Kate Spade purses are frequently replicated and sold at lower price points than authentic bags. Kate Spade knock-offs vary in quality. Some fakes are easy to spot, while others are difficult to discern from the real thing. Here's how to spot a fake Kate Spade purse.
Look for fabric tags sewn or glued on leather purses. Kate Spade always embosses her name on leather rather than using the fabric tag she uses on microfiber, cotton or other fabric bags.
Pay attention to the shape and size of the letters on the label. Go to the Kate Spade website to view authentic labels and compare the font on the suspected fake (see Resources below). If the letters vary in any way, this purse is not authentic as Kate Spade only uses one style of lettering.
Be suspicious of color block purses, bags with two small front pockets and backpacks. While Kate Spade did design bags like these, they were all produced over a decade ago and are hard to find. Most often, bags with these attributes are fakes.
Look out for large metal feet on the bottom of Kate Spade purses. Big, pointy metal studs or ones wider than the size of a dime are signs that you're not looking at a real Kate Spade purse.
Question any Kate Spade purse that looks like another designer's work. Purses that seem similar to ones made by Dior, Burberry, Coach and other high end designers, but have a Kate Spade label, are definite fakes.
Rule out purses with a single large black stripe on top, sunflower prints, toile, camouflage, tie-dye or prints with the faces of celebrities. These are very popular fakes, and not at all similar to any authentic Kate Spade designs.