How To Spot A Real YSL Bag
When Hedi Slimane rebranded Yves Saint Laurent as simply Saint Laurent, he transformed the storied French atelier for a new era. Though there was initial outcry about the seemingly drastic name change, Slimane’s acute attention to the YSL logo meant his bags, wallets, and accessories quickly became It pieces. The edgy, California-tinged rocker vibe of Slimane’s ready-to-wear was balanced by his sleek bags, including monogrammed clutches, Kate wallet-on-chains, tasseled Cassandre crossbodies, and Cabas satchels.
Following Slimane’s departure in 2016, Anthony Vaccarello took the reins at Saint Laurent, maintaining the brand’s codes while adding his own personal touch. He introduced the Lou, Solferino, Kaia, and 5 à 7 bags, among others, leaning into the iconic YSL initial logo.
While many details vary based on bag style, size, and era, there are a few key features to look for when spotting a fake Saint Laurent bag.
Saint Laurent Bag Craftsmanship
Authentic Saint Laurent bags come in an array of materials, including lambskin, metallics, suede, calfskin, and textured leathers. Because these materials are common, counterfeits can unfortunately appear convincing. However, check the lining to make sure it’s a black textile with leather trim. At the interior, the leather will be glued to a textile lining to create a seamless transition. The fact that the leather is glued to the textile is not a cause for concern.
When examining an authentic Saint Laurent bag, its edges will be consistently finished. If the bag features matelassé, a technique used to mimic hand-stitched quilts from Marseilles, France, each row should be the same width, perfectly aligned and have an even number of stitches. There should never be any double stitching in the middle of a row or in an unexpected place. Any signs of loose threads, double stitching or similar inferior quality is an immediate red flag.
On a wallet-on-chain, each card slot should be functional and have a base. Sometimes on counterfeits, card slots will be slits and cards will fall right through. If the bag shows no sign of use, neither should the slots. Any sign of tearing or wear could indicate inauthenticity.
YSL Bag Hardware
Since much of Saint Laurent’s charm lies in its iconic logo, hardware is key. Pay close attention to the font, and where the letters overlap. The Y’s left arm — thicker than the right — sits beneath the S, while the right arm is above. The S then swoops behind the bottom half of the Y, overlaps the L and tucks behind it. Also note the slope of the L; it starts wider at the top and narrows as it hits the horizontal leg. The S will also change weight at its middle. Many YSL logo bags will also include four mock nail heads on the outlying corners. Though not functional, they should be present on many Hedi Slimane-era bags. Due to shifting brand standards, however, their absence is not a sign of inauthenticity.
If a Saint Laurent bag has a chain strap, it should be a curb chain with flat-faced links and a metal connector labeled Saint Laurent. On bags with removable straps, there are two different types of hardware — a metal clasp, or a leather clasp with two peg-in-hole closures that secure the strap underneath the flap. Though different, both are genuine.
The grommets incorporating the chain will not be marked with the brand, nor will small snap closures on wallets. However, larger snaps on handbags will be marked Saint Laurent / Paris. The interior zipper pulls are also a key point of authentication. Genuine bags will feature zippers with a signature bend in them, also seen on YSL leather jackets. These pulls are not entirely flat, and have a crimp near the base.
YSL Bag Brand Identifiers
On the underside of a Saint Laurent bag’s flap, you’ll see the signature Saint Laurent / Paris debossed below the ‘male’ half of the snap. Saint Laurent Paris should be capitalized in a sans serif font. Compare the shape of the S, the angle of the As and the spacing of the letters. The N and the T will touch. The slope of the R leg in Laurent is rounded, while the R leg in Paris is straight. Counterfeiters will frequently use the same font throughout.
Additionally, an unfoiled blind stamp will be at the base of the flap, or perhaps tucked behind a pocket wall. The blind stamp will say ‘Made in Italy,’ and below will be the style and art number. The style number is six digits, with a four to five digit art number, and should match on the accompanying tag if present. You can confirm the style number by searching online — under ‘More Details’ on the Saint Laurent website. More recent iterations of Saint Laurent bags will feature a prefix and dot before the style and art number, while older bags will only include the style and art number. This formatting is consistent with all Kering brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen.
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Please note, brand standards, logos and other identifying features may have changed since the time of publication.
