching on the base of the handler for any irregularities.
11. Examine the stitching on the strap for even spacing.
12. Look at the text on the bottom side of the lock for correct thickness.

If you’re in a hurry to authenticate your Hermes Birkin bag, above is the 60-second solution for you.

We’ve bolded the most important point for quick reference.

Expert Hermes Birkin Authentication

If you need assistance authenticating your Hermes bag, we’re here to help:

• Send us high-quality photos of your bag.
• We’ll provide results within 24 to 48 hours.
• You also get a complete with a detailed report on its authenticity.

This concludes our guide on how to differentiate between a real and fake Hermes Birkin bag.

References

1. “A crude copy of a $5,000 Hermes ‘Birkin’ bag might be had for less than $30.” | Ferrill, Elizabeth, and Tina Tanhehco et al. “Protecting the Material World: The Role of Design Patents in the Fashion Industry.” North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 251-300. HeinOnline (Spring 2011).
2. “Innovations in the global luxury goods trade today, like the Hermes Birkin bag, benefit only a modest number of consumers” Secular stagnation | Glaeser, Edward L. “Secular stagnation: facts, causes and cures“ 69 (2014).

Need our opinion on your item’s authenticity? It’s a service we provide.

Get a fully-detailed report for why you have a real or fake item. Takes less than 48 hours!

Alternatively, use our free resources: written guides and video tutorials.

Thank you for reading this,

Ch Daniel and Ch David