Who knows Coach bags?

[Liberty Belle]

I just received a gift from my sister-in-law. It's a bag that looks more like a tote, but the card tag on it says sig satchel. The background is off white and it has hot pink/berry/reddish colored C's with an occasional COACH on it. The leather trim is light tan and there is a clasp in the front joining the two sides of trim together. There is also studded trim going around the bottom corners of the bag (and joinging the trim that goes around the top). All hardware is marked Coach, even the studs.

It has a leather tag sewn in the back inside. The words are embossed, not inked and there is a number (No. 13304) on it. The lining, though is the typical beige and brown Coach silk fabric and I just read online that real Coach bags do not have the signature fabric on the inside and outside. Is this true?

My sister-in-law is kind of gullible, so I feel bad if she was "taken". It's a cute bag, Coach or not, but I just hope she didn't pay too much for it.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

YOu can google the style number and maybe get more information.

 

[Tina]

From http://www.ehow.com

How to Identify an Authentic Coach Handbag

Step 1 Look closely at the Coach "C" logos on the outside of the bag. They should all be symmetrical, especially at the seams. Notice whether any of the "C" logos are cut off at any of the bag's edges or seams. An authentic Coach bag does not display a logo that has been severed or partially sewn into a seam. No matter how slight the compromise may be, the "C" should be completely in tact.

Step 2 Verify that all of the stitching is a uniform double-thickness. Any thin, single-thread or inconsistent stitching indicates a fake Coach handbag.

Step 3 Check the lining on signature Coach bags. Signature bags do not have signature linings. Signature linings are used by Coach, but only in bags with solid-colored exteriors.

Step 4 Check the bag for a lining. Leaving the lining out of a bag is an easy way to cut costs when manufacturing a fake bag. All authentic Coach handbags are lined, with only one exception. The Coach Classic is sold without a lining.

Step 5 Look beyond the serial number or authentication code. Many designers use such codes and Coach is no exception. The difference is that Coach is very inconsistent with the use and application of these numbers. It is not uncommon to find Coach bags from different lines with the exact same number. Because of this, these codes are not a reliable means for determining authenticity.

 

[Tina]

I'm a Coach fanatic, if you can post a pic of the bag, I can tell you if I recognize the style.

 

[Liberty Belle]

Thank you all. I don't think it's real. For one thing, the number inside is just five numbers long and from what I see on others, it's longer. Also, when I googled that number it showed a somewhat similar bag, but it had different fabric.

AND, like I said, it has signature lining as well as signature fabric on the outside. I'll try to take a picture and post it later.

I just hope she didn't get swindled.

 

[Tina]

You're probably right. The tag should look similar to this:

 

[HeatherH]

Another Coach fanatic here. I have several bags that are the signature fabric outside....and inside they are lined in a satin material, NOT the same fabric or design as the outside. My newest bag has a serial number that starts with M, then four digits, a dash, and five digits. Even the small bag I bought at the outlet store instead of a full-price Coach store is the same.

It's not authentic, it sounds like, as you suspect. I hope she didn't pay for it expecting it to be real. Plenty of people buy knock-offs and as long as they know that going in...they know they are getting a less well-made bag designed to look like a Coach.

Hope you enjoy it anyway!

EDITED TO ADD: Every Coach bag I've purchased with the signature fabric also included a small card inside describing how to care for the fabric and what Coach cleanser is a appropriate. Bags purchased at a full-price store also include a storage bag in satin with a drawstring. Sometimes the outlets do NOT include that bag, or if they do, it is a less expensive fabric.