DIOR HOMME - Accessories: Jewelry

A lot of the Dior Homme jewelry that pops up on eBay is fake. One of the best ways to determine authenticity from the photos is by the quality of the lettering on the jewelry. Fake Dior Homme jewelry often has crooked or misaligned lettering on it. Below are a few examples but this information can apply to all pieces.

Example (click to enlarge):

The jewelry can often be hard to authenticate because much of it is fairly simple and easy to reproduce. The key (of course) is in the details. Ask the seller for large, clear, close-up pictures so that you can evaluate the details and quality. With the 'three bee' leather rope necklaces above you can see the variation in the engraving of the CD on the bees. In this example the fake CD's are slightly offset to the right. Also note that the lettering is larger than the real one.

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In the example above the D is only partially there and the lettering is crooked. If you enlarge the picture (click on it) you will also be able to see the poor, toy-like quality of the metal and craftsmanship.

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Here are some more details. As with all fakes, the quality is pretty low. Note the uneven thickness of the edges of the star.

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Many pieces of Dior jewelry have this "CD | PARIS" bar. If it does you should note where the clasp is attached. If you look closely in the photo above you will see that the authentic necklace's clasp is attached to the chain side and not the "CD | PARIS" bar side. The fake necklace often have the clasp attached to the end of the bar. So, the authentic ones hook from the chain to the bar, and the fakes often hook from the bar to the chain.

DIOR HOMME - Shirts: Size Tags

If you ever see the size tag connected to the silver Dior Homme logo tag, it's a fake. The authentic size tags are sewn either in the collar (not connected to the logo tag) or in the side seam with the fabric content label.

Example (click to enlarge):

Some (but not all) of the fake Dior Homme t-shirts have the size tag attached to the silver logo tag. T-shirts are a little harder to authenticate than jackets and other items with more details. The simpler the item, the easier it is to fake. This is why it is important to pay close attention to the tags and labels, as well as the 'Hunting Basics.'

DIOR HOMME - Shirts: Metal Logo Tags

Some of the t-shirts from earlier collections had metal logo tags connected to a couple chain links and sewn into the shirt, instead of the silver fabric label.

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This is an example of the tag. I have not seen any of these faked yet. It is much cheaper for the counterfeiters to stick with the fabric labels rather than producing the metal ones... cheaper for Dior too, which is why they switched (to cut production costs). But still be on the lookout!


UPDATE: I have found a fake Dior Homme leather jacket online with a fake metal logo tag. Here it is:

Example (click to enlarge):

As you can see above, the fake tag is slightly longer than the authentic one, and the text is slightly larger. Furthermore, the fake text looks like it was stamped into the metal, whereas the authentic looks like it is engraved into the metal (note the sharper edges). The The fake also has an extra link or two in the chain.


Keep On Huntin'

DIOR HOMME - Shoes: CD Logos

Example (click to enlarge):

Most Dior Homme sneakers have an embossed "CD" (christian dior) logo on the back of the shoe. This, again, concerns quality. The logo should be deeply embossed with clean smooth edges.

DIOR HOMME - Shoes: Embossed Leather Logo

Example (click to enlarge):

Many of the Dior Homme sneaker styles have a "DIOR HOMME" logo embossed on a strip of leather going up the side of the shoe. Some don't, but the ones that do should look similar to the authentic example. It should be embossed and not sharply punched or cut in like on the fake pair. If you enlarge this photo you can get a better idea of what I'm talking about.

DIOR HOMME - Shoes: The Rubber Sole Logo

Dior Homme sneakers have a "DIOR HOMME" logo on the rubber sole, on the outer side of each shoe. Many of the fake logos are spelled out as one word; "DIORHOMME." The original shoes have a small space between the words.

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Above is an example of a fake logo with no space in comparison to the authentic logo with the space. You can also note the poor construction quality of the fake shoes in contrast to the real shoes. Oftentimes, the fakes have uneven stitching, poorly cut leather, and uneven rubber soles with rubber excess on the edges (as seen above).

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Here is a close up view. This fake shoe has the rubber indented around the logo. The authentic shoes should have the logo with no sign of stamping. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of fake Dior Homme shoes that have this logo done 'properly' so always check the other "points of interest" to determine authenticity. Although, if you do see this logo printed improperly it is a dead giveaway.

DIOR HOMME - Coats/Jackets: A Fake Napoleon Luster Jacket

I thought this deserved its own section. The real version of this jacket fetches between $3-6k on eBay. It is a beautiful piece of fashion history. Recently though, a fake popped up on eBay. It was kind of tricky because the seller used several pictures of an authentic jacket and then a few pics of the fake jacket. The item got a lot of bids and was breaking the $5,000 mark when eBay finally removed it at the last minute. The seller relisted it and the same thing happened again. eBay was only able to catch it because many members reported it. Luckily some bidder saved some serious cash by not winning it.

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To try and stop that from happening again; here are some photos of the fake jacket. I've included the runway photo for comparison purposes. In the comparison above you can see that the gold trimmed epaulette straps are much more rounded at the ends than the original. On the real jacket they form more of a "V" shape, not a "U" shape. The strap length is also reversed on the fake, the longer one being the inside strap, not the outside strap like the original.

Example (click to enlarge):

Example (click to enlarge):

Examine the zippers and the 'fur' trim on the cuff and the epaulettes. The original jacket has short cut horsehair trim as opposed to the knock-off's longer fabric trim. The zippers on the knock-off are the rounded tear-drop style with the semi-circle hole, that only came into production a couple seasons ago (and this Napoleon jacket is from 2001). The zippers on the original jacket are rectangular with string pulls and small leather "Dior Homme" logos on the pulls.

Please be cautious when bidding on these jackets. The fake auctions often include some shots of a real jacket and then one or two of the fake jacket. To be safe, ask the seller to take a shot of the front of the jacket with a piece of paper with the seller's eBay name written on it. This ensures that the jacket pictured is the actual jacket for sale.

If you see a fake item on eBay please report it. There is a 'report this item' link at the bottom of each auction page. Helping some unaware bidder save his hard earned money, and cleaning up the fakes on eBay will be well worth the time.

DIOR HOMME - Coats/Jackets: The Paris Tag

The "Paris" tag is sewn into the collar of coats and jackets and suits. It is a silver loop with "Paris" embroidered on both sides. There is a thin black mesh loop that covers the silver loop.

Example (click to enlarge):

The tag should be about 1.5 inches long (4cm). In the example of the fake tag above we have several things wrong (other than the creepy thumbnail). This fake tag is a stubby little thing. The letters are also further apart and larger in scale than the authentic tag. The other thing that is off is that they are 'upside-down.' When the jacket is on a hanger and the tag is pointing down the "P" should be the closest to the collar seam. If you pull the tag up (so it is pointing towards the top of the hanger) and read the backside the "S" should be the closest to the collar seam. The fake tags often have this reversed, so it is a sure signal. However, I have heard from several people who have bought Dior jackets (that they swear are authentic from authorized retailers), that occasionally an authentic jacket will have a reversed Paris label. If this is true it seems to be a rare occurrence. Keep this in mind and use your best judgment.

Example (click to enlarge):

This is where that little piece of knowledge comes in handy. The fake on the left is a pretty good copy. If you click the image and enlarge it you can see the letters are a little shaky, but all-in-all it's fairly convincing. However, the tag is reversed. The tag is pointing down and the "P" is not the closest to the collar seam. Granted there may be exceptions to this rule for authentic jackets, but it is a good red flag because so many fakes do have it reversed. Upon closer inspection of the fake above you can see that the letters are too close together, the tag is too wide, and the writing is not centered on the tag.

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This example above is of another fairly accurate fake, but again, the fake letters are reversed and they are a little bolder and also closer together than the authentic one. The authentic Paris tag has a little more spacing between the letters than this fake example, but not as much spacing as the fake example below.

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This is a decent fake. The letters are going the right way, though it's not a very clear picture. Even so, you can see that the letters are spaced too far apart. It should appear as "PARIS" not "P A R I S"

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The fake above is kinda pathetic... I almost feel sorry for the little guy. However it does have one thing correct, the letters are going in the right direction. The tag is pointing up towards the collar and the "S" is the closest letter to the collar seam (if it were pointing down it should be reversed). This knock-off is also missing it's stylish mesh loop.

DIOR HOMME - General Info: Reference Numbers

Dior Homme has reference numbers printed inside most of its items. This number can be found on the fabric content label of the coats, jackets, suits, sweaters, and shirts. Most of (all of?) the jeans only have a reference number on the hang tag and not printed inside (at least none that I have ever found).

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In these examples you can see the location of the reference numbers (underlined in green). The picture on the left is of a fabric content label in a jacket. The picture on the right is the hang tag from a pair of jeans.

Most fake Dior Homme has reference numbers printed in them, but they are usually incorrect for the particular item. These numbers are codes that are specific to the item's style, production year, and season.

Example reference code: 5EH2022526, (which is for a blazer from the spring/summer '05 collection).

• '5' denotes the year it was made, in this case 2005 ('3' for 2003, '4' for 2004, etc).
  
• 'E' refers to the season/collection the piece is from. 'E' = Eté (Summer), or 'H' = Hiver (Winter).
• 'H' , the third character in the code, seems to refer to the specifics of the piece. I believe 'H' is for Homme, where as an 'F' would be for Femme which would be the limited petiet sizes Dior Homme has made for women. There is also sometimes a number instead of a letter for the third character, and this I believe may represent a pre-production or special order piece (but that's just a guess).
  
• '202' refers to the item group, in this case a blazer (Veste). If the number is in the 200's, ie. '202' on a blazer, I believe it denotes the material, '202' for super 200's wool vs. '102' for a blazer made with super 100's wool. Other examples: 101 = trousers (pantalon), 105 = shirts (Chemise), etc. There are many variations of these numbers for different seasons and pieces. You could probably write a book on them.
  
• '2526' deals with the cut/style of the piece.

Though it is often not labeled inside the garment there is an extended code on the hang tag. One example is: E47 B6A8

• 'E47' is the fabric code, which denotes the material used.
  
• 'B6A8', is the color code. In this case, 'B' refers to Bleu (blue).

If you are bidding on an online auction it's a good idea to learn what season and year the piece is from. Then, you can cross reference it with the number. The fakes are often marked with the wrong season and collection so keep an eye out. If you are not sure, do a little research. A simple Google search of the reference number may turn up some information. Men.style.com has a nice selection of runway photos from the last few years. And, if it is from a current or recently past collection, Diabro.net lists the reference number (item code) for every Dior piece it sells. You could also post a question on The Fake Hunter Discussion Forum and I or another member will try to help you.

DIOR HOMME - Coats/Jackets: Silver Logo Tags

Coats, Jackets, and Suits have this larger silver logo tag sewn inside the chest just below the inner pocket (if there is a pocket). The earlier Dior Homme collections (like Luster) had embossed Dior logo tags. Later they changed them to stitched embroidery.

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Above are two authentic examples of these tags. The one on the left is embroidered and the one on the right is the older embossed version.

The suit coat tags are approximately 2.5 inches wide by 1 inch tall. The tags that are sewn into outerwear (ie. overcoats, jackets, etc.) are approximately 3 inches long by 1.5 inches tall. The embroidered "D" is 5/16 of an inch tall. The embossed "D" is 1/4 on an inch tall.

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Above are two more authentic examples. The one on the left is from a wool overcoat. The one on the right is from a suit coat.

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Now we get to the fakes. The key to distinguishing these fake tags is in the proportions. The lettering of the fake tags is often larger than the authentic tags. The fake "D" is also usually more elongated. The authentic tags are stitched with a stitch in each corner, which is often omitted on the fakes.

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However, as you can see above there are some pretty good fake tags out there. The differences here are subtle but still present. You can still see the elongated "D" and the material of the tag is different. The authentic tags are printed on a very smooth silver material with very little texture. Although it is not part of the tag, the other giveaway in the fake shot is the stitching in the upper right and left of the photo. It is very cheaply done and not even.

If you are looking at an online auction for a Dior Homme item and there are no pictures of the tags or labels, request them. They are one of the surest ways to identify the authenticity. If the pictures are provided in the auction compare them to the real labels. Remember to keep an eye on those "D"s.

DIOR HOMME - Coats/Jackets: Fabric Content Tags

When shopping for Dior Homme online, the quality of the fabric, stitching, and construction are all very good indicators of authenticity. However, things can often look much better in the photos than in real life. A good back-up is to know a little about the tags and labels sewn inside the garment.

Example (click to enlarge):

Example (click to enlarge):

The fabric content tags can offer a good amount of information regarding the piece's authenticity. The fake tags above are good examples. The authentic tags are made of a very smooth silver material with almost no texture. Many of the fake tags have a rougher surface (as seen above). The bad fakes also have frayed edges like the one above.

Another key is to note the fabric content. Sometimes the fake tags are mislabeled and give incorrect fabrics for the particular item. If you are looking at a wool over coat that is labeled as 100% polyester, you know something is wrong.

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Watch out for typos too. Occasionally a typo may occur on an authentic tag, but it won't be more than a slight misspelling. In the example of the fake above you'll notice that it says both "Fabrique en Turquie" (made in turkey) and "Made in Italy" below that. A substantial typo.

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Here are two examples (one fake, one real) of a similar style tag. The authentic fabric content tags do vary based on the collection and the item. There are many different variations so the key here lies in the texture, edges, and typos. This tag also contains the reference number which gives information about the year and season. If you have some idea what season the item should be from, check it against the reference number to make sure they correspond.

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This is another variation of an authentic fabric content tag. This one is from a suit coat from an earlier collection (Luster, a/w03).

For more information on reference numbers click the "reference number" tab in the Dior Homme drop-down menu to the right.

DIOR HOMME - Shirts: Logo Tags

These silver logo tags are sewn into the collars on t-shirts, button-front shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts. The ends should be folded under, not frayed or cut.

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The thickness and size of the lettering is the key to distinguishing the real from the fakes. It takes a close look but if you compare the examples above you will note the differences. The fake "D" is thicker and the tag itself is a little shorter.

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I included the fake examples above because the first picture has black stitching and the second pictures has "homme" on the tag. The silver dior logo tags are always stitched with silver thread (never black). Also, the word "homme" is never spelled out on the silver logo tag (only on the fabric composition tag sewn inside the shirt seam.

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DIOR HOMME - Shirts: Embroidered Bees

The embroidered bee is one of Hedi Slimane's little trademarks. The bees are embroidered on many styles of shirts, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and sweaters (and a couple styles of slacks). There has never been any embroidered bees on jackets, suits, coats, or jeans.

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The bee embroidery is always about 2/3 of the way down the front of the shirt on the left side. This applies to t-shirts, polos, sweaters, and sweatshirts. Oftentimes fakes have the embroidery very close to the hem of the shirt (as seen in the example above) or elsewhere, such as on the back of the shirt.

Example (click to enlarge):

Example (click to enlarge):

You can often determine a fake from the quality of the embroidery. If you enlarge the examples above you can see that the legs of the fake bees are very jagged and shaky, whereas the stitching of the authentic bees is tighter and more composed. These examples are of pretty decent fake bees, but they get a lot worse:

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I doubt the one above would be able to fly with its fat little body and skinny little wings.

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This one is better proportioned, but seems to have a splitting headache.

DIOR HOMME - Shirts: Fake Designs

Sometimes the counterfeiters start to get a little creative and come up with their own, totally original, designs. Why didn't Hedi Slimane ever think of this one?...



...oddly enough these shirts have sold several times on eBay. There are actually people willing to buy it. Crazy.

There are other fake (yet totally original!) Dior Homme designs out there too. I will post more pictures as I come across them. I think the key to avoiding them is to just not buy anything that looks like it was made by a 12 year old.

DIOR HOMME - Denim: Details

The fakes usually give themselves away in the detailing. Buttons, zippers, stitching, etc. are all good things to be familiar with. If you are unsure about an item's authenticity on an online auction site, like eBay or yahoo auctions, ask the seller for detailed pictures so that you can examine the stitching and so on.

Example (click to enlarge):

Above, in the first example you can see the poor stitching quality, common in counterfeit denim. I threw the second picture in there because there have been a few of these jeans sold on eBay with the embroidered bee logo on the pocket. Dior Homme has never produced jeans with the embroidered bee logo (only some dress pants, and shirts, sweaters, etc.). If you know a little about the brand and have never seen a particular style before, do a little research. You can also check the bogus counterfeit section for examples of fake Dior Homme in styles that Dior Homme has never made (some are pretty funny). Ask the seller what collection it is from and check it out. Style.com has a good selection of runway shows of the past several years. Also you can post a question in The Fake Hunter Discussion Forum and I or another member will get back to you. It may start a helpful discussion.

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Case in point. Above is an example of a bogus design. Dior Homme never made jeans with stripes on the back. All Dior Homme jeans have the signature darts (aka 'scars') on the back.

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The counterfeiters just go crazy with those logos don't they? Yes, they even put them on the rivets too. Although many designer jeans have logos on the rivets and buttons (ie. Dsquared, Galliano, etc.), Dior Homme does not. When Hedi Slimane took over he redirected Dior as a brand focused solely on the tailoring, not logos. Instead, Slimane used signature design featuers such as the embroidered bee, the darts, the claw mark on some jeans, and so on.

DIOR HOMME - Denim: Tags and Labels

The silver fabric content/ care tag is sewn into the inside side seam of Dior Homme jeans. These tags do vary based on the type of jean, the collection it is from, etc. However, there are some significant differences between the fake labels and the authentic ones.

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Above are three examples of authentic fabric content tags from Dior Homme jeans. You will note that there can be differences in the text and type face. The care instructions vary based on the type of jean. The first pic is from a pair of the velvet jeans, the second is the oil coated raw denim, and the third is the Strip waxed denim. Dior Homme makes jeans in Italy and Japan.

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In the above comparison picture there are two tags; the left is a fake and the right is authentic. This is an example of a pretty good fake. With the exception of the missing "made in Italy," it is hard to tell the difference. Lesson here: Just because it looks real doesn't mean it is. Check the other tags and labels before deciding. It just so happens that this convincing label comes from a horribly distressed pair of fake jeans with "dior homme" engraved buttons (the authentic jeans never have the engraved buttons - only a couple of jean jackets ever did ).

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This is the other side of the tag which has the fabric content and the washing symbols. If you start to look at enough of these tags you will notice which style symbol appears on the authentic tags and which appears on the fakes. For example, the fakes often have an elongated wash tub who's sides are more vertical that the real symbols. The other dead giveaway in this is the extremely long size tag. The size tag in jeans is never this long and usually in the waistband, not by the fabric content label.

DIOR HOMME - Denim: The Leather Tags

The leather logo tag is sewn into the inside of the waistband at the back (The F/W 07 collection now uses a different tag though). This leather tag should have squared corners and the stitching should be even with the sides. Furthermore all the letters in the logo should be even.

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The above fake example shows the "D" is slightly higher than the rest of the logo. All of the letters should be perfectly aligned.

Example (click to enlarge):

The above examples of fakes I have provided are of pretty decent copies, though you can see the sloppy printing of the silver logo (especially in the second fake example). The authentic printed logos can wear off with washing and wear, but they are not printed sloppily. Furthermore, some fake Dior Homme jeans have leather tags with very rounded corners (see the example below). The corners should always be squared (or slightly bent if worn).

Example (click to enlarge):

Example (click to enlarge):

This is a decent looking fake but the stitching is crooked. The black stitching around the edges of the black leather tag is always aligned with the edges. Furthermore, the stitching at the top of the tag is usually the color of the stitching in the jeans.