Shelley Alvarado worked at Louis Vuitton for five years and says she was passionate about the product — and able to easily spot counterfeit bags.
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Shelley Alvarado worked for five years at the Louis Vuitton store in Topanga, California.All employees were trained to spot signs that a Louis Vuitton bag was authentic or fake.Customers came from all walks of life, and friends had mixed reactions about where she worked.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shelley Alvarado, a senior account executive and former Louis Vuitton employee from Los Angeles. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
I’d wanted a career in fashion, and luxury retail seemed like it would be a great experience.
During college, I worked at two well-known luxury retail stores. One day, a friend and I were in the Topanga Mall in Topanga, California, and I noticed a Louis Vuitton store was set to open in the spring.
I had a connection who was able to help me get an interview. I got the job and ended up working there from 2009 to 2014.
I felt passionate about the brand and went on to own some LV products myself, from handbags to shorts and a swimsuit.
While at Louis Vuitton, I learned a lot about customer service and the customer experience. I also learned about the process it takes to create luxury products — and how to spot a fake.
I started as a part-time sales associate
Alvarado during her time at Louis Vuitton.
Courtesy of Shelley Alvarado
When I was hired, I attended a weeklong training program where I learned the history of the company, the current product line, and the process to create the product.
I started as a part-time sales associate and worked my way up to key-holder manager. My responsibilities were opening and closing the store, checking sales reports, setting the daily sales goals, and attending to any customer needs if a manager was requested.
I challenged myself to learn everything I possibly could about the product, operations, and after-sales service, or repairs. I even learned how to hot stamp the small leather goods and make minor repairs in-store.
One year, for high sales performance, I was invited to drinks on the roof of the Rodeo Drive store followed by dinner at Mastro’s. I was also given a special gift — a passport holder with my initials hot stamped inside it.
I worked with all kinds of customers
I worked with people from all walks of life, so there’s no one way to describe them all.
People buy luxury goods for lots of reasons. Some truly like products that will last a lifetime, others get joy out of possessing something that seems exclusive and unattainable to others, and some just like investing in luxury goods with the income they worked hard for.
At the time I worked there, you could buy a bag for as low as $600 (a Speedy) and as high as around $24,000 (the more exotic bags made of crocodile or ostrich). Around the time I left, prices had risen, and the most inexpensive bags cost around $1,200.
One time a DJ came in who was looking for luggage and bought a few Pegases, which cost over $3,000 each. I’ll never forget how he mentioned that he’d previously been homeless before his career took off, and he’d never even dreamed of purchasing items that were so extravagant.
A manager at the Rodeo Drive store shared another story with me. One evening when the store was about to close, they received a call with a special request and were told that a princess would be stopping in. Staff came by to set up tables with food and beverages. The princess apparently shopped until past midnight, trying on items and selecting the products she wanted. I was told the total was in the millions.
Customers tried returning fake items many times
The company focused its efforts on training employees to understand the quality and craftsmanship of the LV product, so we were able to tell the difference between real and fake.
If someone came in and asked us to authenticate a product, we were to tell a customer that their product was either “Louis Vuitton product” or “not Louis Vuitton product.” We were advised not to say “real” or “fake” in the event that there might be a situation that could escalate.
If a sales associate wasn’t sure, they would ask a manager, but I always knew because I took the time to familiarize myself with the product and materials.
One time a woman came in and asked for an exchange. The moment she pulled out two bags, I noticed that the outer bag the product came in was terrible quality. Once I looked at the bags, I knew they weren’t real, and I had to break the bad news to her. She just took them and left.
There was another time when a young girl came in with a friend to return or exchange a bag, and it was definitely not LV product. My manager at the time could spot it from across the room, and she shook her head when I showed her the bag.
I had to politely tell the young girl that it wasn’t a Louis Vuitton product, and she immediately called her father on the phone to tell him she was at a Louis Vuitton store and they told her it was “fake.” Then she and her friend just walked out.
I felt I could spot a fake anywhere
I could spot fake products all around me when I was at dinner, on vacation, on social media, and even on reality shows or in movies.
One detail that gives it away immediately is the color of the product. There’s a richness in color on the real product that doesn’t appear obvious at first glance, but once you compare materials you can absolutely tell the difference.
When you have the product in your hand and you see it every single day, you can spot certain details. If you feel the materials, you’ll recognize what feels like luxury and what feels rough and cheap.
Every product is handcrafted, and the stitching is supposed to be very precise
Fake product has stitching that looks like someone was in a hurry to get it done, so it’s easy to spot the difference. The monogram-coated canvas products have a distinct feel — a bit supple when they’re new, and over time they tend to harden and often crack.
The natural leather that supplements the monogram bags is supposed to tan over time — symbolizing a journey you’ve been on — and the red paint along the edges of the handle of the bag is supposed to slightly darken. It appears brownish, but it’s actually the color it’s supposed to turn into after wearing the bag.
I received mixed reactions about my job
When I would tell friends and family I worked at LV, a few would jokingly ask me to share my discount and help them purchase the product, but that would never happen.
Some were confused and would ignorantly ask me why I wasn’t using my degree. There were others who told me it was a “glamorous” place to work.
Since my time at LV, counterfeits have gotten better, but I believe there are always details that don’t compare to the real product.
After five years, I left because I wanted to pursue a career in PR and started at a newly founded tech PR agency.