How To Spot A Fake YSL Bag: The Kate (2024)

Written by
Ch David
how to authenticate ysl kate bags
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Last Updated on January 10, 2024 by Ch David

Want to confirm the authenticity of your YSL bag? This tutorial will help you do it once and for all.

Just by reading this ultimate YSL Kate authentication guide, you’re going to know if you have a real or fake.

Not what you’re looking for? See our other YSL authentication guides.

For now, let’s look at the Kate bag.

How to tell if your YSL Kate is real or fake

To tell if your YSL Kate is real or fake, look at the “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” label inside the bag. A fake never has the right font-weight and spacing for its characters.

YSL is one of the most prestigious brands.

None of these flaws ever occur on a real bag.

1. Stitched label

Find this label inside the bag.

  • Authentic:
    • The stitching around the rectangle label is thinner.
    • The “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” text on the label is also thinner.
  • Fake:
    • The stitching around the rectangle label is thicker.
    • The “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” text on the label is too thick.

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

2. Printed logo

Find this on the other side of the stitched logo — still inside the bag.

  • Authentic:
    • The “SAINT LAURENT” text is thicker and more defined.
    • The “PARIS” text is thinner.
    • Uniform spacing between all letters in “PARIS.”
  • Fake:
    • The “SAINT LAURENT” text is too thin.
    • The “PARIS” text is too thick.
    • Excessive space between the letters “A” and “R” in “PARIS.”

Fun fact about this guide: It was edited at the same time of filming the Omega Speedmaster guide.

3. Chainlink

  • Authentic:
    • The “SAINT LAURENT” text is engraved deeper into the metal, making the letters appear thicker and more defined.
  • Fake:
    • The letters in both “SAINT” and “LAURENT” are not engraved deeply enough into the metal, making them look thinner.

4. Round logo

Located at the bottom of the chainlinks.

  • Authentic:
    • The “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” text is engraved less deeply into the metal, resulting in thinner-looking letters.
  • Fake:
    • The text is engraved too deeply, making the letters look thicker than those on the authentic bag.

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. Bottom

  • Authentic:
    • The stitching on the left side of the patch is thicker and bulkier, giving it a more defined appearance.
  • Fake:
    • The stitching on this side looks too thin compared to the authentic bag.

6. YSL

This is the notorious YSL logo on the front of the bag.

  • Authentic:
    • The letters in the frontal metal “YSL” logo are thicker and more defined.
  • Fake:
    • The letters in the logo appear too thin when compared to the authentic bag.

7. Buttons

  • Authentic:
    • The “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” text is thinner and more accurately engraved.
  • Fake:
    • The text appears too thick, deviating from the authentic bag’s specifications.

8. Shape

  • Authentic:
    • The bag’s shape appears narrow and slim, adhering to the design standards of Yves Saint Laurent.
  • Fake:
    • The bag appears bulkier and “fatter,” deviating from the authentic bag’s sleek design.

8. Shininess

  • Authentic:
    • The chains have a less glossy and shiny appearance, reflecting the authentic design of the Yves Saint Laurent Kate bag.
  • Fake:
    • The chains appear overly shiny and glossy, deviating from the original design

Shortlist: Authenticate a YSL Kate in 30 seconds

  1. Inspect the interior label of your YSL Kate bag. Counterfeit bags often display inscriptions and stitching that are of incorrect thickness.
  2. Examine the “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” silver inscription inside the bag. Many fakes have this text appearing too slender.
  3. Review the “SAINT LAURENT” text on the chainlink. Replica bags may have text that’s either overly thick or too thin.
  4. Scrutinize the hardware details, especially the “SAINT LAURENT PARIS” curved text. On knock-offs, this text often appears excessively thick.
  5. Observe the stitching on the bag’s bottom. Fake versions typically feature stitching that’s too refined.
  6. Evaluate the YSL metal logo on the bag’s front. Imitation YSL Kate bags often have a logo that’s too slender.
  7. Consider the text on the bag’s buttons. Many counterfeits display overly thick text.
  8. Assess the bag’s side profile. Genuine bags should appear narrow and slim, whereas replicas can look overly robust and wide.
  9. Check the shininess of the bag’s chains. Counterfeit YSL Kate bags frequently have chains that are excessively shiny.

At times, you might find it challenging to follow every detailed step above to authenticate your YSL Kate bag.

For such instances, we’ve put together a rapid 60-second guide to verify your YSL bag.

Expert Yves Saint Laurent authentication service

If you’re uncertain about the authenticity of your YSL Kate bag, we’re here to help.

  • Simply send us high-quality photos of your bag
  • We will provide feedback within 24 to 48 hours, complete with a detailed report on its authenticity.

This concludes our guide for real vs fake Yves Saint Laurent Kate bags.

Stay tuned for updates as more insights emerge.

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

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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.
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