Bottega Veneta is a luxury fashion brand that has had the ultimate revival. The brand has gone from a niche luxury brand known for its quilted clutches to the luxury fashion house every celebrity and influencer is talking about.
Quality is at the heart of everything Bottega Veneta does. The brand is famous for its Italian origins and heritage, with production still focused on Italy.
Bottega Veneta is known for its Italian heritage and still produces its bags and accessories in Italy
If you’re after the allure of the ‘Made in Italy’ aesthetic, look no further than Bottega Veneta. Their bags are made in-house by their talented artisans and craftsmen.
How to identify real Bottega Veneta bags
With Bottega Veneta’s rise through the ranks of luxury fashion brands, it’s no surprise that their bags are starting to flood the resale market. Given their luxury price tag, you can expect to pay a pretty penny for a Bottega Veneta bag.
Although authentic Bottega Veneta bags come with hefty price tags, their most popular styles usually sell out fast
It’s also not uncommon for styles and specific colors of the most popular bags to sell out as soon as they launch. If you’re looking to get your hands on a hard-to-find piece, the re-sale market might be your best option.
Like every luxury brand, Bottega Veneta is no stranger to the counterfeit market. If you’re thinking of going down the pre-loved route, you need to know what signs to look for to spot a fake Bottega Veneta bag.
It’s worth noting that counterfeiters are getting smarter every year. The rise of ‘super fakes’ means it’s getting harder than ever to tell genuine and fake bags apart. Everything from serial numbers to authenticity cards and receipts is being faked to pass counterfeit bags off as the genuine article.
The only way to guarantee the authenticity of a Bottega Veneta bag is to buy one directly from the brand or an authorized stockist. If you find yourself looking on the pre-loved market, these are the signs to look out for:
1. The interior label
On the inside of most bags, you’ll see the ‘Bottega Veneta Made in Italy’ inscription.
Real Bottega Veneta bags have an interior brand stamp that says Bottega Veneta Made in Italy, which is usually missing on fake Bottega Veneta bags (Credit: On the move McKenzie YouTube channel)
This inscription should appear in the brand’s signature font and be free of any errors, including being embossed correctly into the leather. The ‘Made in Italy’ text should specifically be in a thinner font than the brand name.
2. The font on the lock
Real Bottega Veneta bags have a thick embossed logo detail on the clasp, while fake ones often don’t have it (Credit: On the move McKenzie YouTube channel)
If your Bottega Veneta bag – such as the Padded Cassette – has a lock, look at the logo on the clasp. The font on the genuine bags is thicker, with little to no space between each letter.
3. Examine the stitching
Stitchings on a real Bottega Veneta bag (left) look more neat and seamless compared to the stitchings on a fake Bottega Veneta bag (right) (Credit: On the move McKenzie YouTube channel)
Bottega is known for its impeccable craftsmanship. If you’re able to see the bag up close – either in person or with photographs – you want to examine the stitching. There shouldn’t be a stitch out of place, with every stitch closely pulled together in perfect alignment.
4. The shine of the metal
Most Bottega Veneta bags incorporate metal, whether it’s on the lock or a buckle for the strap.
A fake Bottega Veneta bag (left) has a lighter chain strap, in terms of both shade and weight, while a real Bottega Veneta bag (right) has a bright and heavy chain strap (Credit: On the move McKenzie YouTube channel)
The metal used by Bottega Veneta has a matte finish, with overly shiny metal being an instant red flag. Bottega Veneta’s signature is understated elegance, meaning glossy finishes are not part of their look.
5. The leather
Most of the popular Bottega Veneta styles use Nappa leather, which is soft to the touch and buttery smooth. If you can see the bag in person, you want to make sure you take a close look at the quality of the leather.
A real Bottega Veneta bag (left) is made of thick yet buttery-soft leather, while a fake Bottega Veneta bag (right) uses low-quality fake leather material (Credit: On the move McKenzie YouTube channel)
Bottega Veneta focuses on its craftsmanship and use of leather artisanship. If anything feels off about the leather, take it as an instant red flag.