Ralph Lauren is one of the most popular design houses in the world, and Ralph Lauren handbags are very much in demand. Because they are so popular, many vendors make fake handbags and sell them as the real thing. When you're looking for a deal on a handbag, whether online or in person, be sure you know how to identify an authentic Ralph Lauren handbag.

Consider the price. If you buy directly from Ralph Lauren, a handbag costs anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000, with most bags falling in the $1,500 to $3,000 range. Bags from past seasons have a high retail value, and even older bags sell for hundreds of dollars. A handbag that costs much less than the going rate is almost certainly a fake.

  • Ralph Lauren is one of the most popular design houses in the world, and Ralph Lauren handbags are very much in demand.
  • If you buy directly from Ralph Lauren, a handbag costs anywhere from $1,000 to $20,000, with most bags falling in the $1,500 to $3,000 range.

Look for tags. High-end bags come with a printed tag or a "guarantee card" tucked into the bag, which testifies to the purse's authenticity. Note that a bag with original price tags is probably authentic; a bag without these tags may not be.

Notice the quality of the material. Ralph Lauren handbags are made from the highest-quality animal skin. A knock-off will be made of low-quality or imitation material, and the difference is stark. Real leather, for example, feels soft and supple, while mock leather, which may look similar, feels hard and stiff to the touch.

  • High-end bags come with a printed tag or a "guarantee card" tucked into the bag, which testifies to the purse's authenticity.
  • A knock-off will be made of low-quality or imitation material, and the difference is stark.

Examine the bag's stitching. An authentic bag has perfectly even stitches, outside and inside. Replicas are not as carefully made, and they are more likely to have uneven stitches and untidy seaming. If the stitching is imperfect, your bag is probably fake.

  • Examine the bag's stitching.
  • If the stitching is imperfect, your bag is probably fake.

Go to a retailer. Take your bag to a store that sells Ralph Lauren designs, and compare your bag with a similar bag. See if you can spot any major differences. If they look identical, you have purchased an authentic Ralph Lauren Handbag.