In today's day what’s really real is the REAL question! Brands are struggling to provide accurate authentication tools as replicas are becoming more and more just like the real thing. From clients who have a mix of fake and real, or those who try to give us fakes with confidence that could kill, to customers who are interested more in ‘first copy’ let's just say we’ve seen it all.

We here at secret stash only deal in reselling AUTHENTIC branded items. And we take every measure possible to ensure what we are selling is 100% original. Even if that means evaluating a product inside out for hours – were going to do it. Because we guarantee authenticity to our customers and it’s, therefore, our job to ensure every product that is sold through Secret Stash is nothing but the real deal.

We have become somewhat of connoisseurs of observation (at least when it comes to designer bags/shoes/accessories). Often just by a glimpse from far away or even just a gut feeling, we are able to pinpoint a replica in a matter of seconds. But yes sometimes, it also takes us several hours to figure it out because of how advanced the replication technology has gotten.

For some of the most popular major brands there often are some obvious telltale signs; the material used, the colour depth, the branding inside and outside, the quality and of course the serial codes. However, sometimes a replica seems to get all of this right- and in cases like this we then need to analyze every intricate detail, from the number of stitches, to the exact measurement of the print, even to the level of the stitching on the inner seems, inside pockets, or straps. We do not let a single detail go unnoticed. And only and only when we are 100% sure that the product is authentic do we decide to sell it on Secret Stash.

Let's see an in-house example below. This is a simple comparison of a real vs fake Michael Kors Selma tote.

Small details can be real giveaways in cases like this where the replica can be so close to the real thing. Notice the small differences like the way Michael Kors is printed on the key fob to the minute differences in the size of the key fob straps or a hole in the fob vs no hole. 

The size and shape of the metal brackets or the stitching of the leather edges on the strap or even the tiny inscribed 'ykk' on the inner side of a zip can all prove real the legitimacy of an original bag. 

And then ofcoure there are some more obvious signs like the use of cheap plastic coverings which we have never seen Michael Kors use, to errors like mislabelling bags or providing multiple straps. 

This is just a small example of the many methods we use to assure authenticity to our customers. So rest assured every product sold on Secret Stash is 100% authentic and curated with extreme love and dedication by the Secret Stash team.

Written by: Mesha Sayeed (In-house authenticator/everything else)

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