FAKE OR FORTUNE: THE TELL-TALE SIGNS OF VINTAGE LEVI COUNTERFEITS
Authenticity is everything when it comes to vintage Levi's. Our guide will help you check whether your vintage Levi's are real or fake.
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Red Tab
If like us, you're Levi's obsessed, you'll know that the little red tab on the back pocket is kind of a big deal. With 'Levi's' - or 'LEVI'S' if you're lucky enough to have found a really old school pair - stitched in white, the little red tab is basically the pride and joy of all denimheads and therefore important to inspect when checking the authenticity.
Things to look at would be the spelling of Levi's, if the stitching around the tab is clean and most importantly, whether the jeans actually have the tab!
Button Detailing
Another good way to ensure that your new pride and joy is the real deal is to check the button embellishment. Authentic Levi's will always have the style number embossed on the back of the button, so if you think you've snagged the perfect pair of Levi's then have a little peek at the button detailing to avoid any disappointment!
Brand Embossed Rivets
In addition to embossed buttons, Levi's have taken their branding game a step further with the inclusion of branded rivets. Embossed with LFSF (short for Levi's Strauss San Francisco) on the back of every rivet, the inscription is a good way of checking authenticity because whilst fake Levi's tend to have genuine looking rivets, they rarely have this small but important detail.
Rear Label Patch
Look at the printing on the rear patch to check authenticity. Look for printing which is off centre or contains spelling mistakes to spot a fake. Also check the texture of the leather - does it feel genuine? On a real pair of Levi's vintage jeans, the leather patch will have a slight texture and be soft and worn. If the patch is too smooth or hard, it's likely to be a fake.
Quality
Initially worn by pioneers of the west due to their durable construction, Levi's are renowned for creating long-lasting, hard wearing denim. So if you're in doubt about whether you've been eyeing up a genuine pair then a quality check is the way forward. In addition to the actual denim being of high quality, the buttons, buckles, and rivets included on genuine Levi's will be too, whereas counterfeit copies tend to be made with cheap or average denim and inferior hardware.
We stock thousands of authentic vintage Levi's from the 40s through to the 90s in our stores and online. Check out our range of authentic vintage Levi's.
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