Fashion expert reveals how to tell difference between fake and real Birkin bag
A luxury fashion expert has revealed how to tell the difference between an “awkwardly accurate” $1,000 “super fake” Hermes Birkin bag and the real thing — so you’re not fooled by the near-identical design.
Charles Gross, a 28-year-old former handbag salesman and online influencer based in New York who describes himself as “a prominent authority on fashion and lifestyle,” was stunned after examining a counterfeit Hermes Birkin 30 bag — and could can’t believe how similar it looked to the real thing.
However, the social media star, who has earned 1.3 million TikTok for often sharing his expertise, said there were a few subtle differences he noticed – which he has now shared on the video streaming platform so others can protect themselves from accidentally buying a replica.
Charles explained in the clip, which garnered more than 171,000 views within hours, that the sham Hermes Birkin he presented cost “a little over $1,000.”
A luxury fashion expert has revealed how to tell the difference between an ‘uncannily accurate’ $1,000 ‘super fake’ Hermes Birkin bag and the real one – so you don’t get cheated
Charles Gross (seen in January), a 28-year-old former handbag salesman and online influencer, was stunned after examining a counterfeit Hermes Birkin 30 bag
He couldn’t believe how similar it looked to the real one (right) – but the social media star (left with the fake) said there were a few subtle differences he saw
The company is known for being very quiet about the price of its bags, but they usually cost tens of thousands of dollars — even on resale sites.
He shared them on the video streaming platform so that others can protect themselves from accidentally buying a replica. He is seen with a real Hermes Birkin bag
He did not specify where he got the ‘super fake’, but insisted that he bought it for ‘educational purposes’ only and would then return it.
Upon receiving the lookalike wallet, the fashion expert was immediately “stunned” by the details, even in the packaging it came in.
“The box is incredibly realistic,” he shared, holding it to the camera.
Inside was everything that belongs to a real Hermes Birkin, including the ‘booklet’ and ‘two Hermes Birkin raincoats’.
However, the first red flag he noticed was that the Hermes ribbon – which is normally tied around the box – was placed on the inside rather than the outside.
The bag was also packaged in a plastic sleeve, which Charles said Hermes “doesn’t normally include.”
When the online star took the bag out of the box, he was speechless at how real it looked.
Upon receiving the lookalike wallet, the fashion expert was immediately “stunned” by the details, even in the packaging it came in. “The box is incredibly realistic,” he said
Inside was everything that belongs to a real Hermes Birkin, including the ‘booklet’ and ‘two Hermes Birkin raincoats’
The first red flag he noticed was that the Hermes ribbon – which is normally tied around the box – was placed on the inside rather than the outside. On the right is a genuine Hermes Birkin box
The bag was also packaged in a plastic sleeve, which Charles said Hermes “doesn’t normally include”
“So it should be a Birkin 30, with black Togo leather and gold hardware,” he explained. “When I look at it right away, I almost forget how terrifyingly accurate this is.”
When the online star took the bag out of the box, he was speechless at how real it looked
He explained that the fake bag had a “Hermes engraved zipper and a Hermes engraved zipper,” but it appeared to be lined with “Chevre leather” instead of Togo.
“All Birkins are hand stitched with saddle stitch, and the stitch count and placement all seem shockingly accurate,” he added. “The saddle stitch looks very, very uniform.”
According to Charles, many people get scammed into buying the fake luxury handbags from resale sites without realizing they’re counterfeits — and sometimes, he said, even the websites selling them don’t realize they’re counterfeits.
He said that “celebrities, socialites and industry professionals with years of experience” have even been “fooled.”
“I can tell this isn’t authentic, there are some things that strike me,” he continued. “But there are resale companies that can’t see that this is a fake.
“So it should be a Birkin 30, with black Togo leather and gold hardware,” he explained. “Looking at it, I can’t even begin to express how terrifyingly accurate this is.” The real bag is seen
He explained that the fake bag had a “Hermes engraved zip and a Hermes engraved zip” and looked like it was in line with “Chevre leather”
When it came to the clochette and lock on the “super fake,” he said those were also extremely accurate
“Someone could buy this, sell it to the resale company, and then it’s the end buyer who really gets ripped off.”
Charles said the counterfeit Hermes Birkin he presented cost “a little over $1,000.” He did not specify where he got the ‘super fake’, but insisted that he bought it for ‘educational purposes’ only and would then return it. He is seen with a real Birkin
When it came to the clochette and lock on the “super fake,” he said those were also extremely accurate.
Hermes Birkin keys are numbered and must match the engraving on the bottom of the lock. It matches,’ he said, scrutinizing them closely.
“They even lined the clochette with Chevre and pressed the brim. Wow. I’m a little blown away, it’s scary.”
What also gave away that it was a counterfeit, however, was that the lock had “a lot of resistance” when he tried to close it.
In the end, Charles told his followers that he would never “condemn” people for owning counterfeit bags because he believes in “kindness and education” rather than “chastisement and judgment.” But he shared the video in an effort to raise awareness on the subject.
“Personally, I don’t wear replicas and nothing in my collection is fake. I do not support or promote the replica or counterfeit industry,” he concluded.
That being said, I don’t judge what anyone does with their money. What anyone chooses to wear is none of my business and none of my business.’