Answer: Check the stitching on the long tabs under the exterior “MARC JACOBS” logo to tell if your bag is real. Fakes often have the wrong thickness for their threads.
1. Stitching
Authentic: Thicker and shorter stitches.
Fake: The threads are too thin and long.
Essentially, the authentic bag has a higher stitching density compared to the dupe.
Too difficult? Let our team of expert Marc Jacobs authenticators take a look at your bag:
2. Rear label
You’ll find this label on the other side of the one with the “MARC JACOBS THE TOTE BAG” logo.
Authentic: Thicker and bigger stitches.
Fake: Stitching is too small and thin.
Aside from the stitching, the text is too big and thick on the fake bag.
That’s because it isn’t fit deep enough in to the leather — unlike the original bag’s text.
3. Pocket
Find it inside the bag.
Authentic: Engraved text — visibly deep in the leather.
Fake: “THE MARC JACOBS” isn’t fit deep into the leather.
In fact, the fake text looks like it’s just printed instead of engraved.
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.
4. Handler
Authentic: Denser, smaller and thicker threads.
Fake: The stitches are very thin and too long.
5. Leather tag
You’ll find this label inside the bag — next to the pocket we’ve previously checked out.
Authentic: Thicker, smaller print.
Fake: The text is too thin and also to obig.
6. Bottom
Authentic: Thinner threads that don’t come out of the leather.
Fake: Stitching is too thick — the threads are raised too much out of the bag.
7. Logo
This is the main logo outside the bag.
Authentic: Visibly thinner “MARC JACOBS” print.
Fake: Thicker letters.
8. Carbine
Authentic: Thicker, harder to read “MARC JACOBS” text.
Fake: The “MARC JACOBS” logo is too thin.
Shortlist: Quickly tell FAKEs
Stitching: Authentic bags have thicker, shorter stitches with higher density, while fakes have thin, long stitches.
Rear Label: Genuine bags feature thicker, bigger stitches and deeply embedded text, whereas fakes have small, thin stitching and overly large, superficial text.
Interior Pocket: Authentic bags have deeply engraved text, while fakes have superficially printed text.
Handler: The genuine bag uses denser, smaller, and thicker threads, whereas the fake has thin and long stitches.
Leather Tag: On authentic bags, the print is thicker and smaller. Fakes display thin, oversized text.
Bottom: Genuine bags have thinner threads that blend with the leather, while fakes have thick, protruding threads.
Logo: The authentic bag has a visibly thinner “MARC JACOBS” print, in contrast to the fake’s thicker letters.
Carbine: Authentic bags feature a thicker, less legible “MARC JACOBS” text, whereas fakes have a thinner logo.
Use this list whenever you’re in a rush.
It’s better going through it instead of the entire guide when you have no time.
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About the Author
David is the co-founder and co-CEO of Legit Check By Ch. David's experience: 5+ years of creating educational content in the fashion industry. 6+ years of authenticating luxury items. Currently, David is the Head Editor of the LCBC Library, where 1,000,000+ words have been published, in free guides, for over 1,000 items.