Hey ladies, guess what I came across in the news again? Another case of someone unknowingly buying counterfeit goods. This time it’s not from a resale platform but from a thrift store offline.
Although thrift stores are great places to find bargains, it’s very unlikely to find designer items in perfect condition at a steep discount there anywhere.
This just goes to show that even in offline stores where you can see and touch the products, people can still get duped by replicas.
Speaking of replica Pradas, today, I’ll share some tips on how to spot fake Prada items (but mostly handbags).
How to Spot a Fake Prada Bag
| 1. Logo Font 2. Triangle Plaque 3. Brand Stamp (Interior plaque) 4. Lining 5. Material |
6. Hardware 7. Stitching 8. Quality Assurance Tag 9. Authenticity Card 10. Dust Bag |
Unlike other luxury brands, Prada doesn’t have a signature monogram, but you’ll still see its name all over its bags. (it’s the perfect combination of understated and yet there’s still enough of a logo to make it bougie!!)
It’s most noticeable on
- the triangle logo plaque,
- the hardware,
- the brand stamp (interior plaque),
- and even on the lining.
Whenever you spot the PRADA name on a bag, take a closer look at it. It should be in a very specific font.
💡Tip: The logo “PRADA” should be written in all caps and in a serif font.
- The “P” has sharp corners on both ends on the left side, and the thickness transitions smoothly.
- The right leg of the “R” has a notch with a curved shape, and the back part of the leg ending in a sharp point.
- Without the right leg, the “R” would look the same as “P”.
- The “A” has a little cap, and the right leg extends slightly past the top.
- The left side of the “A” is thin, while the right side is thick.
- The triangle in the middle of the two “A”s is clearly outlined.
- The bottom of the D-shaped head in “P” and “R” is aligned on the same line and is positioned higher than the middle bar of the “A”.
Spacing
- Also, the “PR” looks like set a little further away from “ADA.”
- The space between the “D” and the “A” is the smallest.
The letters should have these features wherever you see the brand name on a real Prada bag. Even on the smallest bits of hardware, you should still see these details.
⚠️Note: Except on the interior lining—that’s the only place they don’t.
Replica Knockoff Prada Logo Font
2. Triangle Plaque
You can usually tell a bag is Prada by the inverted triangle plaque on the outside.
Prada plaques are mostly made of ceramic. If you come across one made of fabric or plastic, that is a fake Prada bag.
The triangle plaque is often right near the top opening, but sometimes you’ll find it down along the bottom seam on one of the side panels.
The triangle plaque on a Prada bag is securely attached. It should sit flat and tight against the bag, and you shouldn’t be able to lift its edges, wiggle it, or take it off.
This triangle plaque has three lines of text reading:
- PRADA
- MILANO
- DAL 1913
Take a close look at the triangle logo to see if the font, spacing, and color look right.
As said above, the font used for PRADA logos – whether it’s inside, outside, or on the dust bag – should all match. And if there’s a spelling mistake, well, that’s a dead giveaway it’s a fake.
No matter the bag’s size, you should be able to read the plaque clearly.
Also, the background color of the plaque should match the color of the bag.
💡Another quick tip to spot a fake Prada bag: look at the small bolts that secure the plaque in place.
A fake bag often doesn’t have these bolts or has an engraving pretending to be bolts.
If there are no bolts, it likely means the triangular metal plaque was just glued on. You might even see some glue residue, which is a clear sign of a bad fake Prada.
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| Authentic | Replica |
3. Brand Stamp (Interior plaque)
Checking out the inside of a Prada bag can also give you more clues about whether it’s a Prada knockoff.
Inside a Prada bag, the logo plaque should be rectangular, unlike the triangle one on the outside. If it’s a real Prada, this plaque will have rounded corners and be well attached to the bag.
Older Prada bags have an interior plaque with three lines that say:
- PRADA
- MILANO
- MADE IN ITALY
One thing to watch out for on fake bags is if they say “Milan” instead of “Milano” on the inside plaque.
Newer bags usually have just two lines:
- PRADA
- MADE IN ITALY
Replica Knockoff Prada Interior Plaques (Left-Old, Right-New)
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| Real | Fake |
The color of the interior plaque should also match the lining of the bag. Like, if the bag is pink-colored, the plaque should be the exact same pink or a little darker.
And if there’s no logo plaque inside at all, that’s a sure sign it’s a Prada bag dupe.
- Just like the Triangle Plaque, the interior logo plaque on most Prada bags is typically ceramic.
- For non-leather and re-edition bags, it could be on a leather tag.
- In small and mini bags, the brand name should be directly stamped on the interior lining.
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| Real | Real |
4. Lining
Prada bags come with linings made from either Nappa leather or Jacquard nylon.
If it’s the Jacquard lining, look for a stitched motif that alternates between an unwound rope design and the PRADA brand name repeated throughout.
- In a genuine Prada bag, every other line of the PRADA name is flipped upside down.
So, if the PRADA name stays the same way up all through, you’re looking at a knockoff for sure.
If the lining is leather, it won’t have this print.
Replica Knockoff Prada Jacquard Lining
5. Material
Depending on the style, Prada bags are typically made from either leather or nylon. A genuine Prada bag will never look or feel cheap, no matter what it’s made from.
Prada uses various types of leather, but any genuine leather Prada bag will feel smooth and supple, even if it has ruched or ruffled designs.
Fake bags usually use fake leather, so a knockoff Prada might feel heavier than a real one of the same size.
Also, genuine leather has a nice earthy smell, while fake leather often has a harsh chemical odor.
Counterfeit Prada bags often use lower-quality materials that try to mimic the famous Tessuto nylon (Re-Nylon), but you’ll notice the colors just don’t look correct.
If you touch the surfaces of both Replica Knockoff and replica bags together, you’ll also notice a difference. (But if it’s a high-tier replica Prada Re-Nylon bag, it would be hard to tell the difference.)
🔶Read Also: How to Spot A Fake Prada Re-Edition 2005 Re-Nylon Bag
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| Top-Fake, Bottom-Real | Top-Fake, Bottom-Real |
6. Hardware
The hardware on a real Prada bag should feel solid and be well attached. If you notice any chips or dents in the metal, that’s a sign they used cheap materials and the bag is probably a bad knockoff.
On a brand-new Prada bag, the hardware comes covered to protect it.
- Make sure all the hardware matches up – it’s either all going to be gold or all silver.
Take a good look at everything – the zippers, clasps, feet – and see that they’re all the same color.
If you come across a bag with a mix of gold and silver hardware or hardware that isn’t gold or silver at all, there’s a good chance it’s a Prada dupe.
And if the hardware is discolored, that definitely points to it being a counterfeit.
- Make sure all the hardware says “Prada” on it. On real Prada bags, every piece of hardware should have the brand name engraved. If any piece is blank, then it’s not a real bag.
Some Prada bags have a keychain that hooks onto the straps. Be sure to check these out too.
The keychains can be different sizes, but they all should clearly say “Prada” with the right spelling and font.
Replica Knockoff Prada Hardware Engraving
Zipper
On a genuine Prada bag, you’ll find the Prada engraving on the front of the zipper and the zipper brand on the back.
- Check out the brand on the zipper to see if it’s Lampo, Ykk, Riri, Opti, or Ipi.
Though Prada makes its own zipper pulls, it gets the actual zippers from other suppliers. Those are the brands Prada trusts for their zippers.
If the bag is authentic, the back of each zipper should have an engraving with the name of one of these manufacturers.
Also, take a close look at how the brand’s spelled on the zipper. Fakers sometimes switch up just one letter so it seems legit at first look.
- Try zipping the bag open and closed to see how smooth it feels.
With a real Prada, zippers should be easy to use.
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| Real Lampo Zipper | Real Riri Zipper |
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| Real Prada Zipper Engraving | Fake Prada Zipper Engraving |
7. Stitching
While it might seem like a minor detail, you can easily spot a fake Prada bag by checking the stitching.
- Check out the stitching along the seams.
On a Prada bag, you’ll see the stitching forming a straight line along the seams, with each stitch angled slightly upward.
And you should see this stitching pattern on every Prada bag, no matter the style.
Replica Prada bags typically just have straight topstitching instead.
Also, Replica Knockoff bags have tight, even stitches that match the bag’s color perfectly.
If the stitches are uneven, not straight, or if there are loose threads, chances are it’s a fake.
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| Real | Fake |
8. Quality Assurance Tag
Every Prada bag, except for wallets and small purses, comes with a Quality Assurance Tag (QAT).
- This white, square tag is typically located along the bottom seam inside the bag’s pocket.
- The tag has two or three digits that tell you which factory the Prada bag was made in.
It’s proof that the bag passed their strict quality tests.
Right now, Prada has manufacturing plants in countries like Italy, Spain, Turkey and more. These factories in different countries use different codes.
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| Real | Fake |
💡Tip: On a genuine QAT, the numbers have a slight fading or blurring.
If a bag doesn’t have a QAT, it’s a sure sign it’s a fake Prada. But counterfeiters have caught on to this and added a QAT to their knock-offs.
Having a QAT doesn’t guarantee it’s real, but not having one definitely means it’s not authentic.
⚠️Note: For wallets and some small bags, the code is directly stamped onto the leather.
Replica Knockoff Code
9. Authenticity Card
When you check the authenticity card, make sure the information is accurate and the quality is good.
Signs of a fake card include uneven spacing between letters and numbers, slanted lines, or poor printing quality.
The card should be in a black envelope with the Prada logo embossed on it. If the logo is just printed, it’s likely a fake.
Newer Prada bags usually come with two cards. The retailer keeps the traditional printed card, while you get one that’s like a credit card.
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Real Prada Authenticity Card Front and Back
On the front, you will see the brand’s logo is encircled by a rope.
💡Tip: The ninth small loop counted upwards from the knot in the lower right corner of the outer rope is slightly larger. (The same applies to Dust Bag as well.)
It has a magnetic strip on the back with all the important info about your Prada purchase: the style name, when and where you bought it, and the serial number.
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| Real | Fake |
10. Dust Bag
The real Prada dust bag should be white and with the Prada logo printed on it. It’s made of cotton fabric and has a drawstring to close it.
- There should be a stitched label that says “100% Cotton Made in Italy”.
(Older Prada dust bags can have different styles. For vintage Prada bags, the dust bag might be navy blue with gold letters.)
The font on the dustbag will match the font used on the Prada bag itself, whether it’s on the logo or the interior fabric. (Check Logo Font)
The Replica Knockoff dust bag is printed in bold navy with thick letters that perfectly match the official Prada logo.
In contrast, fake dust bags often have faded colors and thinner/wrong lettering.
Left-Fake, Right-Real
“Cotton Label”
Personally, I’m not worried at all about accidentally buying a fake Prada bag haha. I’ve actually decided not to buy Replica Knockoff Prada anymore.
One reason is similar to why I don’t buy real Dior anymore—it’s because of the low resale value (I mentioned this in my “Spot Fake Dior Guide“).
Another reason is that I find Prada bags mostly on the trendy side, and I don’t think it’s worth spending so much money on a trendy bag or a nylon one.
At the same time, I can find any Prada style I want from my replica sellers (and they’re just as high quality and durable as the real thing). So, I can’t think of any reason to buy Replica Knockoff anymore.
But that’s just my personal take on it. And not everyone is suited to buying replicas either.
(Want to know why? Check out the third point in “HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT TIER REPLICA BAGS” for an explanation.)
Returning to the main topic, besides the methods above, there are some other signs we should watch out for.
For example, like the news story mentioned earlier, paying $300 for Prada shoes that originally cost $1,200 should raise a red flag.
- So, first, we should always check if the price is reasonable.
- Also, make sure to buy from reputable platforms with return policies.
- Read the return policies carefully, some places might give you an extremely hard time getting your money back.
Avoiding too-good-to-be-true deals and doing your research can help you steer clear of fake Prada items.
🔶Check out other articles in the “Spot the Fake” series:
