How to Spot Real Gucci GG Marmont
When the relatively unknown Alessandro Michele was appointed creative director of Gucci in 2015, he not only revitalized the Gucci brand, but radically transformed the fashion landscape. His resurrection of the double G Gucci logo in his debut fashion show ushered in a wave of logomania, arguably causing the fashion industry to bid farewell to the age of minimalism initiated by Phoebe Philo’s Céline. Numerous luxury brands have dusted off their vintage logos and reintroduced house classics since, from Dior introducing saddlebags sporting the archive logo to Fendi relaunching their iconic 1974 FF branding.
Despite being inspired by a belt buckle used in the 1970s, the relaunched double-G logo still feels modern and fresh, thanks to Michele’s playful albeit risky approach. While respecting the logo as a symbol of the brand’s 95 year heritage, Michele infused his own maximalist, youthful aesthetic into the logo’s rebirth, using flowers, cartoonesque motifs and bedazzlements that make it modern and relevant. “I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the logo,” said Michele at the New York Times International Luxury Conference. “It’s like drawing on the Mona Lisa. The logo is an incredible powerful asset for Gucci and it should become as desirable as a leather bag.” And Michele’s vision certainly came to fruition, and not just for Gucci. But the rise of logomania also heralds the rise of counterfeiting. With the resurgent logo appearing on a range of Gucci Marmont products, from chain-strap shoulder bags and mini wallets to block-heel pumps and a refreshed version of the belt that started it all, it’s challenging to spot the fakes among the real deal. We spoke to our team of experts to find out the key elements to look out for when authenticating Gucci GG Marmont.
The Iconic Logo
The double G logo is what separates Marmont from other Gucci products. Both G’s should be facing the same direction, and neither should be flipped. The G’s start at a point, grow wider, and then overlap at the leg. The version we see here has various sizes of faux pearls made by Swarovski, but many appear in the standard antique brass hardware. Look at the tone of the hardware; it shouldn’t be too shiny or too orange, and it shouldn’t look like it has been varnished or lacquered. These are all elements present on counterfeits.
The Chevron Quilting
Gucci is reknowned for its immaculate craftsmanship, and a close inspection of the chevron quilting that has come to define Marmont handbags and wallets can offer key authenticity indicators. The stitching should be very even, perfectly spaced and aligned. You should not see any double stitching, torn stitches, knots in the thread, or loose stitches where counterfeiters had to stop and rethread the machine. The stitch length as well as the distance from one line to the other should all be uniform.
The Handbag Interior
The interior of most handbags and leather goods will be lined in synthetic ultrasuede material, in a blush tone. You will find the standard Gucci zip pockets against the inner lining of Marmont handbags, which will feature a leather placard stamped with the ‘Gucci Made In Italy’ logo. The reverse side of the placard contains a series of digits. The top row denotes the style number and the bottom row denotes the lot number. One step in authenticating your Marmont product is to Google the top 6 digits to ensure the style number correlates with the item you have.
The Brass Hardware
A close inspection of Gucci Marmont hardware can reveal red flags that indicate counterfeiting. The zippers on all handbags and wallets should mirror the same antiqued brass finish of the double G logo, and zipper pulls should be stamped with ‘Gucci.’ One way to authenticate the Marmont flap bags, which are the most common style, is to open the bag and examine the inner part of the flap. The double GG logo should be faceted to the flap with two solid rivets, not screws, and there should be a seperate snap underneath to open and close the bag. The hardware is branded, so make sure the female part of the snap says ‘Gucci’ twice.
Also take note of the color of the hardware. With Gucci Marmont handbags, place the chain strap next to the double G logo to ensure the tone of the hardware matches perfectly. The grommets, clasps and D-rings should all be the same antiqued brass color. Counterfeiters source goods from wherever they can, which means they will often end up with hardware in varying shades that is not consistent with the Gucci brand.
The Belt Details
Gucci Marmont belts come in a variety of sizes, ranging from thin belts measuring half an inch to oversized ones up to six inches wide. The larger the belt, the more curvature you’ll see in the cut of the leather so that it contours to the waist. With thin belts, there’s enough bend in the leather naturally so it will look like a flat piece of leather. Counterfeit belts are often made of synthetic leather, so when you roll it up you start to see lots of buckling on the inside of the leather. Natural leather is very elastic and will stretch and retract easily.
On the back of all belts you’ll see the stamp “Gucci Made in Italy” followed by four lines of digits. The top line denotes the style number, the second line denotes the art number, and the third line denotes the size number, first in cm, then in inches. Note the font choice that is used. Gucci uses the same sans serif font on all of its stamps.
The back of the buckle should sport a sandblasted finish. If it looks shiny like the front, that’s a sign that it could be inauthentic. Usually counterfeits are too orange in comparison to the genuine version. Also examine the finishing of the belt, where the leather is attached to the bar with a leather strap. On a counterfeit that strap may be very raw or show heavy lines of irregular stitching because counterfeiters are not going for quality; they’re going for speed and cost-savings. In addition, on a genuine belt that’s not reversible, there should be a thin leather strap that keeps that loop attached.
The Signature Shoes
Gucci Marmont shoes come in several styles, from fringed pumps and thong sandals to loafers, espadrilles and mules. The outsole of all Gucci Marmont shoes are made with nude-colored leather, and are slightly curved in shape. Counterfeits will be perfectly flat and are often made of synthetic leather, which doesn’t scuff up the same way as real leather. Therefore a good amount of scuffing is actually a sign that it’s genuine leather. Also look out for a plaque attached to the outsole that reads ‘Gucci’ in all caps.
The insole of Marmont shoes will be lined with the same peachy-beige color, and the inner counter should be sueded. The suede adds a bit of grip so that the shoe doesn’t slide off. The insole will be stamped with ‘Gucci’ and the inner panel on the side of the shoe will feature the six digit style number, the size number, followed by the colorway number. Look for this marking as many counterfeiters omit it or they will deboss it, meaning any colored foil will be stamped out.
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Please note: Brand standards, logos and other identifying features may have changed since the time of publication.
