How To Spot a Fake Vintage Dior Saddle Bag, Circa 2002
Wimbledon (after 2 days camping to get on Centre Court - Luxury for Less haha - forgive the hair)
The Saddle bag has had highs and lows over the fashion years.
The year is 1999, John Galliano is Dior’s Artistic Director and he has just sent the Dior Saddle down the runway at his 2000 Spring/Summer show for the first time. Like the Fendi Baguette, Carrie Bradshaw immortalises the bag. A star is born, and the cult status of the saddle is firmly cemented. The love for this bag reigned supreme for a good few years, but by 2007 it was well and truly out of favour and by 2013 we were so over it (sob sob the deals we could have all got on the resale sites back then £350-£400….. that is absolutely unheard of now!!!). But ….wait dear gorgeous readers, fast forward to 2016; Maria Grazia Chiuri at the helm..then two years later, it’s 2018 and it is back baby! This bag is still going strong in 2025 - though popularity and demand has eased off this last year.
Read my full review here.
Let’s Get Authenticating xx
Photocredit: Shutterstock, Dior Saddle 2022
Remember, authenticating a Dior Saddle bag is not one size fits all. A post 2018 Saddle (the reissue) under Maria Grazia Chiuri directorship, is a very different Saddle to a John Galliano late 90s early 00’s bag. This post will only help you with a Galliano Vintage Saddle. But, if thats what you have your eye on keep reading.
I prefer the hardware of the Galliano era.
To give you an example of the differences.
Chiuri’s (Reissue) Saddle is bigger than Galliano’s. (Vintage)
The monogram pattern on Chiuri’s Saddle is crisper and slimmer, Galliano’s is thicker and bolder.
The D hardware on a saddle by John Galliano is engraved with CD and has more pointed serifs. But the D on Chiuri’s looks, thicker, bolder and the serifs are more rounded and chunky.
On a vintage Saddle, the bags closure is secured with a strip of velcro; the reissue Saddle, is secured with a hidden magnet. This type of closure is superior to the velcro.
2002 Saddle ‘D’ Hardware
2002 Saddle ‘D’ Hardware
Maria Grazia Chiuri Era
Maria Grazia Chiuri Era
Diorissimo Monogram (under Galliano)
Photocredit: Shutterstock, Dior Book Tote 2018
Grab your green juice…cup of tea… skinny cappuccino and lets try and see if the bag you want is fake or real.
The Bags Shape
This sounds very silly and obvious. But nevertheless, the bag is shaped like a saddle.
When I say this what I mean is the top line of the handbag dips in the middle. (As if it was a saddle on a horse and that is where the rider should sit)
A LOT of fakes just make this a dead straight line.
See the dip in the middle, and the ‘saddle’ goes up on the right.
See the inside seam stitch curves in at the center. This then gives the flap the saddle shape when the bag is shut.
2. Hardware
Lets get forensic. I love to measure every cm of my bag - because counterfeiters don’t bank on people doing this.
The D is 5.5cm (H) and 5cm (W) measuring from the middle)
The D is 0.7cm thick and 0.7cm thick at the widest part of the D curve.
The ‘D’ hardware will be engraved with ‘CD’.
The ‘CD’ is positioned 2.5cm down from the top, and 2.5cm up from the bottom. It is perfectly positioned in the middle.
The leather loop attachment is 1.5cm (W)
The CD hardware on the side are smaller than the D hardware on the front.
The D is 4.5cm (H) and 4cm (W)
The D is 0.7cm thick and 0.7cm thick at the widest part of the D curve.
Notice the D hardware below is shaped differently to the D Charm on the front. It is thicker at the bottom.
The C is 5cm (H) - measured from top of hardware under the loop to bottom) and 4 cm (W)
The C is 0.7cm thick at the thickest point of the curve.
The leather loop attachment is 2cm (W)
Note the ‘C’ is soldered into position and fixed meaning it does not move.
The ‘D’ is not soldered into position and you can wiggle it. Pay attention to this detail.
Pay close attention to the top of the C - notice the little groove. It doesn’t run flat along.
Christian Dior is engraved on the back.
The Christian Dior is 1.6cm (L) and the ‘C’ starts 0.9cm from the edge, and the ‘r’ finishes 0.7cm from the edge.
Pay attention to how the hardware has been put together. The sides are not completely soldered down.
The hardwares attachment to the shoulder strap is not finished at either end, its open.
3. Interior Pocket
The interior pocket zip has a CD Charm as the pull.
The CD Charm is attached to the zip keyring loop by a gold oval which is fully sealed and soldered together.
The charm measures 3.5cm (W) X 2cm (H)
The zip is blank on the back, and has a tiny ‘3’ ‘c’ on the middle to pull the zipper teeth together.
The exterior pocket fastens using a magnetic closure snap. This is not engraved in anyway.
4. Interior Tab
The interior tab will be embossed with ‘Christian Dior’ on the top row, and then ‘PARIS’ on the second row.
Christian Dior is 4mm (H) measuring from the tallest letter.
The Paris is 2mm (H)
The tab measures 4.2cm (W) x 2.4cm (H)
7 stitches either side, and 15 stitches along the top.
5. Date Code
Dior first starting using date codes around 1997. We do not know the exact month, but since then all Dior handbags have had date codes. Dior is under the ownership of LVMH and therefore pretty much follows the same date code format as Louis Vuitton bags.
This bag is MADE IN ITALY.
The first two letters represent the factory code.
The first and third number indicate the month the bag was made. (April)
The second and fourth number indicate the year the bag was made (2002)
6. Stitching (my favourite thing) and piping
I can have hours of fun counting stitches on my handbags. Stitching and interiors are definitely the areas that counterfeiters focus on the least - this is because you don’t see them and are the least sexy; so this is always an afterthought, which means its a great tool for spotting fakes.
Stitching is always mirrored on each side of the bag. The image below attaches the shoulder strap to the hardware.
The horizontal row of stitching comprises of 5 stitches all double stitched.
The curve comprises of 16 stitches, single stitched,
The leather tab which attached the D to the bag has the following stitch configuration,
5 stitches, single stitched (I think)
26 stitches, (the stitches should be almost invisible making it nearly impossible to count)
Look inside the exterior pocket. The saddle shape continues down.
Counterfeiters tend to start the saddle shape once you can see it from the top of the exterior pocket. Does that make sense?
Last up: the leather straps which hang on the front of the bag measure.
The leather strap on the left in the below is:
13cm (h) x 1.5cm (w)
The top leather strap on the right is:
9cm (h) x 1.5cm (w)
The Velcro is 7cm (h) and 1cm (w)
I hope that helped! Remember if you are worried about your purchase ask the preloved platform you bought it from to re-check it (explaining in detail and photographs demonstrating your concerns, or just return it!!!)
Also I always get my handbags authenticated independently for piece of mind.
Alice xx
