How To Identify A Fake Lacoste Polo Shirt in 2024

Posted on November 13, 2020 by JFP

Updated APril 7th, 2024

There are a lot of fake Lacoste items for sale on the internet, so how do you ensure you are not buying a counterfeit Lacoste polo shirt? Your best method to ensure that you are really buying an original Lacoste polo shirt is to buy it from the Lacoste Store. However, if you are buying a Lacoste polo shirt from someone else, you should look for a few obvious signs of fake merchandise. Here’s some quick methods to detect whether the Lacoste shirt you are about to buy is real or counterfeit:

1) Check the logo – Most fakes have cheaply made crocodile logos with badly defined body parts. The crocodile should be a deep, dark green with obvious individual teeth and claws. The top jaw is smaller than bottom and is angled slightly upwards. The tail will be rounded and be pointing in the same direction as the jaw rather than at the crocodile. The logo should be on a white background, and stitched on from inside the shirt. You should see no stitches on the front of the shirt.

You should also see neat stitching inside the shirt outlining the crocodile. Messy stitching inside is a clear sign of a fake. On the original Lacoste polo shirts, the logo is held on with 1,400 stitches.

Unfortunately, Lacoste has been confusing the issue recently by using multiple versions of the logo in different materials, so if your item’s logo doesn’t look like the classic cloth one pictured above, you should check it against some of the newer versions shown on my Lacoste Crocodile Logo page. While the colors differ, the quality of the logo and its stitching are still good indicators.

2) Check the sizing – Lacoste uses numbers for sizing, not small, medium and large

3) Check the Logo Alignment – The Lacoste Logo lines up with the second button of their polo shirts. It never lines up with the bottom of the placket.

Men's Pink Polo Shirt

4) Check the Fabric – Most fakes are made with much thinner cloth than genuine Lacoste shirts. If you put your hand inside the shirt, and you can see it through the cloth, then it’s almost certainly a fake. You can also check the weave to see if it matches Lacoste’s exclusive “petit pique” pattern

5) Check the Buttons – Real Lacoste buttons are usually mother-of-pearl. The shape is flat and slightly saddle-like in the middle. There are 2 holes for needles (on the upper and lower parts). There is usually no writing on the button. A genuine button will have a clearly defined rim around it.

Lacoste Button

6) Check for Elevations – Men’s T-shirts have small side elevations.

7) Check the Label – On a new Lacoste shirt with an ironed on label, the Lacoste label will look like the example shown below. Most fake Lacoste makers don’t do a thorough job on the label. In particular, the lettering and logo are usually have blurred edges.

8) Check the Tag – An authentic Lacoste shirt will come with tags like the ones below. Again, this an area in which most forgers don’t put in a lot of effort. If your item doesn’t come with tags like the ones below, then it’s not authentic.

Other Resources

If you are interested in authenticating a Lacoste bag, check out my article on detecting fake Lacoste bags. I’ve also written a detailed article on detecting counterfeit Lacoste items if these instructions are not good enough.

How To Detect A Fake Women’s Lacoste Bag in 2024

Posted on November 8, 2020 by JFP

Updated March 15, 2024

There are a lot of fake Lacoste bags out there, so before you buy, here’s a simple step-by-step process for detecting whether the women’s Lacoste tote bag or purse you are buying is a genuine Lacoste or a cheap fake. For other tips on avoiding fake Lacoste products, see my page on detecting counterfeit Lacoste. For information on reporting fake Lacoste items, go to Lacoste’s brand protection page.

It’s important not to be fooled by superficial packaging features. Packaging is cheap, so the makers of fake Lacoste bags go to a lot of trouble to replicate Lacoste packaging while skimping on the more expensive manufacturing processes. For example, here’s a picture of a “replica” Lacoste bag currently for sale on the internet:

That packing and the labels look pretty authentic, don’t they? Therefore, you need to focus on other elements.

Where Did You Buy The Bag?

Start with where you are buying the bag. If you bought the bag from a street seller or from eBay, you can be almost certain that it’s a fake. Lacoste bags are only sold at Lacoste’s own stores or at certified retailers. You can determine if a store is an approved seller by checking it out on Lacoste’s website.

Is The Quality Of The Construction And Materials High?

Lacoste bags can be made of canvas, PVC or leather, but they all share one thing in common: their construction and materials are of high quality. A common fault of fake bags is inferior stitching. Genuine Lacoste bags have small, even, solid stitching. Uneven stitching or loose threads is an indication of a counterfeit bag. A good place to check the stitching is inside the bag, since the manufacturers of fakes often skimp on the non-visible stitching. If you see uneven stitching around the inside of the bag, or bunching of the lining around the rim, you can be pretty sure you have a counterfeit bag.

Genuine Lacoste bags will also have quality zippers, fastenings, and handle attachments that are neatly and securely sewn in. An example from a genuine Lacoste bag is shown below

The zipper of a Genuine Lacoste bag will run right up to the edge of the bag opening. The zips of most replicas will stop short of the opening. The loop handle on a Lacoste tote bag is made with a garter material under the leather. This makes the strap less stiff and easy to bend. Most replicas will omit the garter center, so their handles are much stiffer and harder to bend.

Is The Lacoste Logo Correct?

All Lacoste bags have a genuine Lacoste logo that is either printed on the bag (canvas) or attached (leather and PVC). Genuine Lacoste logos are of high quality, with defined lines. Fakes also tend to have shapes that are not correct. An example of a genuine traditional logo on a leather bag is shown below

Lacoste bags can also have monochrome logos. An example of a monochrome logo on a canvas bag is shown below

Sometimes, as shown below, the monochrome logo matches the bag’s material.

For other examples of legitimate Lacoste logos, see my page on the Lacoste Crocodile Logo.

Some bags have embossed logos. In general, a genuine embossed Lacoste log will be distinct, but shallowly embossed. See below for an example:

Replica embossed logos tend to be deeper, as you can see below:

Check The Tag

An authentic Lacoste bag will come with a tag listing details about the bag including the materials, model and size.

Does The Bag Reflect Lacoste’s Design Sensibility?

If you browse through the Lacoste website, you will soon become familiar with Lacoste’s design sensibility. Lacoste tote bags are all narrower at the bottom than the top, and have large U shaped straps. The logo on the bags is usually at the top and centered. The leather bags don’t come in outrageous colors, and the purses also have very traditional designs. After you have looked at a few examples, you will have a good idea of whether Laooste would have designed the bag you are looking at buying. Here’s an example of a Genuine Lacoste bag:

I hope these tips are helpful, and that they will prevent you spending your hard-earned dollars on phony merchandise. Remember, the counterfeiters work hard to fool you, so don’t be taken in by superficial packaging touches, such as the ones shown on the fake bag pictured below:

General Tips on Identifying Counterfeit Designer Bags

In addition to these specific indicators relevant to Lacoste, here are some more general tips on identifying counterfeit designer bags:

Authenticity Cards or Certificates: Some designer bags come with authenticity cards or certificates, which contain unique codes or holograms to authenticate the bag’s origin.
Branding Details: It’s important to check the logos, fonts, and engravings for consistency and accuracy. Misalignments or misspellings can indicate a counterfeit.
Hardware Quality: Genuine designer bags use high-quality hardware that should be branded, function smoothly, and be durable. Check for flaking, cracking, or peeling of the hardware.
Stitching Quality: The stitching on authentic designer bags should be impeccable, with evenly spaced and aligned stitches. Any discrepancy in stitch count or color can be a red flag.
Bag Size and Proportions: Verify the bag’s measurements against the official brand specifications to ensure it matches the correct size, shape, and proportions.
Interior Layout: The interior of a genuine designer bag should be well-organized and consistent with the brand’s design. Any discrepancies in the interior layout or quality can indicate a fake.
Serial Numbers: Designer bags often have unique serial numbers or codes. Research the brand’s serial number format and verify if the number on the bag aligns with the brand’s standards.
Purchase Source: To avoid buying a fake, it’s recommended to buy directly from authorized retailers or brand boutiques. Be cautious of significantly lower prices and ensure secure payment methods are used.
Hardware Consistency: Ensure that the hardware color matches the logo color on the inside of the handbag. For specific brands like Chanel, certain measurements and placements of logos and hardware are standard and can be verified for authenticity

Other Resources

Fake Lacoste Shirts Seized in Vietnam

Posted on September 6, 2020 by JFP

VN Express reports that a large number of fake Lacoste shirts have been seized in Vietnam:

Authorities have confiscated thousands of fake branded T-shirts carrying names like Nike, Gucci, Lacoste and Adidas from a garment maker in Hai Duong.

A Friday inspection by the provincial market surveillance department found that the factory run by the Dang Linh HD Garment Co. Ltd, using four industrial sewing machines, was making fake branded T-shirts.

The department seized 6,446 finished T-shirts and 2,050 unfinished ones, apart from several kilograms of accessories like buttons, sewing thread and plastic covers, for further verification and investigation.

Lacoste Adopting Stronger Trademark Enforcement Strategy in India

Posted on May 12, 2020 by JFP

The India Business Law Journal reports that they are seeing increased cases where global brands are bringing trademark infringement cases against local Indian entities. In particular, they report that:

In the case of Lacoste SA v Suresh Kumar Sharma, the court granted a permanent injunction restraining the defendant from using the Lacoste mark. The plaintiff had initially applied to the court to issue a John Doe order (which is passed when the true and exact identity of the defendant is not accurately ascertained) granting a permanent injunction to restrain the violation of the trademark of, and copyright in, its well-known products. The trademark covered clothing, footwear, perfumes, leather goods, watches, eyewear and other related products.

After the court appointed a local commissioner to investigate the matter and report back to the court, an application was made to specify the name of the defendant as shown in the name of the case instead of passing it against anonymous entities. The local commissioner discovered 290 shirts and 850 tags bearing the impugned mark, which were being stored for sale at a location connected to the defendant. No challenge had been made to the report and the court held that the defendant was supplying infringing goods under the Lacoste trademark. The use of the trademark was both an act of infringement and passing off. The court granted a permanent injunction restraining the defendant from using the Lacoste mark and infringing its copyright when supplying the concerned goods.

According to the Journal, “this case is a good example of how big brands are instituting infringement cases to protect their trade names from future infringement, without knowing the exact identities of defendants and where the quantity of goods involved may be small. Read more at Vantage Asia.

Indian Manufacturer of Counterfeit Lacoste Shut Down

Posted on May 13, 2019 by JFP

On October 5th, 2018, a raid was conducted against Amit Apparel in Ludhiana, and a huge amount of Under Armor and Lacoste counterfeits were seized. As a result of the raid, and the ensuing civil suit the Delhi High Court has shut down Amit Apparel, and the court “froze the manufacturing unit of the infringer directing it to maintain status quo on title, possession and construction thereof until further order.” The details of the case can be read about at legaldesire.com.