How To Read a YSL Serial Number?

Classic YSL bags have long been a measure of prestige because of their minimalistic chic. Seeing their popularity, counterfeiters produce replicas and each year their quality is getting better and better, which makes it more difficult to tell fakes from original bags. Today being able to determine the item's  authenticity is as crucial as ever. Serial numbers are those little magic elements that can be of great help in the authentication process.

Here's a question many luxury handbag enthusiasts ask. How to read a YSL serial number?

Where Can I Find a YSL Serial Number?

You can find a serial number tag inside of a bag, it is sewn to the lining and is usually located near the zipper on the top. Beware: the tag can’t be sewn into a stitch, but it is carefully sewn to the lining around the edges. A Saint Laurent serial number tag looks like a rectangular-shaped piece made of natural leather and its color is the same as the color of the bag. To find the serial number you just need to look at the opposite side of the tag. It’s right there!

What Do YSL Serial Numbers Mean?

Vintage YSL bags have 12 digits separated by a dot. In new models, however, you can find 3 letters and then 10 digits also separated by a dot.

• First 6 digits denote the style number
• Next 4 digits are the date code

Talking about the date code, the first 2 digits are the month of production and the last 2 digits are the year of production. Some bags from the latest Yves Saint Laurent collection have a prefix and a dot before the style number. Note that there should be only one row of digits, two rows is a tell-tale sign that the bag is a fake.

YSL bag use serial numbers as a measure to preserve the reputation of the brand and to better protect their bags against counterfeiting, making it more difficult for counterfeiters to copy the brand's style.

How To Spot a Fake YSL Serial Number?

Now we already know what the serial number means and where to find it, it’s time to talk about how to spot a fake YSL serial number.

Some time ago, the fact that there is a serial number on a luxury handbag was a 100% guarantee of its authentication, but now it is not. Unfortunately, today serial numbers can’t give you 100% confidence that it is not a replica. In any case, when you authenticate a bag don’t neglect the serial number! Here are some tips for you.

• Examine the heat stamp. On YSL vintage bags apart from the serial number you can find the words: “made in Italy.” Note that it should be written exactly under the digits. On some models of YSL bags, letters can be capital.
• Examine the letters. All letters should be of the same size with equal spacing between letters.
• If you see that the serial number is missing, probably the bag is a counterfeit.

Do Vintage YSL Bags Have Serial Numbers?

In short, the answer is yes. Though a lot of luxury brands like Gucci don’t have serial numbers on their vintage bags, YSL is an exception. Even on vintage bags you can find serial numbers. Once you do it, examine it using our tips.

Anyway be careful because for an untrained eye it can be very difficult to tell the authenticity of a bag examining only the serial number. Maybe some of our articles will be useful for you in further authentication!

If you fell in love with YSL bags, check out How To Spot a Fake YSL Medium College Bag

Or maybe do you want more real or fake comparisons? Look at these:

How to Tell If a Louis Vuitton Pallas MM Is Real or Fake (Comparison)

How to Tell if a Chanel Bag is Real or Fake: Authenticating a Chanel Mini Square

How To Tell if a Louis Vuitton Graffiti Speedy is Real or Fake?

Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM: This Fake vs Real Comparison Will Blow Your Mind

Want to Authenticate Your Saint Laurent Luxury Handbag?

If you need to authenticate a Saint Laurent item, please order one of the three types of authentication:

Verbal Authentication $10

• good when you need a certificate for any reason,

Certificate of Authenticity $20

• good when you need a certificate for any reason, either to sell the bag with the peace of mind or to return a fake bag to the seller if you purchased a fake
• includes a permanent certificate on lvbagaholic.com

Certificate of Authenticity with a thorough explanation $50

• good when you need a certificate and you need to know why the bag is authentic/not authentic for any reason, either to sell the bag with the peace of mind or return a fake bag to the seller if you purchased a fake.
• includes a permanent certificate on lvbagaholic.com
• includes an explanation of why the item is fake (detailed pictures and comparisons with an authentic bag, more than 10 pics included)

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE OF THE OPTIONS BELOW