Real or Fake? How to Tell if Your Givenchy Antigona is Authentic

Givenchy Mini or Small Antigonas are at the top of my list in terms of everyday bags. They are the perfect size, professional looking, and subtly luxurious. Recently, I was sent a counterfeit black mini Antigona off a used selling platform. I’m not going to lie, I was a little miffed at the seller because they lied and said it was authentic prior to my purchase. However, I decided to take the opportunity to use the bag to demonstrate the differences in quality from an authentic one which I had in my closet. In my comparison video and this blog, I’ll walk you through a couple different checkpoints to make sure your bag is authentic. Don’t forget there are crazy identical fakes out there so always get your second hand item authenticated! *The authentic bag is the patent leather one.

The truth is in the kerning

      Although the logo on the fake bag looks fairly similar to the real one, you can see that the font is not thin enough or elongated enough to match. You can also see that the logo is placed on the wrong part of the puffy triangle (which is in the center). The authentic bag’s logo is not placed in the middle, rather more towards the top. Also make sure the point of the triangle is exactly in the center of the handles and that it’s puffy, not flat.

Look for the straight edges

      Handles on authentic mini antigona bags should not flop over or be unstructured, they should stand straight up on their own. They should also never be big enough to be worn as a shoulder bag, only a hand bag. The top leather patch on the handle bases should be rounded at the bottom and the lower patch should have four corners at the bottom. Notice how angular, clean, and raised the handle bases on the authentic one are and how round the fake ones are. The handle bases should also have tone-on-tone stitching that is consistent and straight. The fake one features diagonal inconsistent stitching.

Don't get screwed

      As is the case for most designer handbags, screws are very helpful in making sure the bag is authentic. On Givenchy Mini Antigona bags, the screws on the strap should be clean and have a straight line running through the center of them. If a philips head screw is used, it’s definitely a fake bag.

Serial Tag

      The top of the label should say GIVENCHY MADE IN ITALY” heat-stamped right under the interior zippered pocket. The stamp should be centered and clear and the leather flap should have clean edge and not too wide. The logo should be aligned and it should be clear and easy to read. The same font that is on the exterior logo should match the interior.

Versitility is a must!

      Authentic Mini Givenchy Antigonas will always have a removable strap. There should be a little gap in the hardware and a dent on the ring attached to the bag that you can match up to detach. “Givenchy” should also be engraved on the hardware on the strap. The two metal buckles on the shoulder strap should also be stationary and are only for decoration.

Dust Bag

      Pay close attention to the font on the dust bag. Notice the dust bag on the right has a thinner and smaller font and is spaced closer together than the fake one.

Stitching

      Notice that the shape of the stitching appears to be correct on the fake antigona. However, you can see a shortcut that the manufacturer took in the making of this bag. There is no structure or raised part on the top stitched shape. An authentic one would have this detail included as it adds to the aesthetics of the bag. This is a great example of counterfeit bag manufacturers cutting corners.

Zipper Pulls

      Givenchy Antigona zippers feature enlarged teeth and zipper pulls. You can see the difference between the fake and authentic one easily. The zipper should be a shiny silver, evenly spaced, smooth (with no seam), and the zipper pull should NOT have a number on it. Check underneath the zipper as well - there should be a Givenchy stamp on it.

Zippers

Spikes

Check to make sure the little spikes on the strap are subtle, take about a quarter of the strap’s width, and are centered.

Side By Side Comparison

SAY NO TO COUNTERFEIT BAGS! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! Check out the video at the top for a mildly exciting 5 minutes of me comparing the bags!