Authenticating a Limited Edition Perlee Beaded Evening Bag

A reader requested help authenticating a Louis Vuitton – Limited Edition Perlee Beaded Evening bag. Based on the pictures she shared I believe this Louis Vuitton Perlee evening bag is FAKE. Read on to see why.

• Bag: Limited Edition Perlee Beaded Evening bag
• Style: Pouchette
• Type: Evening bag
• MSRP: $2,000

The Perlee evening bag is extremely rare and highly sought after. If you are a Sex and the City fan you might remember when this bag was worn by Samantha Jones in the episode when she is in LA searching for a replica Fendi. The beaded Perlee features glass pearl beads to create the signature LV Monogram and cowhide leather trim with a removable strap to be worn as a clutch or a crossbody. When my reader first told me she had found a beaded Louis Vuitton I wanted to just email back “it’s fake” and move on. But, in a constant quest for finding that diamond in the rough, it’s always important to fully review each bag just in case you’ve stumbled across something very special. If this bag were authentic, it truly would have been the find of a lifetime.

With the unique history of this beyond limited edition bag in mind, here is why I am determining this particular evening bag is FAKE.

1. Scarcity:

   There are only a handful of this bag in existence. For it to turn up on Ebay would be surprising to say the least. Why? Because most likely the original owner of this bag isn’t slanging their wares on ebay and they are acutely aware of its value. A monogram Speedy or Keepall or even a vintage trunk can unsuspectingly make it’s was into an estate sale but no one in the ownership circle of this bag would accidentally part ways with it.

2. Beading:

   If Louis Vuitton is going to break their mold with a beaded bag, good money is on the fact that it is going to look flawless. You should expect tiny bead, sewn closely together with no flaws. The bag in question doesn’t match that. The forger does an ok-ish job of matching the beading but where they really mess up is in the background. An authentic Louis Vuitton Perlee doesn’t not have the brown background beaded sewn in a symmetrical pattern.

3. Craftmanship:

   The craftsmanship on this bag doesn’t match the caliber of Louis Vuitton. Always keep in mind that Louis Vuitton at it’s core does leatherworks. The fact that there is no leather on this bag outside of the strap is incorrect.

4. Interior Lining:

   The interior lining on an authentic Perlee should be solid tan canvas. This replica has a monogram canvas.

5. Stitching:

   The strap on this bag is wrong for a Perlee evening bag. It should have a crosbody length strap. In addition only relicas will have a solid unstitched strap. Authentic Louis Vuitton bags will always have stitched straps.

6. Heat Stamp

   In the blog post; I talked about the heat stamp and some quick tips to use the heat stamp to see if a bag is authentic. The heat stamp for the “O” in Louis Vuitton is not rounded enough. In addition the two “TT’s” in Vuitton should be so close they are practically touching.

7. Zipper

   The zipper on the replica is plastic and Louis Vuitton would never do a plastic zipper. Also the Perlee bag this is replicating doesn’t have a zipper.

As you too could probably tell from the pictures this bag is FAKE. However, even though your gut reaction is probably correct, always take the time to review even a fake bag in detail to see what characteristics don’t match. The best way to learn to spot a fake is build your own criteria for evaluation.

Want to see what an authentic Louis Vuitton Beaded Pouchette Perlee Evening bag looks like:

• Louis Vuitton Beaded Pochette Perlee Evening Bag – via Yoogi’s Closet

See anything I missed or have any insight on the authentication? Share your comments below.