How To Spot A Real Louis Vuitton Neverfull

Words by Jody Hume | 3.23.17
The Speedy may have been the darling of the early aughts, the Twist the logo favorite of recent years, but it’s the Neverfull that remains, after more than ten years on the market, one of Louis Vuitton’s most popular handbags and the ultimate workhorse. With an easy silhouette made in flexible materials, the minimalist tote is truly never full, allowing owners to pack huge loads into its lightweight frame. Even with 0.5″ handles, the medium size, the MM, is durable enough to hold a weight of up to 200 lbs.
Of course, for all its success, the Neverfull has brought about a slew of imposters trying to cash in on its popularity. Sometimes we even see a counterfeit of a version that’s never existed, like a Neverfull in monogram vernis, or one in Damier Graphite, which is a material reserved only for men’s items — since the Neverfull is sold exclusively as a women’s handbag, we know it was never made in that material. For more on how to tell if your Neverfull is the real thing, read our expert team’s tips below.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull HandlesRealStyle_582_2

The Neverfull has unique handles, so they’re always the first thing we look at when authenticating. The straps are very thin and then bow at the bottom into a bulb. Often times the handles on counterfeit versions are thicker, both in depth and width, to support the weight of the items carried because the materials are so inferior to the real thing.
As with many other Louis Vuitton handbags, the Neverfull handles are made from an untreated calf hide called vachetta. Fakes will often use a material that’s either a treated leather or a faux leather, so it doesn’t age the same way vachetta does or it doesn’t age at all. While tan vachetta will develop a patina from the oils in your hands, a counterfeiter may use a different material that doesn’t darken with age — a clear sign the piece is inauthentic. It’s also important to pay attention to the casework or glazing on the edges. It should be clean and  have a subtle red tone; often on counterfeits the casing is a very bright orange or crayola red and it’s very waxy and sloppily painted.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull Date Code

Like all Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories, the Neverfull has a date code, which indicates the month, year and location where the bag was made. Starting in 2007 (the year the Neverfull was released), the second and fourth digits of all codes correspond to the production year, while the first and third digits refer to the week. For instance, the code FL2153 would indicate the piece was made in the 25th week of 2013. On every Neverfull, you’ll find the leather date code tab under the right-hand corner of the interior pocket, regardless of size or material. The NM version, also known as the Neverfull Neo, was released in 2014 and comes with a removable pochette which also contains a date code in the lining seam, as seen in the image above. If the date code on your bag indicates it was made before 2014 but was accompanied by a removable pocket bag, this may be a sign it is inauthentic.

Louis Vuitton Neverfull LiningRealStyle_582_1

The original versions of the Neverfull exclusively have a tan-colored canvas lining, but the new version has multiple color options including red, yellow and fuchsia. Make sure your bag’s lining is appropriate for the year it was produced, based on the date code. The colorful linings are so beloved, some owners have taken to turning them inside out — but we wouldn’t recommend it. There’s a lot of debate about whether the bag is reversible or not, but it’s not designed to be. Why hide the iconic print?

 

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