How to Spot a Fake Medium Saint Laurent Chain Wallet [circa 2015]
Quick Note: This bag comes in two sizes: small and medium. In this post I am talking about how to authenticate a Medium Saint Laurent Chain Wallet. If we want to give the bag its full title it’s called ‘Classic Cassandre Chain Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather’. It never actually features the word medium on the Saint Laurent website. But to make things easier - this is the bigger size of the two, and the only one you want. In my humble opinion.
In order to authenticate your YSL Wallet, you need to know the difference between a small and medium YSL Wallet on Chain. Read this post first and then come back here.
Why do you need to know the difference?
Saint Laurent have designed the small and medium wallets with a few stylistic differences. Counterfeiters mix up the two ALL the time - They mix up clasps, chain details etc. If you are armed with this information then you are off to a great start!
Okay, so this is a deep dive. I know it’s a lot of information, but this is a heavily, HEAVILY counterfeited bag. DO NOT spend £900 on a fake Saint Laurent Chain Wallet. Could you imagine going to resell if you needed a bit of extra money – only to discover it’s a fake… eeek.
Read my full bag review here.
Lets get authenticating
Contents
1. YSL Hardware Logo (I would almost skip this, as counterfeiters have this nearly perfect)
2. Hardware
Shoulder Chain
Snap Hardware (the bags closure)
Zip
3. Heat Stamping
4. Date Code
1. YSL Logo
The YSL is 6cm (h).
The bad counterfeits don’t pay much attention to the positioning and a indicator of a bad fake is the hardware not perfectly centered on the flap, or positioned at an angle (in other words its wonky)
The YSL hardware has 4 tiny mock nailheads in the corner of the letters. 2 at the top of the Y, 1 at the bottom of the L and 1 at the bottom of the S.
‘Y’ –
The left line of the Y is thicker than the right. The right line appears to run over the top of the S, whereas the left line of the Y appears to run underneath the S. The bottom of the Y runs over the top of the S.
‘S’ –
The S starts narrow and becomes thicker in the middle. The placement of the ‘S’ runs under the top of the right ‘Y’ then through the left side ‘Y’. it then cuts through the S (seemingly underneath) then it runs through but over the top of the L, then back behind the L.
‘L’ –
Note the slope of the L. The horizontal leg of the L becomes wider where the mock nailhead is placed.
But, I think counterfeiters have this nailed now if I’m honest…. So read on.
YSL Medium Chain Wallet Hardware
2. Hardware
Shoulder Chain
The shoulder chain is detachable by a leather two stud push strap. The piece of leather measures 18.5cm (give or a take a mm) D ring to D ring.
Saint Laurent Wallet, Detachable Strap.
On the head of the push studs it will have engraved ‘Saint Laurent’. It will not have ‘Yves’ or ‘Paris’.
Tip 1: The Saint Laurent is symmetrical, not upside down or on its side. These push studs are fixed into position and do not turn. Counterfeiters just stamp the letters and ignore the placement.
Saint Laurent wallet, push stud
The shoulder chain is attached in position by two leather loops which are fixed to the bag.
These loops are fixed by 5 small double stitches along each side.
Hot Tip 2: There is a tiny gold toned loop between the D Ring and leather (a small detail counterfeiters miss). The D Ring is attached to the leather by 4 triple stitches along each side.
The chain is gold toned, very shiny and has a certain weight to it. The push studs are more matte.
Drop Chain 48cm
Saint Laurent Wallet, Chain
Snap Hardware (bags closure)
The push stud popper (bags closure) fastening says ‘Saint Laurent’ and ‘Paris’.
Saint Laurent uses sans-serif font and Paris is in serif font. (It is so little but the letters do have tiny, tiny feet)
Keep in mind the counterfeiters tend to use all the same font or do a weird hybrid of the two.
Saint Laurent, Snap Closure
Saint Laurent, Snap Closure
The Zip
The Saint Laurent zip pull is not perfectly straight and does not lie flat, it has a crimp/bend where the zip pull attaches to the zip.
The zip pull says Saint Laurent Paris on it.
This bag is so structured and unweilding that I couldn’t bend the pocket to see the underside of the zip. However, with the help of an additional person, iPhone torch and mirror – we managed to get a glimpse. It says Saint Laurent Paris.
I would take it as a massive warning sign if you can easy bend your bag to see the underside of the zip – this shows your bag isn’t well made and could be a fake.
Saint Laurent, Wallet Zip
Saint Laurent, Wallet Zip
3. Heat Stamping
Counterfeiters get this wrong!!
Saint Laurent changed the heat stamping positioning between 2016 and 2017.
Note: both these photos are authentic bags. The pink wallet on chain is from November 2015. The Saint Laurent Paris is stamped below the metal snap on the wallet flap.
The black wallet on chain was produced in 2017 and no longer features the Saint Laurent Paris stamping under the metal snap – instead it is now stamped above the card holders.
This is super useful to know and goes hand in hand when reading the authentication code & helps spot a fake.
Saint Laurent, Chain Wallet 2017
Saint Laurent, Chain Wallet 2015
Made in Italy
The Made in Italy is embossed in capital letters exactly in the centre at the top of the back card slots. The lettering is very thin and hard to spot.
Saint Laurent, Made in Italy
Date code (for bags dated 2015 and before)
YSL only make their bags in Italy. (at time of writing this)
The authentication codes are not unique and multiple bags can have the same code. Therefore with YSL you have to look at everything.
An unfoiled embossed stamp is present ¾ down the base of the interior pocket. Note: it is hard to read/find.
The code is made up of six digits which represents the style number. A dot, then four digits to represent the date of manufacture.
The style number will match the Saint Laurent website description of your bag. Just click ‘more details’ and you’ll see STYLE ID on their website. Check it matches.
The next four digits denote the date. The first two digits are the month of production. The last two digits are the year
Saint Laurent Wallet, Date code
Authenticity Card
You should receive a white authenticity card. This should have the matching code on it.
Stitching (Matelassé Stitching)
Pronounced (Mat-luh-say). Meaning: Quilted or Cushioned.
Matelasse stitching / weaving technique dates back to 18th Century France. It was designed to emulate the hand stitched quilts of Marseille.
The technique makes it looks as if the bags are padded when no padding has been used.
The gaps between the rows of stitching are 1.7cm.
The stitching used through out the bag is a single row of stitching. 4 stitches per cm/ 10 stitches per inch.
But, there are two examples of the use of a double stitch at the leather loops to hold the chain in place, and to hold the chain in position.
The colour of the thread is identical to the bags colour.
Saint Laurent Wallet Leather
Saint Laurent Stitching
Leather
The leather is 100% Calf Leather and has been embossed. I have never seen a Matelasse wallet on chain in smooth leather.
The bottom of the bag is smooth with no feet.
Dimensions
LARGE/MEDIUM
Dimensions: 22.5 X 14 X 4 cm / 8.8 X 5.5 X 1.5 inches - Shoulder strap drop: 48 CM
Interior
Note: sometimes counterfeiters create slot compartments with no stitching at the bottoms. So your cards fall out.
The interior is leather. The zipped compartment is fabric. The Two bill compartment interiors are also fabric. (shiny and nylon in feel)
Twenty card slots (10 on each side)
Two bill compartments
Two central compartments
One zippered coin purse
Saint Laurent, Wallet Interior
Dust Bag
Ok this Dust bag is high quality. It fits super snug around your bag.
-29 cm in height x 21cm in width
-It has a white care label on the inside reading ‘SAINT LAURENT PARIS MADE IN ITALY). Roughly ½ way down the bag.
-It is 100% cotton and cold hand wash only.
-It has a drawstring closure. The drawstring only closes at one end and the piece of string is continuous. (a loop) it is not two pieces you tie together.
-The bag is black and the lining is white.
-The logo is the standard SAINT LAURENT PARIS. Written in the centre of the bag.
-Double loop stitching with a straight stich running above.
Saint Laurent, Dustbag
Saint Laurent, Dustbag, Drawstring
Saint Laurent, Dust Bag, Care Label
Saint Laurent, Dust Bag, Lining
Box
The SAINT LAURENT PARIS printed on the box.
SAINT LAURENT and PARIS are in different fonts.
“The Saint Laurent logo uses a bold, modern sans‑serif for ‘SAINT LAURENT’ with the smaller ‘PARIS’ beneath in a refined serif font.”
The NT are always touching at the top.
The R in SAINT LAURENT has a curved right leg.
The R in SAINT LAURENT has a straight right leg.
If you brush your hand over the lettering it should be raised and not flush to the box
Counterfeiters tend to use the same font across the board.
Fakes also tend to be smudged, blurred, faded or the letters are bigger and narrower.
Saint Laurent Paris Box
I hope this helps. Love Alice xx
