100% AUTHENTIC ARMANI - BUT HOW DO I KNOW???
How many time have you seen that in an ARMAN item's
description? If you haven't bought an ARMANI before or even if you
have how do you know whether it is real or fake? Can you articulate your
reasoning when you said an ARMANI item is real? Similarly, when you said
an ARMANI is fake can you say why or are you just guessing?
To tell a fake one from a real one you will need to
know what a real one is like. This is based on my experience in
selling ARMANI in my shop over a number of years. This guide
applies ONLY to children ARMANI clothes. Adult ARMANI have different tags
and different ways of identification but some of the information is
relevant to both.
Certificate of Authenticity
Because you can't touch and feel the item on Ebay, the most important
feature which distinguish the real Armani and the many cheap fakes on sale
elsewhere in Ebay is the Certificate of Authenticity, which has a number
of security features as follows:-
1. On children Armani, the certificate has a white cover and is
normally attached to the garment's size label, belt loop, zip or button
hole using a white fabric string and sealed with a white plastic
security stub (see picture 2). On adult Armani the cover can be
blue and the string and stub are also blue. Many fakes only use a thin
cheap plastic fastener or an ordinary string without a stub.
2. On the front of the certificate a security printing technique known
as Security Borders (the technique of composing border
with thin intertwining rules) is used. This is not visible when viewed
directly. Within the security borders are hardly visible fibers forming
the words GIORGIO ARMANI. You can see this easily when you view the front
or the back of the certificate under strong light or direct sun light and
by tilting the certificate at an angle. What you will see is a serial of
beige and grey borders with the words GIORGIO ARMANI in small hardly
visible fibers. Because it is only visible at an angle, it cannot be
photo-copied and is not present on fake certificate. (see picture 1 & 3).
3. On the front of the certificate the words GIORGIO ARMANI is printed
using a security technique known as Planchettes (small
tissues dots embedded in paper that look like confetti). You can test this
by running your finger along the paper and feel the word GIORGIO ARMANI
popping out of the paper. Again this cannot be photocopied and not
present on fake certificate. (see picture 3)
4. Inside the Certificate of Authenticity are one or two vertical lines
printed using Microprinting Technique. Some of the
wording contained usaully are "FEDRIGONI CARTIERE S.P.A". A very small
font size is used to produce this small type that appears almost as fine
rule to the unaided eye. Most fakes certificate of authenticity are
produced using low-end printers so do not reproduced these print
accurately. The lack of clarity is revealed when examined using a 5X
magnifying glass.
5. Inside the front cover of the certificate of authenticity is an
ID label as shown above (vital information obscured to
prevent copying). Many fakes either do not have a label as shown or use a
make up one with completely different design and attach it to the back of
the cover rather than inside the cover.
6. On the ID label, the style number (ART. number) is
printed (eg. CW4054C) together with style name (eg. MAGL SMACCH). The
colour code (eg. B5) and colour name (eg BLU Notte) are
shown. The item tag size (eg. TAG 14A) is also shown. A further
tracking number starting with UBPC, UBPN or UJPT and so on is
also on the ID label. Also there is a barcode encoded with the style
number, colour code and size repeated together with a further ID
code (obscured from picture above to prevent copying).
7. Inside the certificate of authenticity and on the garment's label is
another serial number. Many reputable Ebay sellers will
most likely remove/obscure the serial number to prevent the item from
returning to Armani store for the full original price. Some sellers also
do this to prevent you from finding out who their suppliers are !!! The
fakes either do not have serial number or uses a forged one.
8. On a real Armani the item's style number and
colour code as printed on the ID label
inside the certificate of authenticity matches those on the item's
washing instruction label. Sometime the tracking number
is also printed on the washing instruction label. On fake Armani they
normally do not match or the the detail is missing from the washing
instruction label.
Other features to look for:
1. ARMANI always size their garment 12M, 2A, 3A,...,
6A, 8A, 10A etc. Not 5/6yr, 7/8 yr, .., 11/12 yr as on most fakes.
2. An ARMANI garment normally has a tab indicating the country of
origin, which used to be "Made in Italy". These days it can be
Made in Croatia, Tunisia, Romania, Turkey and so on. Recently, event
China! The country of origin tab is normally found under the size label or
under the washing instruction label. Most fakes normally do not bother to
include an extra tab stating the country of origin.
3. If an Armani comes with its own original plastic bag
then the bag itself will also have a label similar to the ID label
described above. The label will give the style number, colour code, size,
tracking number and so on. This will match up with the details on the
certificate of authenticity. Many fakes on Ebay that claimed to have
original bag will not have this label on the bag. Also most real Armani
on Ebay are from shops clearing out their stock. Now a reasonable size
shop will have over ten thousand items in stock. Most shop will clear
their stock at the end of the season, which is about 6 to 9 month after
they got the stock. Also they will clear their stock after doing a 25%
off, Half-Price sale etc in their shop first. It is rare that any shop
owner will have the time or energy to keep a plastic bag (out of over
ten thousand items) from the beginning of the season for 9 months just in
case they can't sell the item and have to end up clearing it on Ebay!!!
4. Armani garments are normally made of high quality cotton.
You can feel this by hand. If it is a T-shirt then it is almost always
100% cotton. For a T-shirt you can stretch the fabric reasonably and it
will return to its original shape after a while. If it has paint work
then stretching the fabric where the paint work is using a reasonable
amount of force will not cause the paint work to break. The fabric can
also last many wash and the colour will not run. Cheap fakes do not have
these qualities.
5. Another thing is look for in cheap fake item is unclear photos.
What this tells you is that the seller somehow has expensive items to sell
for cheap but cannot afford to get a decent camera to take clear pictures
to increase the selling prices. Also look out for photos taken at a
distance with important details not clearly shown.
6. There are many other ways of differentiating the real from the fakes by
other security features on the tag and by examining the
quality of sewing and the type of stitching
techniques used. However, we are venturing into the areas of
experts.
Still in doubt?
By now you should be able to tell a fake one from a real one. But if you
are still in doubt then only buy from Ebayers with a proven history of
selling ARMANI. See their feedbacks and search through a few previous
pages. However, bear in mind that the feedbacks might be from others who
cannot tell real from fake or just don't care! There are people in in
world who just want to wear a lable! Which is why there are so many fakes
around. It a matter of demand and supply. So read those buyers' feedbacks
as well to see whether they have a history of buying high value items and
hence know what they are talking about. Or just someone who have been
buying cheap items and then certify to you about an authentic ARMANI they
just bought.
Also look at the seller's other items - is the ARMANI on sale just one
or there are a large number; what is the return/exchange policy; is the
seller a business seller or a private seller; are the photographs clear;
Does the item offer Paypal protection. Are they new sellers? Does the
seller sells mainly clothes or everything else under the sun, from
tooth-picks to garden spade to socks. If it is the later then the chance
is that the seller is a market trader. Ask yourself whether you want to
buy "authentic" Armani from a market trader!
Look out also for sellers who claim to bring you cheap items because of
their enormous buying power. If this was true then why would supermarkets
such as TESCO, CARREFOUR and WAL MART, which obviously have super-enormous
global buying powers, are not selling ARMANI or any other designers? The
anwer is simple, ARMANI, like all other designer labels will only sell
their items to selected retailers in order to protect their high end
image.
In general, if you are in doubt, the most important thing to do is
to ask the sellers explicit questions such as style number,
identification or more closeup photos of the item and tag. A genuine
seller will be more than happy to answer you questions. Sellers of fake
will tend to ignore you and sell to others who do not ask any questions.
If, after you have received the item and have doubt then take the item
to an Armani authorized shop and ask an experience person (not just any
young shop floor sale assistant just left school) there to verify. In
order to spot a fake you need to know what an real one is like so you can
also go to any Armani authorized shop and look at the items on sale there
and compare. If anything just to see what I have said is correct. When
you do the comparison, the main thing to look for is the attention to
details. Examine the tags closely and the quality of the clothes. Look
inside the clothes and see how the sewing is done. ARMANI items are good
quality. They are not just selling a name. Alternatively, if you are in
UK then take the item to a trading standard office where they can put you
in touch with the relevant experts. Simply saying "I think its fake" out
of ignorant and without any evident to substantiate your claim is not good
enough!!!
In general, do not risk your money buying so called "100% authentic"
Armani at charity shop / yard sale / jumbo sale / car boot sale prices.
Although there are good value authentic ARMANI from shops trying to clear
their stock; bankruptcy stock; unwanted gifts. These are far and few in
between. The majority on Ebay are fake and are sold to people who don't
know what real ARMANI are like or just don't care. If you know the brand
then you know the price. Children ARMANI clothes can go from £25 for a
simple t-shirt to well over £150 for a jumper or a coat. So knowing the
normal retail high street price of similar item is quite important. A
pair of children ARMANI jeans is normally retailed at around £70-£90.
This mean the wholesale price (the price the seller got it for) is £30 -
£45. So when you see it on sale for £5 or £10 or £0.99 starting bid and
the seller has a large quantity to clear then ask yourself why? Is it
real? or is it a fake? is it stolen? or is it from genuine
overstock/unwanted gift? Why should such expensive items being sold at
such a cheap price? The same rule for other expensive item also apply
here. Would you want to but an "authentic" ROLEX for £10? So what is the
catch? Is there such a thing as a free lunch in this world? You know the
answer. It is NO, there is no free lunch in this world and there is alway
a catch from people who offer free lunch. There is certainly no such
thing as cheap ARMANI !!! ARMANI wouldn't be ARMANI if it was at a price
that everyone could afford. If the price seems too good to be true, then
the chance is that it is indeed too good to be true!!! You will get
exactly what you paid for. Good Lucks!
