When it comes to luxury handbags, nothing beats the real deal! On top of a host ethical drivers for not buying fakes, an authentic designer handbag possesses quality craftsmanship in a league of its own. Determining if your handbag is real can often come down to analyzing the most minute details - from the straight lines of the stitching to the subtle notch marks in a side pocket. Givenchy's famous Antigona handbag is known to be one of the hardest to authenticate, with incredible inauthentic reproductions on the market. We recommend only buying from trusted resellers with an authenticity guarantee; however, if you're looking to uncover whether the Antigona currently sitting in your closet is real, this quick guide may be able to help you out. And if you'd like to leave the final word to a professional assessment, try our Canada-wide handbag authentication service.

 

Front Logo/Envelope Fold

The Givenchy logo lettering in front should rest horizontally in the center of the triangular 'envelope' fold, evenly placed and straight, while resting parallel to the seam. The logo will be placed on the upper-half of the triangle, never in the middle. The thin and elongated letters should be the same width and height. The envelope fold itself should feature the point of the triangle centered between the two handles. Finally, this fold should be a bit puffy, never flat. 

 

Handles

The Givenchy Antigona is known for its highly structural silhouette. The bag utilizes speciality handles which stand upright on their own. Never falling over, these handles provide a statuesque finish to the bag. They should have straight, tonal, consistent stitching throughout. The bottom leather panel where the handle connects to the bag should have pointed corners, whereas the upper panel that overlays it should have rounded finishings.

 

Interior Logo

 

The interior logo on an authentic Givenchy Antigona should be featured on a leather tab just below the interior zipper pocket. The lettering should be centered on the tab, and not too deeply debossed in the leather. The logo should match the font of the exterior logo with the letters not appearing too tight or close together.

Zipper

Like every other part of the Antigona, the zippers will be precise, always being placed evenly and smoothly with no visible seams. They will always feature oversized teeth with a leather tab pull and will match the hardware of the bag. The zipper pulls will never have numbers on them.

On the bags made in 2014 and earlier, the underside of the zipper will feature a Raccagni stamp on the hardware of the pull. From 2015 and onwards, the underside of the zipper will feature a Givenchy stamp on the hardware of the pull. Be sure to check the date code to align the timing. 

 

Straps

The straps are another strong authenticity tell on this designer handbag. Some details are consistent, such as the studs that anchor the straps. Across all the iterations of the bag, they should occupy around 1/4 of the strap’s width and be in the center. The screws on the shoulder strap should feature a clean single line running across them at the back. Another consistent is the logo. Givenchy should be engraved on the hardware of the strap neatly.

While newer models of the Antigona offer a removable shoulder straps for all sizes,  some older styles in small, medium, and large have the shoulder strap permanently affixed. The mini version of this bag is a little different, having always featured a removable strap. There should be a small gap in the hardware and an indent on the D-ring where the strap can line up and detach. 

 

 

Serial Number

Serial numbers, also known as date codes, on the Givenchy Antigona follow a clean and consistent format, typical of LVMH bags, with a slight twist. The serial number will include 6 or 7 characters composed of numbers and letters (i.e. 3C1125 or MP B 0157). The first two or three characters refer to the location of the product's manufacturing, with the four ending numbers referring to the time of its manufacturing. Similar to Louis Vuitton bags, the 1st and 3rd numbers represent the week that the bag was made and the 2nd and 4th numbers represent the year it was made.

The Antigona was first introduced in AW 2011 so date codes should not predate this.

 

Dust Cover

Common of most Givenchy handbags, the Antigona dust cover will come in a white cotton twill fabric. The font of logo on an authentic Givenchy dust cover should be thin and not spaced too far apart. The lettering should be crisp, with no be bleeding at all. Usually, Paris will be centred below the Givenchy logo.

 

Build Details

The shape of the bag from the side should not be too rounded, but have a more defined shape. The bulk of the interior of the Antigona will be in a cotton fabric, which can be smooth or done in a cotton canvas-like weave. The interior leather trims will always match the leather on the exterior, both in texture and color. Inside, there should be a single seam in the centre of the bag.

The leather paneled feet at the base of the bag should match in length and width and be parallel with each other and the sides of the bag. The seam of feet panel should be *around* the hard footing internal piece within the leather, not *on* them.
 

 

With plenty to look out for, it's no wonder the Antigona qualifies as a covetable luxury option chock full of perfect little details. This sleek and sturdy bag comes in a variety of colors for a neutral carry or a playful statement piece.

 

Shop the Givenchy Antigona now.

 

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