Fake Checks, Fashion/Style

How to tell a fake or genuine Michael Kors bag

fake or genuine Michael Kors bag

What are the best ways to tell a fake or genuine Michael Kors bag? Our illustrated guide and list of authenticity codes will prevent you being cheated.

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It’s hard to resist a beautiful Michael Kors bag – no wonder, because Michael Kors is currently one of the trendiest fashion designers. Authentic Michael Kors bags are made from high-quality materials such as fine leather. The multitude of embellishments such as handles, chains, braided handles, buckles, snap fasteners and of course the MK pendant make them unmistakable.

Important

  • Make sure that you buy your Michael Kors bag in a reputable online shop
  • Sales prices with 40% discount or more indicate counterfeiting
  • Please note our information in particular regarding the manufacturer’s label and the inner lining (see description below)
  • Listen to your gut feeling and refrain from buying if you are not convinced

Best ways to tell a fake or genuine Michael Kors bag

How can you tell whether the Michael Kors bag you want to buy or have bought is original? Follow these steps to check the authenticity of your bag.

Michael Kors Bag – Charm Pendant

original Michael Kors bag charms

Many Michael Kors bags such as the “Jet Set” model are supplied with an MK pendant (leather strap with a round MK metal pendant). Note these points:

  • The two MK letters are close together
  • The engraving is clear to read, deeply embossed and neatly made
  • The metal should not show any small bubbles or dents, should be polished to a high gloss and should not have chipped anywhere.

Metal applications and lettering

Authentic Michael Kors bags have charms, buckles, eyelets, snap fasteners and other metal applications. These metal applications for Michael Kors bags have many shapes and designs and are unfortunately relatively easy to fake. Some high-quality counterfeits are even equipped with original MK metal applications that are obtained illegally from original MK suppliers.

The following characteristics are important:

  • Michael Kors metal applications only show MICHAEL KORS and not the abbreviation “MK”.
  • Real applications should not show any holes or unevenness like bubbles in the metal.
  • The labeling must be clearly defined
  • The fitting should have a polished, smooth sheen. This gloss is created by a particularly high-quality coating process. This also prevents, for example, the coating from flaking off, which can happen in the case of counterfeits.

Fake Michael Kors metal eyelets or buckles differ in that the counterfeit uses a different font and, in addition, the letters are narrower than those of the original.

With original Michael Kors bags, the letters of the lettering are always stuck on individually. Fakes, on the other hand, connect the letters with a metal strip, for example. This is one of the key clues to tell a fake or genuine Michael Kors bag.

Michael Kors pocket lining

The inner lining of a Michael Kors bag depends on the model and has changed over the years. This makes it difficult for the layperson to distinguish an original from a fake.

Basically, the following applies:

  • The inner lining is a soft synthetic material
  • The leather trim for inside pockets is always sewn in and not glued
  • The zippers, borders and seams are always sewn.

If you find that leather appliqué or manufacturer’s labels have been glued, then this is a sure sign of a fake bag.

Lining with MK honeycomb pattern

The lining of many Michael Kors bags shows the letters MK surrounded by two circles that are connected to each other and form a kind of honeycomb shape. This so-called MK honeycomb logo can help to identify a forgery:

With many counterfeits, the honeycomb pattern logo is only printed on the lining. It is striking that the lining lacks the shine that is typical of original Michael Kors pocket lining. The material also looks cheap and feels like plastic wrap, and this is one of the top ways to tell a fake or genuine Michael Kors bag.

In the case of higher-quality counterfeits, the lining is hardly distinguishable from an original MK bag. However, if you look at the circles around the MK, they often look a little oval when they are fake. This is a sign of a fake.

Lining with fur pattern

Michael Kors pocket lining always shows the MK logo. Exceptions are the MK bags, which do not contain an inner lining. But if inner lining is used and the lining does not bear the MK logo, then it is a fake.

Michael Kors pocket zipper

It is often described that Michael Kors only uses YKK zippers for his bags. This is usually the case, but zippers from manufacturers or brands such as IDEAL are also used. As with YYK, you will also find the manufacturer’s label on the zipper.

Michael Kors also uses no-name zippers on the inner pockets of some models (e.g. the Michael Kors Hamilton).

Make sure that the main zipper of the bag, such as the Michael Kors Selma, always comes from YKK or Ideal. If a no-name zipper is used here, there is a risk that the bag is a fake.

Seams and thread on Michael Kors bag

original Michael Kors seam

Basically:

  • The seams run in a neat, straight stitch
  • The seams are evenly spaced
  • The color of the like always resembles the color of the bag

However, in the past it happened that original MK bag series had untidy or sloping seams. The reason for this is that Michael Kors partly outsources its bag production to external companies in order to be able to meet the increased demand. The outsourced factories do not always deliver the same standard as the Michael Kors fabrications, so that even an original bag can have a dirty seam.

Branded Leather Tab (Heat Stamp)

fake or genuine Michael Kors bag

With a real Michael Kors bag, you will find a leather tab with the Michael Kors lettering on the inside of the bag. This can be found in almost all pocket models and always has the same font and size. The only exception are MK reversible bags, which have no leather flap.

With most original bags, leather tabs always show the text

“MICHAEL”
“MICHAEL KORS”

in two lines. The pressure should be clearly defined.

In Michael Kors Retail Outlets bags in particular, it is not uncommon for the lettering not to be printed deep enough by the hot stamp and to appear somewhat indistinct.

In some pocket models, the traditional hot stamping stamp was replaced by metal signs. These are most commonly found on Michael Kors Tote and Michael Kors Greenwich models.

Example of counterfeiting

Michael Kors fakes can be recognized by the fact that the leather flap has a faint impression of an outline around the MK lettering , which is caused by a cheap gravure stamp . With real MK labels, there is no outline and the letters are evenly distributed.

Does the tab bear the imprint ” Michael Kors” & “EST. 1981 ”is an indication of a forgery. Michael Kors uses this lettering on bracelets and bags, but it is not on the leather flap on the inside of current MK bags.

Michael Kors manufacturer label / type label

fake or genuine Michael Kors bag

With genuine Michael Kors bags you will find a manufacturer label with information on the country of origin and the date of manufacture inside the bag. This includes a type label that is printed with the model number. The tabs / signs can be of different colors, but are normal

  • transparent
  • White
  • black
  • brown

The color of the label can indicate whether the bag was produced for a Michael Kors outlet (black and brown) or a Michael Kors boutique (clear and white).

Manufacturer label until 2016

The signs usually follow a standard format:

The country of manufacture ” MADE IN ” followed by one of the countries listed below

Manufacturing date code, for example in the format “AP-1502”.

“AP” is the factory name and “1502” stands for “February 2015”.

Behind the “MADE IN” label is a small white label on which the model number of the bag is printed. In simple Michael Kors counterfeits, these signs are missing. The high quality plagiarism can contain the tags, but often with an incorrect or missing model number.

Most Michael Kors bags are made in these countries (made in):

  • China
  • Thailand
  • Indonesia
  • Vietnam
  • Philippines
  • Bangladesh
  • Turkey
  • Myanmar
  • Italy

Manufacturer label from 2016

New Michael Kors bags from 2016 contain a QR code together with the model number, the date of manufacture and information on the color and the country of manufacture.

The new sign is structured as follows:

E-1606 – “E” is the factory name and “1606” the date of manufacture (“1606” means June 2016).

T16 – This is the season of the bag.

30T3SLMS2L – This is the model number of the bag.

303 – This is the color code of the bag.

Current color codes are:

colourColor code
Black1
Silver40
Pearl Gray81
White85
Cement92
Luggage230
Celadon303
Navy406
Dusty Blue438
Electric Blue446
Pale Blue487
Cinder513
Chilli Red613
Brick616
Misty Rose623
Plum633
Pale pink656
Grapefruit pink665
Fuschia670
Dusty Rose673
Sunflower719
gold740
Coral802
Cherry848
Steel Blue926

Practical tip :

So just check the model number:

  1. Visit the Michael Kors homepage
  2. Enter the model number in the search on the Michael Kors page
  3. Compare the displayed bag with your model

If you do not receive a result, it may be that the bag is no longer available or that it comes from a previous season. Then try the following:

  1. Go to Google or another search engine
  2. Enter “MICHAEL KORS” along with the model number
  3. Switch to the image search and compare the displayed images with your model.

If most of the pictures show a different pocket model, this indicates a forgery.