Have you ever stopped into a thrift store and stumbled upon an item that you are unsure of its’ authenticity? I have many times and I’ll be honest, sometimes it can be really hard to determine the authenticity of an item. Today, I want to share with you my simple process for quickly determining whether an item is probably a replica or might possibly be authentic. (Note: This is not a guaranteed process but has worked for me many times in my reselling journey.)
My Go-To Method for Quickly Authenticating Items While Sourcing
Step 1: Take A Photo of the Item
This does not have to be a staged shot like the one you see below but it does need to be clear so that Google Lens can easily analyze the item.
Step 2: Run the Image Through Google Lens
Next, I will have Google Lens analyze the items and try to find the item in the search results. If I am unable to find the item in the search results, I will add the name of the brand to the “add to search” bar on the top of the screen.
Step 3: Analyze the Results
Once I have found the item that I am looking for, I am going to click on any reputable sites and compare my item to the item in the search results. Ideally, I would start by looking for any retail sites that carry the item. If I am unable to find any retail sites, I would then look to any reputable secondhand sites that have already authenticated the item.
In this example, there are a few things that I will be looking at: (1) The brand marking on the insole, (2) The sheen on the shoes, (3) The stitching on the front of the shoe, (4) How the straps lay and how they are made, (5) The markings on the sole of the shoe, and (6) The shape of the shoe.
Fortunately for me, ShopBop carried the exact shoes that I was looking for. As a result, I was able to compare the images in on their website to the item that I had found while sourcing.
If I was unable to find the item easily on Google Lens, I would head on over to MODESENS and try to locate the item on there. MODESENS is a great site to visit when you are trying to locate designer items.
Step 4: Make a Determination
After analyzing the search results, it is time to make a determination as to whether the item is a replica or is potentially authentic. You never know if an item is 100% authentic unless you buy it from the brand directly or a retail store that carries the brand. Even if an item is authenticated by a third-party site, there is always the chance that an error can be made. When I am out sourcing, I like to look at a piece as a whole and try to make a determination based on what I observe. If everything on the item that I found is matching up with my research of the item, then I am more inclined to believe that the item is probably authentic. If I notice any inconsistencies at all, I may begin to question the authenticity of the item. Some of these inconsistencies may be obvious while others may be less noticeable to an untrained eye.
In the case of the Mach & Mach shoes pictured above, I am confident that they are authentic. Everything matches up with the research that I did and there is nothing about these shoes that makes me question their authenticity. Additionally, they had a Nordstrom Last Chance sticker on them which gives me full confidence that these shoes are indeed authentic.
What About Vintage Items?
Vintage items are a little more tricky to authenticate. There are many designer brands that don’t have a lot of information on the internet when it comes to vintage pieces. I ran into this problem when I found a few Fendi bags and ended up writing up my own authentication post on it HERE. When I find vintage pieces, I tend to do one of two things: (1) try to find a similar item or the same item on secondhand luxury sites and compare them or (2) do some brand research to figure out what time period the item is from. Usually after doing some additional research, I am better to able determine the possible authenticity of an item.
I hope that you find this post helpful! If you have any questions or just want to chat, please reach out!
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