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Since designer
jackets, such as those used for hiking, have become more like fashion
clothing, there have been growing numbers of fakes of the big names,
such as Dolce
& Gabbana, Versace
& Armani.
There's money to be made from counterfeits, and the fakes tend to be
cheap compared to the very high price tag - often well over £400
- of authentic merchandise.
If people can
buy something that seems real for £20-30 instead of paying that
high price, obviously there's going to be a demand. But it's very
rare that the real thing will be sold that cheaply, and never if new,
unless it's on some remarkable sale at an outdoor clothing store.
There's no
doubt that the jackets - at least real, well-made designer
jackets - can be very useful during the winter, keeping out the
cold and the rain most effectively. They often employ advanced
fabrics and technology to ensure the wearer is never clammy inside
the jacket, and that the seams never leak. But even things like the
utilitarian Armani
jacket, so beloved of the fashion industry, are faked regularly.
The fakes, though, don't do the job properly; many aren't even waterproof
Where To Find
Fake designer jackets
Many of the
fake designer jackets, where brand names are counterfeited, are often
sold online, usually at online auction sites. But you can also find
them at market stalls, although many of those will have no brand
name, or names that mean nothing. Where a style is distinctive, as
with the D&G jacket, the appearance is copied completely - but
there are no tags and names involved; the design itself is the copy.
How To Spot A
Fake Designer Jacket
The first
giveaway is the price. Why would anyone need to sell a new, good
jacket for a price as low as £20? Why would somewhere like a
market stall have a stock of them in different sizes - even at
wholesales prices, that's a lot of money tied up in inventory if
they're real.
Where there
are logos, compare them to the real thing. In many cases they'll be
close, but not exact, which means the jackets are counterfeit. Then
examine the seams. Chances are they won't be as well-made or tight as
the authentic item.
Depending on
the brand, there will be other things that the counterfeiters don't
do properly. A visual inspection can identify the differences.
Spotting A
Fake Armani Jacket
All too often
the sizing and font of the Armani logo on the front on the jacket is
wrong. To a casual eye it looks good, but when compared to a real Armani
jacket, the differences become obvious.
Inside, the
real thing will have a white size
and care tag. On the fakes the size tag will be black, and there
will be no care instructions (considering that the care of expensive
jackets is paramount to keep them waterproof, that's an important
oversight). The feel and texture of the material will also be
different - the fakes use something that's much, much cheaper and
won't give the wear of the real thing.
Although
fakes, as well as the real items, use YKK zips, the fakes will have
the zip pull on the left side. With proper Armani jackets it will be
on the right. That might seem minor, but it's another clue to spot
that fake. |
