How to Tell if Your Goyard Bag Is the Real Thing
A Goyard bag, often seen on celebrities and the chicest women in any international terminal, is the ultimate in understated luxury among the in-the-know. Like another famous French luxury house, Goyard got its start as a trunk-making outfit. Quickly establishing itself as the leader in the field, it became the go-to for the French aristocracy, and the fashion set was soon to follow. Still known for its dedication to quality and craftsmanship, the artisans at Goyard have supplied leather and canvas goods to everyone from the Duchess of Windsor to Gwyneth Paltrow.
However, compared to other internationally renowned luxury brands, Goyard is decidedly under the radar. Because it is privately owned, a point the company happily highlights in its brand biography, it is able to set itself apart by avoiding or de-emphasizing such things as social media, e-commerce and traditional advertising. While this may seem like a risk in the heyday of Instagram, it seems only to have cemented Goyard’s exclusivity. Plus, the house’s limited number of boutiques helps Goyard bags and other leather goods retain their high resale value. So if you’re lucky enough to find a Goyard bag for sale, how do you know whether it’s the real thing? We asked our expert team to break down the most popular styles the house produces and the elements of an authentic Goyard bag.
Goyard Bag Styles
Goyard stays away from trendy shapes and sticks to a limited number of styles. The Goyard Croisier bag is the brand’s keep-all, comparable to the Louis Vuitton Speedy. It comes in several different sizes from handbag to duffel, which makes it a practical option. The Goyard Saigon bag is extremely expensive because of the hand-carved wood and fine luggage detailing of the finishes. The Goyard Bois clutch is very popular and has many of the same signature Goyard details as the Saigon at a more accessible price point.
But by far the most popular Goyard style? The St. Louis tote — it comes in two sizes and is very lightweight and collapsible. While that makes it very functional, the Goyard St. Louis is not indestructible, so it does need to be treated with care. The Goyard Anjou tote is also similar to the St. Louis. The Anjou is lined in leather, is reversible, and is inevitably more durable.
In the primary market, Goyard bags are priced in two ways. There is one price for the standard colors — black with black trim, dark red with dark red trim and black with brown trim — and a higher price point for any other special colors. Speaking of special colors, many Goyard bags are personalized with stripes and custom designs — however, including initials can affect the resale value of Goyard bags.
Goyard Bag Serial Numbers
While almost every Goyard bag will have a serial number, some are easy to find while others are more discreet. On older Goyard St. Louis totes, you can find it on the interior of the included pouch. For newer styles, the serial number can be found on the end of the leather strap connecting the pouch to the tote. Make sure the numbers are small and discreet — if they are larger and more obvious, it’s a sign that the bag could be fake.
Goyard Bag Hand Stenciling
The house’s iconic Goyardine design is known for its hand-stenciled detailing, though the house no longer hand-stencils the Goyardine design on bags. For the bags that include hand-stencilling, you should be able to see the grain of the canvas through the paint. You should also be able to see the high gloss of the base layer of the canvas, which should contrast with the more matte finish of the hand-stenciled detailing on top of it. On fakes, all of the details will be on one plane and often look too perfect, the result of digital reproduction. Like anything done by hand, some slight inconsistencies or errors on hand-painted Goyard bags are a mark of human craftsmanship.
Goyard Bag Lining & Interior Logo
The lining of Goyard bags is a signature mustard yellow cotton twill, which is also the color of many of their dustbags. In the past, Goyard used chocolate brown dust bags which matched their boxes. Most linings are trimmed in a jacquard webbing with the Goyard logo in all caps on the interior. Look for well-constructed, precise stitching. Hardware is minimal and discreet with unbranded zipper pulls that may feature a ‘G’ but not bold logos. Goyard may be stamped on the back of some hardware elements.
Ready to invest in a Goyard bag of your own? Shop our selection here.
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Please note: Brand standards, logos and other identifying features may have changed since the time of publication.
