This guide will explain how to spot fake sunglasses, jewellery, shoes and handbags. These guidelines are relatively specific and are intended to apply only to Christian Dior.

First off, buying fakes is a bad idea:

• They generally aren't as good quality as the real thing and you are likely to be embarrassed if someone notices!
• If you like the designer so much, why aren't you spending money buying the real deal? There ARE bargains to be found on genuine merchandise - you just have to be savvy.
• Money from fakes can go towards funding various undesirable enterprises...
• ...and fakes are illegal in most countries.

How to spot fake Dior SUNGLASSES

• Dior sunglasses do NOT have model numbers per se (eg DSS0623) so any listing which has such a number in should be automatically treated as suspect. Some eBay sellers use codes for their own reasons - eg they have a big store and need to keep track - but there should not be something masquerading as a model number.
• Dior sunglasses have model NAMES, eg Diorlywood, Ski 5. If you look on the website you can see a current selection. If your listing claims the sunglasses are from the current range, you should go on Dior.com and check this is true!
• If the sunglasses are from an older season, google the model name and you may find some stores still stocking them.
• On one arm the sunglasses should be branded Christian Dior and on the other side they will say something like "Made in Italy. Diorlywood. KUN 120."
• Current Christian Dior boxes are silver and say simply "Dior." If the box is not silver or says "Christian Dior," treat with extreme caution (Update: Some older boxes with the black "Christian Dior" are authentic, and some authentics also come in soft silver pouches with black "Christian Dior" or "Dior" text, depending on your supplier. If the box is not silver you should still be wary).

How to spot fake Dior JEWELLERY:

• This applies only to the costume jewellery range, I'm not sure of the packaging on Dior's fine jewellery range (which if listed on eBay would be fetching hundreds if not thousands, and it's not made of cubic zirconia!)
• Dior doesn't use silver in its costume jewellery. So junk all those listings which claim 925 or sterling silver, because they are fakes! 
• Again, Dior.com will help you tell what is current season and what is not.
• The label on Dior costume jewellery is silver and says simply "Dior." As do the earring holders, although these are white.
• The boxes are silver and they will say "Dior."
• Anything boxed differently is likely to be fake.

How to spot fake Dior SHOES:

• Dior shoes retail at £160 upwards in stores, so be wary of anyone selling lots of brand new "Dior" shoes at £50.
• Dior shoes are not likely to be made out of man-made materials (look for leather)
• The insoles will have a large silver "Dior" on them. There is likely to be a silver code on the inside somewhere. My loafers say "TA 1005"
• The soles will say "Made in Italy."
• The sizes are European.
• It will also say "Dior" on the sole.
• The markings on the sole tend to be embossed and not printed onto the surface (I think this holds true for heels too)
• Boxes - the boxes are white with a grey "Dior" on them. Not "Christian Dior."
• The dustbag is white with a black "Dior".
• Dior shoes don't come with authenticity cards, so be wary of anyone who claims they do!

How to spot fake Dior HANDBAGS:

• The handbags are the most-faked thing on eBay, and some of the fakes are quite convincing if you don't know your stuff, so be careful!
• Be wary of people selling lots of the same item. These people claim they have codes and authenticity cards, but those can be faked too!
• Firstly, go to dior.com and check that the item description and picture matches what you see on the website.
• When you receive a bag, examine it thoroughly. ANY defect whatsoever will suggest a fake. It should be PERFECT, because in the shops they are retailing from £400 to over a thousand pounds, and at that price you are not expecting defects.
• Check that "leather" is definitely leather and not an imitation
• Check that hardware is branded Dior or CD - and in the right places
• If it comes with a dust bag, it will probably be white and say "Dior" in GREY. I am wary of dustbags branded "Christian Dior" although they are not NECESSARILY fakes - I think Dior may have changed the design of the dustbag recently, but you should be careful.
• Authenticity cards and care guides. These are faked too!
• They come in a small white envelope which says

Christian Dior

CARTE D'AUTHENTICITE

AUTHENTICITY CERTIFICATE CARD

(some Asian language I don't know)

• You must be really careful because I have seen fakes of the envelope and the care guide.
• There are some faked authenticity cards out there too. The real one is silver and says in BLACK across the middle "Christian Dior." If the picture in your listing is different (gold text, additional text on the front etc) it is a fake!
• The back of the authenticity card is important. It is marked all over "CHRISTIAN DIOR" and in French, English and the Asian language it will read "We certify that this article has been manufactued according to the most rigourous quality standards, and in conformity with the image of our brand name." The surface of the back is a matt grey colour. There are three white boxes: Date, Ref and Lieu de Vente/Point of Sale. Don't worry if there's nothing written in there, most sales staff won't bother.
• IMPORTANT! There is also an 8 digit number above the "Date" box. My Flight East/West bag came with a card marked 00700394. Don't worry if this isn't the same as the serial number, it's not supposed to be. If the number is missing I would treat the card as a fake.
• Be suspicious of any seller who won't show both sides of the authenticity card in close-up on request.
• Lastly, serial numbers. There should be a (probably leather) tag on the inside of your bag which is embossed "Christian Dior" and under that "Paris." The other side of the tag should have "Made in Italy" embossed on it and an 8-digit serial code, a mixture of letters and numbers. Similar to this code, from my East/West Flight bag: 05-BO-1015.
• Also, if the bag still has a tag attached, it should say "Christian Dior Boutique Paris" on it (grey text) and on the inside there will probably be a sticker with a bar code, style name etc.

Good luck!!

Updated: Note on legitimate retail sellers. TX Maxx sell only legitimate Dior and other designer products. If you go to a sample sale the merchandise there is also likely to be authentic, but do use your judgment and check that the labels seem appropriately branded, etc.

Please don't copy the text from this guide and put it in your own - that is plagiarism!

-totallyadiorable, 18.8.06