How to Spot Fake Saint Laurent Bags: 4 Ways to Tell Real Purses

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Every handbag lover dreams of owning a Saint Laurent bag. The legendary French fashion house has undergone a revival in recent years. It’s popularity once again rivals that of Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel.

Saint Laurent blends its Parisian DNA with minimalistic silhouettes and neutral color palettes that have won it a die-hard following amongst A-List celebrities and fashion influencers.

Sofia Vergara, Jenna Johnson, and Hailey Bieber carrying Saint Laurent bags (Credit: BauerGriffin / INSTARimages / Cover Images)

Not everyone can buy a Saint Laurent bag directly from the store. You might be hunting for an older style or looking to buy pre-loved as a more affordable option. Spotting a fake Saint Laurent bag isn’t always easy.

The rise of ‘super fakes’ and sites like DHGate is making it harder to tell fake Saint Laurent bags from the real deal. We’re sharing everything you need to know about buying Saint Laurent bags on the resale market and how to avoid fake YSL bags.

Are Saint Laurent Bags Luxury?

Saint Laurent is a luxury French fashion house that is famous for its handbags. Formerly known as ‘Yves Saint Laurent’ or ‘YSL,’ Saint Laurent has recently had a facelift to make it more contemporary.

Saint Laurent is a luxury French fashion house famous for its variety of bag styles (Credit: Sorbis / Shutterstock)

The brand is a popular choice for those looking to buy their first designer bag. Saint Laurent offers a variety of price points, from clutches to workbags and travel totes.

How Much Does a Saint Laurent Bag Cost?

One reason why Saint Laurent bags are popular is because of their varying price points. The cheapest Saint Laurent bag is the patent leather ‘Letter Pouch’ that retails at $675.

The Letter Pouch is one of Saint Laurent’s cheapest bags, retailing for $675

However, most Saint Laurent bags start at $1,250 for shopping totes. The brand’s current ‘it bag,’ the Rive Gauche tote bag, retails for $1,390.

Most of Saint Laurent’s most sought-after bags, including the Kate and Sac de Jour, start at $2,390.

Some of Saint Laurent’s most expensive bags include the Rive Gauche tote ($1,390), the Kate ($2,390), and the Sac de Jour ($2,390)

While Saint Laurent bags are more attainably priced than Chanel and Hermes, their bags can retail for up to $7,100 for ostrich leather styles. Most permanent line bags retail for under $4,000.

Do Saint Laurent Bags Hold Their Value?

You might be thinking of buying a Saint Laurent bag to resell in the future. It’s not uncommon for fashionistas to cycle through bags, selling older designer bags to pay for new ones.

Saint Laurent bags hold their value better than most designer brands. It sits amongst the top five designer handbag bags for maintaining their resale value.

Saint Laurent is among the top five designer handbag brands for maintaining their resale value (Credit: Helen89 / Shutterstock)

The price you will get for a pre-loved Saint Laurent bag will depend on its style and condition. The most sought-after styles will better hold their value. Bags that are lightly used will also have a higher resale value than those that show more wear.

If you’re planning to resell your Saint Laurent bag, make sure to protect the material and keep the dust bag.

Where Are Saint Laurent Bags Made?

Saint Laurent bags are made in Florence, Italy. The brand is continuing its tradition of manufacturing in Italy. While the company’s headquarters are located in Paris, its handbags are manufactured in Italy.

Saint Laurent continues to manufacture its bags in Italy (Credit: Sorbis / Shutterstock)

The fact Saint Laurent bags are made in Italy adds to their luxury. Luxury and contemporary brands are increasingly moving their production to Asia to reduce production costs.

Are Saint Laurent and YSL the Same Brand?

YSL and Saint Laurent are the same company. The brand underwent a major branding change in 2013 when Hedi Slimane joined the fashion house as Creative Director.

The name change came at a time when the company was streamlining its collections for a more contemporary and minimalistic aesthetic.

YSL underwent a major branding change from YSL to Saint Laurent in 2013

You will still find some handbag styles carrying the original YSL logo, while others take the minimalistic ‘Saint Laurent’ monogram.

The YSL Beauty brand, one of the most popular luxury makeup collections, continues to feature the YSL logo. However, the YSL beauty range is controlled by L’Oreal.

How Can You Tell a Real YSL Bag From a Fake?

If you’re buying pre-loved, you want to know how to spot a fake YSL bag. We recommend only shopping from consignment websites and stores that offer authenticity services.

Otherwise, you want to know how to spot a genuine YSL bag from a fake. Here are a few things to look out for:

1. Magnetic Closure

Most Saint Laurent bags use a magnetic closure. Authentic Saint Laurent bags have a smooth magnetic closure that is shiny and reflective.

Fake YSL bags will use smaller magnetic closures with a matte surface. Look for any screws in the magnetic closure as this is usually a red flag.

Most Saint Laurent bags have magnetic closures that are smooth, shiny, and reflective

2. Branding Font

The easiest way to identify a fake YSL bag is by looking at the font used for the branding.

Counterfeit bags typically fail to replicate the exact font used. The Saint Laurent branding uses a thick font with round edges. Fake YSL bags will use a smaller and thinner font.

Saint Laurent uses a thick, rounded font for its YSL branding

3. Dust Bag

Gone are the days when a dust bag, box, and receipt were easy ways to tell if a Saint Laurent bag was genuine. Counterfeiters are taking extra steps to replicate everything that comes with YSL bags, including their dust bags.

However, dust bags are often the easiest way to tell a genuine vs. fake Saint Laurent bag. Authentic YSL bags will have a soft material that feels luxurious, while counterfeit bags will usually come in a polyester dust bag.

The most classic and popular Saint Laurent bags include Loulou, Sac de Jour, Sunset, Solferino, Kaia, and Lou (Credit: Report / Shutterstock)

You also want to check the font used for the dust bag. Fake dust bags will use thinner lettering that looks faded. Genuine dust bags will have bolder and thicker lettering.

4. Material Quality

Take time to look at the quality of the bag. Saint Laurent is a luxury brand that makes its handbags in Italy using high-quality and exotic leathers. Lambskin, calfskin, and suede are amongst some of the most popular materials for Saint Laurent bags.

Counterfeit bags won’t use the same quality material or pay as much attention to detail. Most fake YSL bags have a plastic texture with an artificially high shine. Look out for any issues with the stitching, material, and edging.

Saint Laurent uses only high-quality leathers and has neat and sturdy stitching

Saint Laurent is one of the most sought-after luxury handbag brands. Buying a pre-loved YSL bag is the best way to experience this luxury brand at a more attainable price point.

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