GUCCI - Shoes: Tennis Shoes

This white leather sneaker is one of Gucci's most popular styles, and naturally, one of the most often faked. Below are several real vs. fake comparison photos of this style shoe. eBay is flooded with the fake versions so pay close attention to the details. Keep in mind that there are many different fake versions of this style out there so make sure ALL of the details match the authentic examples because different fakes have different errors in the styling.

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Example (click to enlarge):

Above are two different comparison photos, with two different fakes. The top fake is a bit more accurate than the bottom one, but they're both easy to distinguish as fake. The bottom fake is missing some stitching/padding on the side and has a different sole. However both of these fakes have many things wrong with them. The fake eyelets are metal instead of the white painted metal as seen on the authentic pair. The red and green stripe should not have any stitching on it and both of these fake examples have white stitching. This red and green stripe should be made out of woven nylon. The fake stripes tend to be wider than the authentic one..

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The back of the heel on these Gucci shoes comes up quite high, and most of the fakes out there don't come up as far. Above are two different fake variations.

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The back of the heel is covered in a green alligator/crocodile embossed leather. In the fake example above the patch is wider and the material features a different scale pattern and coloring than the original. Also note that the authentic version is stitched around the rubber sole and this fake is not. Some fakes are stitched around the sole but with much larger stitches (like one stitch for every three on the authentic pair).

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The inside of these shoes is made of white leather (not brown like the above fake) and there is an embossed 'GUCCI made in italy' logo inside. In this style shoe the logo is only embossed and not printed.

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Here is another knock-off variation of the logo. Also note the difference in the size of the lettering and the spacing.

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A lot of these fakes can also be spotted by the shoe bags that are often included in the auctions. The authentic shoe comes with a dark satin brown GG print shoe bag.

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Also get to know what an authentic Gucci shoe box looks like. There are many fake examples on eBay (one of which is pictured above). The real box has slightly raised metallic lettering that runs parallel with the shorter side of the box. However, keep in mind that just because a box or a shoe bag may be real, it never guarantees that the shoes are also real. Always carefully inspect the pictures of the actual product, not just the boxes, tags, etc.

DIOR HOMME - Accessories: Ties

I have received several requests from readers of this blog for information on Dior Homme neckties. Ties are easy to fake and a bit hard to authenticate. The reason being that they are so simple. Many of the online auctions for Dior Homme ties have small blurry pictures with little detail. Of course, actually feeling the fabric and seeing the stitching in person is the best way to authenticate a tie, but there are some things you can watch out for. The first step is to check out the seller. Look at the other items he's selling and skim his feedback and look at the items he's sold. Even if you can't tell if the tie is fake he may have sold some other knockoff that is obviously fake (which would suggest, though not prove, that the tie is fake).

Example (click to enlarge):

The fake above looks like it is made out of an old couch. When buying Dior Homme online, keep the designer's aesthetic in mind. If it looks like a thoughtless 80's Christmas gift you received from your aunt, do you really want it?

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Speaking of the Dior Homme aesthetic; this beauty has a large gray "CD" logo printed on the front of the tie. In-your-face logos are not the brand's style (the women's line is another story). At first glance this tie looks like it may be an older piece from Christian Dior, circa their creatively-starved 70's and 80's years. However this gem has a fake Dior Homme label on it and was listed as a Dior Homme piece. The lining has a fake version of the "Dior" repeating pattern, with the letters spaced too far apart.

Example (click to enlarge):

The fabric content tags in Dior Homme ties are located in the fold, on the back of the skinny part of the tie. These tags are always silver with black stitched lettering, and the label is sewn folded in half. Above is an example of a fake fabric content tag. There are several things wrong with it. For one thing, the label is a blackish purple or something, not silver. Second, the lettering is too close together and stitched in white. Lastly, it reads "Made in China." Dior does not produce any clothing or accessories in China. To the best of my knowledge, Dior Homme makes all of its ties in Italy.

In the end, ties are one thing I recommend buying direct from the store. They run around $170 (USD) and the authentic ones don't sell for much less on eBay. If you do choose to bid on one remember to ask for detailed photos if none are provided. Also, feel free to ask the seller where he purchased the tie from and if he guarantees authenticity. Keep in mind that the seller's response in no way guarantees authenticity. But, some sellers will try to warn off informed buyers with a line like "It looks authentic but I can't guarantee it," or "I'm selling it for a friend who says it is authentic."

JOHN GALLIANO - ...or should I say Balliano?

Hot new brand, or really bad fake? You decide.




...and from the makers of Balliano comes (?)alliano. Note the slyly placed drawstring.