How to Spot a Fake Longchamp Le Pliage Bag L 2025

14 Jun

Philippe Cassegrain designed this bag in 1993, Philippe had the inspired idea of using nylon intended for military use. ‘Pilage’ means folding in French – Philippe took inspiration from origami. This bag is cult status. You literally cannot turn around in Central London without seeing this bag somewhere in your vision! I love it for a gym bag or if I have to carry a lot of things to work. The nylon is incredibly durable, shower-proof and this bag can hold a lot! Read my full review here.

This is one of the biggest selling handbags in the world. As of 2019 this bag has been sold 30 million times.

QUICK POINT: Do not make the journey to Bicester Village for a cheaper Longchamp in the classic style & colours – it’s the same cost as in their main stores. They do not discount the classic styles and colours in the outlet. (But do go to BV anyway because it is fabulous) Take a look at the information below and grab yourself a second hand bargain by shopping the preloved sites.

(excuse the state of my rug, squished against the wall)

RRP

This bag retails at £120; which for a designer bag is not expensive (note I said designer). The fact that counterfeiters even bother to dupe this bag, shows the immense popularity and star power of this bag. But, THEY DO dupe this bag, the internet is awash with fake Longchamps - so you need to know what separates the real deal from the fakes.

Let’s Start Authenticating

Please know my bag is from 2023. This guide will not help you with older styles.

The Leather Flap Closure

This bag is made up of two materials. The main bag is comprised of nylon and the handles and bags closure are leather.

1) Pay attention to the diamond pattern. The counterfeit bags tend to have a completely random pattern that does not follow any pattern at all.

2) The leather tab measures 12.5cm (H) x 14.3cm (W) and is 2mm thick.

3) The thread colour on the flap closure is not white, it’s not even off white. It is a super subtle creamy light latte colour.

4) The leather is pretty matte - fakes make the leather too thin, overly shiny and slippery when you touch it.

The Longchamp Logo

Ok, so let’s look closer at our man on the horse.

This is not a deeply embossed logo, It’s lightly stamped and you have to tilt it up to the light to look at it properly.

Measurements: Horseshoe to horseshoe measures 3.8cm (w) x Jockey head to the underneath of the horses belly measures exactly 1cm (h).

It is positioned 5.5cm in from the left and 5.3cm in from the right.

Flip the leather and you will see the faintest tracing of where the logo is stamped.

Longchamp Hardware

The bag features a snap closure:

-1.3cm (w) x 1.3cm (h)

-The Longchamp letters are small, but crisp. They are not smudged, the P does not blend into itself.

-The snap features ‘LONGCHAMP 1948’ and snap closure features LONGCHAMP’ LONGCHAMP. Before 2013 it read "ORIGINAL PRYM 6/4B".

Longchamp Zip

-The Longchamp zip is flimsy, but the lettering and the jockey is very defined & detailed.

-The underneath of the zip is blank.

-It features a 4 and 5 engraved on its centre.

-The side of the zip features YKK and a T

-Small detail (because it’s all about the small details. The top of the zip pull is not soldered in place.

Longchamp Serial Numbers

This is located on the interior right hand side seam.

It is positioned roughly 10.5cm down from the bags opening.

I’d describe the material as like a thick tracing paper. It will crease and leave a white line if you bend it (like I have!)

It measures 2.5cm (h) x 3cm (w).

The information is printed on in black. It’s done pretty poorly.

Reference : L1899089001 - This matches the reference number on the Longchamp website

MADE IN ROMANIA

Longchamp now make the Le Pilage Bag L Shopper in Romania.

They do not like to shout loudly about this fact.

On Longchamp’s website if a certain style is Made In France they’ll tell you In the ‘MADE BY LONGCHAMP’ information section saying MADE IN FRANCE. If it isn’t this is the phrase they use “All Longchamp items are created with the utmost care in our workshops”. You have to go to the Maison Longchamp page, and then click on workshops to understand that this bag is made in Romania.

“Since it was founded in 1948, Longchamp has opened six production sites in the West of France (in Mayenne, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire and Orne). Talented men and women have sustained the leather craftsmanship of this family business for over 70 years. These sites employ over 800 people with rare expertise, spread across 25 workshops. In addition to this factory network are two production sites in Tunisia and Mauritius. Finally, the brand also makes use of partner workshops in France, China, Romania and Morocco”.

I say all of this so that you don’t panic if you see your shopper saying ‘MADE IN ROMANIA’. Do not stress - it’s the real deal post 2023.

Handles

For me this is the biggest giveaway of a fake.

Longchamp make a variety of the Le Pilage in different sizes with different handle heights.

The Shopping model has longer handles designed to go over the shoulder. Counterfeiters seem to blur the shoulder length between the L shopper/tote and the M shopper/tote and the handbag style.

Le Pilage - L Shopper – Handle Height 25cm

Le Pilage – M shopper – Handle Height 21cm

Le Pilage – M Handbag – Handle Height 12cm