HOW TO SPOT A FAKE GOYARD AND HOW TO CHOOSE A GREAT GOYARD ST LOUIS TOTE REPLICA

Although the brand is known for being exclusive and has a tight approach to selling, the Goyard St. Louis tote is a favorite amongst celebs and handbag lovers around the world. It is versatile, lightweight, and highly functional.

If you’re trying to buy a pre-owned Goyard and want to know how to authenticate a Goyard bag and spot a fake, look no further. Before we start, learn some basics about the brand and the bag.

Little Facts You Should Know About Goyard & Saint Louis Tote

• Goyard has only 36 boutiques around the world (6 in the US) and they do NOT sell directly online.

They may offer distance order services if you’re near to their comptoirs, but you have to complete a form on the official website and get in touch with them.

• The Goyard Saint Louis tote is by far the most popular Goyard bag and it comes in 2 sizes: PM and GM.
• The Goyard St. Louis tote is available in 11 colors: Black, Black & Tan, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Sky Blue, Navy Blue, Burgundy, White, and Grey.

1) Size & WEIGHT

Counterfeiters often use images as a basis for their knockoff designs rather than authentic bags, which means that their sizes and ratios are occasionally incorrect.

• Correct Sizes of Goyard St Louis PM Bag: 11 in x 5.9 in x 13.4 in (28 cm x 15 cm x 34 cm)
• Correct Sizes of Goyard St Louis GM Bag: 13.4 in x 7.9 in x 15.7 in (34 cm x 20 cm x 40 cm)

Real Goyard St Louis totes are known for being extremely lightweight due to the materials they are constructed with which include: resin-coated canvas for the exterior and cotton/linen fabric for the interior.

• Correct Weight of Goyard St Louis PM Bag: 250g
• Correct Weight of Goyard St Louis GM Bag: 350g

By lifting up the bag and checking the size you could cut your authentication process short if you notice anything unusual. 

2) The Chevron Goyardine Print

Goyard stopped hand-painting every single dot on their bags in 2006 and started using mechanized etching and layering of dye to keep up with the large customer demand. Therefore, spotting a fake Goyard has become more difficult now.

The Chevron print used to be messy and imperfect which many argue was actually a good thing because it gave Goyard’s pieces more character and made each piece truly unique.

Authentic Goyard Vintage Wallet (Hand-painted “Y”)

Authentic Goyard Tote (Mechanized “Y”)

So if you’re hunting for Goyard vintage items, the easiest way to spot a fake Goyard was to check if the pattern “Y” was “too perfect”.

If you prefer brand-new Goyard bags, these are the most important things you should look for in the Goyardine print:

• It should have a bumpy texture as if it were actually hand-painted: Fake Goyard will frequently print the pattern directly on the fabric itself, making the print appear flatter and more two-dimensional.
• The dotted pattern and the letters should be clear and sharp: Fake designs and letters will not be as clear and may appear somewhat scribbled.
• Colors: A fake Goyard handbag seems duller, less vivid, and less distinct when compared to a real Goyard handbag. You can notice the color difference below the pic, the fake one appears to be a bit more yellow, while the real one has a bright white. Furthermore, elements of the pattern and lettering that should be gold sometimes show brown on the fake Goyard.

3) STITCHING

• Pay attention to the color of the stitching of the bag: Black Goyard bags feature black stitching while ALL the other colors have white stitching.
• The thread in the genuine bag is even, and each stitch is spaced evenly.
• The second evident distinction of stitching is that the original one is square, whilst the replica is rectangular.

Of course, if the stitching is sloppy and messy that’s a dead giveaway and a sign the bag you are looking at is not only fake but a very bad fake at that.

4) Heat Stamping

One of the primary distinguishing features between genuine and replica Goyard is heat stamping. The stamping on the inside of the pouch is quite subtle and consistent.

• A genuine Goyard heat stamping should only have 3 elements: Goyard, Paris, Made in France.
• The heat stamping is quite deep on the fakes, and each line may appear in a varied size.
• The fonts between the two also have a noticeable difference.

5) SERIAL NUMBER

All genuine Goyard items should have a serial number.

The serial number is located differently depending on the year and model of the style:

• Previous versions of St. Louis tote – On the interior of the pouch.
• Later versions – On the strap where the detachable pouch is attached on.
• Goyard card holder/wallet – On the inner side seam of the front pocket. 

The serial number should include 3 letters and 6 digits, its fonts and typography vary by series and year.

CCC MYYYYM

• CCC: Goyard Code: AAS -ABA -ADM -ARO -BAE -BAL -MAE -PIR – SAL – SUT -VAE 
• YYYY: Year of Manufacture
• M M : Month of Manufacture

To begin with, the quality of the leather in the image below is different, the texture of genuine Goyard’s leather is more beautiful while the fake one looks like plastic.
Also, the font of the serial number should be clear and consistent. Genuine ones feature a narrower font but it is uniformly spaced and simple to read.

6) HARDWARE / Button

The hardware is minimal on Goyard bags and wallets, but as you know, every detail on the handbag is important if you want to know if a Goyard handbag is a fake.

The button on the real Goyard’s pouch is exquisitely constructed. You can see the logo and lettering clearly, and the “G” on the front of the button is thinner.

7) Lining

The inside canvas, comprised of cotton, linen, and hemp threads, is the opposite side of the Goyardine fabric. The braid is uneven, with little holes and knots caused by the weaving of natural fibers. 

The lining is also unbleached, if the inner canvas appears “too white”, then there is a red flag.

8) Packaging

An authentic Goyard that has been carefully kept and well-conserved should contain a yellow dust bag, a yellow cloth (within the pouch), a Goyard book, and tags.

• The dust bag should be made of cotton. It’s not polyester like the knockoff, which is slippery.
• Similarly, the lettering on the replica dust bag is different from the original.

Conclusion

1) Size & Weight: Correct Sizes of Goyard St Louis Bag: PM -11 in x 5.9 in x 13.4 in (28 cm x 15 cm x 34 cm); GM -13.4 in x 7.9 in x 15.7 in (34 cm x 20 cm x 40 cm). Correct Weight of Goyard St Louis Bag: PM -250g, GM -350g.

2) The Chevron Goyardine Print: It should have a bumpy texture as if it were actually hand-painted. The dotted pattern and the letters should be clear and sharp. The colors should be more vivid, and distinct.

3) Stitching: Black Goyard bags feature black stitching while ALL the other colors have white stitching. The thread is even, and each stitch is spaced evenly.

4) Heat Stamping: The heat stamping should be less deep and only have 3 elements: Goyard, Paris, Made in France. 

5) Serial Number: The serial number should include 3 letters and 6 digits, its fonts and typography vary by series and year. Genuine ones feature a narrower font but it is uniformly spaced and simple to read.

6) Hardware / Button: The font of the serial number should be clear and consistent. Genuine ones feature a narrower font but it is uniformly spaced and simple to read.

7) Lining: The braid is uneven, with little holes and knots caused by the weaving of natural fibers. 

8) Packaging: A well-conserved authentic Goyard bag should contain a yellow dust bag, a yellow cloth (within the pouch), a Goyard book, and tags. The dust bag should be made of cotton.

Congrats! You’ve done your research, and now you definitely know how to authenticate a Goyard St. Louis tote. If you’re considering buying this bag but can’t get (or afford) the real deal from official boutiques or pre-loved platforms, my advice is to buy a replica. I actually did that and wrote a Goyard bag replica review not so long ago. Take a look and see if it helps.