The Row Margaux Bag Real or Fake
The Row Margaux Bag Real or Fake

The Row Margaux Top Handle Bag – Is It Real or Fake?

10.11.24

The right handbag can make an outfit. When you find one that is as functional as it is chic, it often becomes a wardrobe staple. Celebrities and style icons alike have toted signature bags, such as the Hermès Birkin, the Lady Dior bag or the Gucci Jackie. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, founders of The Row, are known for testing the limits of their Birkins, carrying them everywhere and thoroughly breaking them in.

The Row’s signature bags embody this style, including the Margaux, which is one of the brand’s most popular styles. Today’s fashionable celebrities — including Kendall Jenner and Jennifer Lawrence — are fans of the bag, which is large, slouchy and sophisticated. Read on to learn more about why this bag is a hit with the fashionable and how to spot a fake. If you want to sell your The Row Margaux bag once you’ve checked, consider The RealReal.

Why Is the Margaux So Popular?

The Margaux is understated, standing on its design and not its logo. Available in multiple muted and neutral colors, this bag pairs well with multiple looks, and it’s durable enough for daily use. As this handbag grows in popularity, many members who sell with The RealReal are bringing the bags to us.

Even in its smallest size, the Margaux is big enough to carry everything you need when you leave the house, but it’s not overwhelming. It also features a side buckle that allows you to loosen up the bag if you want to fit more in it or if you like it extra floppy. It comes in four sizes, ranging from 10 to 17 inches, and various fabric combinations, including suede, leather and a canvas-leather combination.

Each Margaux handbag from The Row offered by The RealReal is inspected to ensure authenticity. Here are some of the metrics we use to answer the question “The Row Margaux bag — real or fake?”

Quality Craftsmanship

The Row is known for bringing high quality to minimalist style. Its handbags are made with Italian leather, calfskin, suede and similar fabrics with artfully crafted hardware. If your bag feels more like plastic than leather, it’s a sign that it may not be authentic. Real leather is less shiny than faux leather and is usually heavier.

If the Margaux bag you would like to sell with us is leather, look at the grain and check it for striations. Every piece of leather has grooves that make a pattern in the textile. Real leather typically has larger grain patterns than faux leather, and it doesn’t show cracks as easily. If your Margaux bag has multiple lines that aren’t part of the natural grain, the bag could be inauthentic. An older Margaux bag may have scuffs and other markings from regular wear and tear, which is normal.

Suede bags and combination canvas-leather bags also give clues to authenticity in the material. Real suede is more uniform in color than faux suede. It also feels richer and less like plastic. Faux suede often gives off a shine that you won’t see in the real thing. You can tell if your The Row Margaux bag is real or fake by carefully evaluating the leather on a canvas-leather combination.

Pay attention to your bag’s stitching. Like other clothing and accessories from The Row, the Margaux is known for its clean lines and details. Each Margaux bag features precision stitches that are obviously machine-made. If your bag has frayed stitches or if the lines seem inconsistent, it may not be authentic.

Uniform Branding

As part of its dedication to quiet style, The Row’s Margaux bag is not covered in logos. A real Margaux will have a small stamp on the side of the bag near the bottom. Its logo will often blend in with the bag and you may find yourself searching for it. Older models had foiled logos that were easier to spot. Whether your Margaux is foiled or simply stamped, watch out for misaligned letters or wonky edges.

A real Margaux has engraved buckles. Its feet on the bottom of the bag will also be engraved. Each bag has a crisp stamp on its interior with the logo and “Made in Italy.” Faux bags often have the stamp on the front of the bag and they may be missing the engravings on the buckles and the feet.

Quality Packaging

A real Margaux bag will come with a dust bag and care instructions. You don’t need to send the dust bag if you’re selling your The Row Margaux bag with us, particularly if your bag is older and you’ve lost it. However, its inclusion is a sign of authenticity. Some fakes do come with dust bags, but they are thinner and lower quality than a real The Row Margaux handbag. Fake dust bags may also be smaller than real ones, with a slightly different font on the tag. A real dust bag from The Row features a branded piece of ribbon stitched onto the bottom corner.

If your bag is authentic, its box should feature The Row logo cleanly and in the middle. Fake boxes often feature logos that are off-center or with letters that aren’t evenly spaced.

Note the Price

Real luxury costs money. Anyone who buys a real Margaux handbag is paying for the materials, the craftsmanship, and the durability. With proper care, a real The Row Margaux handbag can last for decades. Even if the bag is worn, you can bring it back to life with a good cleaning and repair.

For these reasons, you can expect to pay between $5,000 and $9,000 on a new Margaux bag. Depending on the condition, a preowned bag may sell for close to the same price. Margaux bags that sell for hundreds of dollars rather than thousands are most likely knockoffs.

How to Sell Your The Row Margaux Bag

When you’re reselling your bag through The RealReal, include the certificate of authenticity, the dust bag and the original box, if you still have them. If not, we have experts who can carry out authentication for anything you have to offer, including handbags from The Row. Knowing what to look for up front will help you spot the fakes before you sell them.

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