Last week I talked about my collection of Lacoste shirts and I mentioned that Rustan’s (the exclusive distributor of Lacoste apparel and bags here in Manila) do not carry my size anymore (which is a kid’s size – 14).
This sad news, coupled by the positive feedback I’ve been reading about this particular Instagram (IG) reseller of Lacoste shirts and bags, made me want try her out. If this IG reseller can put a stop at the ongoing shortage of size 14 Lacoste kids’ shirts, that will make me really, really happy.
The seller’s IG name starts with a letter “S”, has tons of followers and was even endorsed by other IG resellers (including the one selling supposedly authentic Cath Kidston items, whom I’ve yet to try). With these glowing endorsements, I found no reason to doubt the authenticity of her goods.
So I went about placing an order for a couple of Lacoste kids shirts. But before that, I asked if she has kid’s size 14 available and she said yes. I also told her that I’ve been buying my shirts at Rustan’s and that I’m really sad they will not carry my size anymore (I deliberately injected the drama there) to let her know that I know what the original looks like. She assured me that the shirts she’s selling are “authentic overrun” Lacoste shirts.
The price of the shirts run from P800.00-P850.00 each, quite unbelievable considering that the last shirt I’ve bought at the Lacoste store in Rustan’s costs me P2,850.00.
Na-excite ako dun sa P800.00 selling price so I ordered 2 shirts – in light yellow and pale pink. My boo-boo here was that I did not ask why the colors of the shirts are in English, and not French. But because she has lots of positive feedback already, I let this pass.
I got the shirts (not after a long delay from JRS Express), and unang tingin pa lang, I knew that they’re not genuine Lacoste shirts. So much for the “authentic overrun” description posted at the reseller’s IG account.
The first thing I checked was the price tag, because it’s so easy to spot a fake just by looking at the back side of the price tag.
Lacoste line of kids’ polo shirts is called Virelai. Caiman is their line of classic men’s polo shirts. And yet, my supposed kid shirt is called “Caiman”. There’s also no color name in the tag and interestingly, the product code (written as L1212 LEC here) is the same for both the pink and yellow shirts!
I also checked the front side of the price tag, and again it’s fake because the new lay-out being used now should show the crocodile in landscape position and it should be bigger. So unlike this one which used small crocodile in vertical position (old lay-out).
The original price tag (new lay-out) should look like the second tag in the picture below. Notice too that the punch hole in the original tag should be square-shaped, not round.
I proceeded to check the shirt’s collar tag and again, I found differences with the original.
Check out the picture below of the yellow “authentic overrun” Lacoste shirt that I bought, as compared to the original one I have in orange. Color pa lang ng crocodile, ang layo na!
The fake shirt’s crocodile is not green in color (it looks almost brown to me), and for the record, I have never seen a second tag in a Lacoste shirt. The second tag here says “Designed in France, Made in Peru”. Now this one’s tricky. I’ve read that most Lacoste shirts are now manufactured in Peru, so I guess this is a more careful way of saying, “Hey, I’m not genuine, but an authentic overrun“. Overrun or no overrun, the design should still be according to Lacoste standards, right? This one has too many differences it didn’t meet even the basic requirements of a classic Lacoste shirt.
It has crossed my mind that maybe I was given the wrong shirts because the price tag says Caiman after all so I probably got the men’s shirts. But if that is the case, then the shirt’s size cannot be 14 because 14 is a kid’s size! The men’s shirts at Lacoste, particularly the Caiman line, are available in sizes 2 (XXS) to 9 (XXXL) only. I wanted to scream, “Walang size 14 ang Caiman!”
Going further, I checked the placement of the crocodile patch. In all my Virelai Lacoste shirts, the crocodile patch is placed way below the second shirt button, almost near the 2 hemlines under it. The yellow Lacoste shirt has the crocodile patch sewn just across the second shirt button.
To be sure, I checked the placement of the crocodile patch in a genuine Caiman shirt (see below) and it’s never near the second shirt button. (photo courtesy of Stuarts London).
The color of the crocodile patch in the fake shirt is also darker, and its mouth’s too long as compared to the crocodiles found in the authentic Virelai and Caiman shirts.
Then there’s the sleeve of the shirt. The fake one has shorter sleeves with smaller openings, while the original has longer sleeves with bigger openings.
The hemline at the bottom of the shirt is also worth checking. The yellow fake shirt has 2 hemlines, while the original orange Lacoste shirt has one only.
Lastly, there’s the lining inside the collar (where the shirt tag is placed) which we barely notice but can also tell us whether a Lacoste shirt is a fake or not.
The original Lacoste shirt used pique cotton cloth even for this lining (you can see the weaving pattern here very clearly), and the stitching is smooth and perfect.
The fake shirt made used of cheap cotton fabric for the lining, and the stitching is not pulido at all.
I tested the fake shirt by wearing it last week, and found it too stiff for my comfort. The fabric is also very makapal, so unlike my original Lacoste shirts which are soft, lightweight and breathable.
Convinced that the 2 shirts I bought were clearly not authentic Lacoste shirts, I informed the seller about it and her only reply was that the shirts were made in Peru. I’ve thought of answering back: “And so?” but didn’t pursue it anymore because at P800.00 per shirt, what can I expect right?
The only good thing that came out of this buying experience was that I will now be able to spot a fake Lacoste shirt. And with this post, you too will be able to distinguish a fake from the original from now on.
Lessons I learned from this experience with resellers: (1) ask a lot of questions to test the reseller’s knowledge of the products / items being sold, (2) request for more close-up pictures of the items you are interested to buy so you can check its authenticity, and (3) demand for a refund option in case the items sold are not authentic.
If the reseller is confident enough to guarantee the authenticity of his/her items, then the money-back option should not be problem at all. In fact, some IG resellers have included this as part of their sale terms and conditions. Minalas lang ako cos mine doesn’t have one. “Made in Peru” ang reply sa akin, and I really don’t know what to make of that answer. Too bad this isn’t eBay where I can report a seller selling counterfeit items.
Caveat emptor, dear readers!
Welcome to the club of fake-Lacoste-reseller victims! 🙂 But thanks for this post, you intensified my conviction of never again dealing with resellers.
Hay naku, nakakalungkot ano? Nadadamay rin tuloy yung mga legit na IG sellers. But when you’re first experience is this bad, you will be hesitant na talaga to try again.
Thanks sa information buti nalang hindi ako bumili.
try to visit my fb page if your interested in purchasing authentic lacoste or u can call or text 09988516178… tnx nd Godbless
Haha… Dami na fake lacoste seller sa online….ilan pa kaya mapepeke nila… Dami pa naman syang buyer…
I’ve been waiting for your post about Lacoste as I want to be knowlegeable in identifying fake and not fake. Been wanting to purchase a Lacoste shirt for me and the husband for some time but of course we allknow they don’t come cheap.
i’m now curious about the IG seller you hinted on your post. I’m going to check my IG account and browse through the list of sellersI’m following….hehehehe
I will email to you the seller’s IG name =)
Thanks for this post! Do you mind checking if the shirts here are authentic? http://www.wereonsale.com. Thanks!
gusto ko din sana bumili d2 kasi ang mura lang kaso mukhang fake din https://www.facebook.com/misterlacoste888 same sila ng style factory overruns daw eh may nabasa ako walang factory overruns ang lacoste, sinisira daw nila pag over o may konting defect lang.
Thank you for sharing to us this info, AJ! Haay, it’s so difficult to trust facebook and Instagram resellers talaga.
i was searching for sites that can help me know if my lacoste polo shirt is legit or not. can you help me out?
Hi Tel! Sorry but I can’t find other blogs that offer reviews on Lacoste items. If you can send me some pics of the shirts, maybe I can check it.
Thanks for this post! Do you mind checking if the shirts here are authentic? http://www.wereonsale.com. TIA!
Hi Faye! I sent you an email.
i tried to purchase there, im waiting..
Most, if not all, overrun shirts being sold in IG are replicas. There’s no way Lacoste will sell their shirts at P800 to P900.
Hello, Leah! First, I want to say that your article is very informative, keep writing great stuff. I have been given some Lacoste shirts. Now, I’m wondering about their authenticity. Everything looks fine to me. However, I’m confused with the button thingy. Is it true not if the buttons have the word ‘Lacoste’ printed on them it instantly means that the item is fake? And please also email me the name of the IG vendor where you have accidentally bought the fake shirt, I was browsing some seller accounts the other. Thank you very much! 🙂
Hi Lem! Thanks for the kind words.
About the Lacoste shirts, I can only comment insofar as the Virelai shirts are concerned kse yun lang ang binibili ko hehe! I am not sure if the other Lacoste shirt designs have printed shirt buttons. But for sure, the classic shirts do not have printed buttons.
I’ll email you the IG seller’s name =)
Hi! Thanks for this post. I’d also like to get your opinion if the shirts here are authentic? http://www.wereonsale.com.
Also, hope you can email the IG site that sold you the fake shirts. I’m currently going through IG shops kasi.
TIA!
Hi Marie, I just sent you an email.
Hi leah. I also bought lacoste shirt at wereonsale. What do you think of their products?
Thanks!
Hi Leah!Same question with Marie. Are the shirts on wereonsale.com and also brandsoverload.com legit? Also want to ask the name of the reseller on IG. Thanks and Godbless!
Hi Mel, just sent you an email =)
Hi po i just wanna ask po if original po ba yung mga bnbenta sa ig na tushoppe po yung seller name na lacoste. After po kasi na mabasa ko tong blog nyo e parang nagdalawang isip na po ako bumili. Actually yung friend ko po bumili na. So ayun gusto ko po sanang hingin yung opinion nyo about it. Thanks po
Hi! Thank you for this info! I’m so glad I read this first. I’m about to place an order pa naman sa Ig. Same question, authentic ba un shirts from wereonsale.com & brandsoverload.com
Thanks!
Hi, can you also email me the name of the ig reseller to prevent buying from him/her? Thank you!
Bought two Lacoste Live Polo Shirts thru IG. The reseller’s IG account also starts with letter “S”. She told me that it’s original. (Designed in France Made in Peru). Could you e-mail me the IG name of the reseller please? I am now having some doubts. Thank you anyway for this info. It helps a lot!
Thanks for this, Sis! Very informative. I almost bought a fake Lacoste. It’s always a good thing to google. =)
HI po.. very informative and tnx sa info, i just bought a lacoste shirt from this seller in facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trendhunter-Online/125882517510417?fref=ts .. gusto ko lang po sanang malaman if authentic po yung binibenta nila, after i read ur post para nagdududa narin ako sa binili kong shirts… tnx po, ur feed back will be very much appreciated :))
Hi Leah!
I’m one of those resellers in IG of these supossedly “authentic-overruns Lacoste”.
I really believe they are original until i read this post. I ordered many pcs to avail of the resellers discount so i guess i’ll just promote them as class a because i dont want to trick people. I’ll just hope someone buys them. 🙁
This is very sad news for me, but thank you!
Hi! Thanks for this post. I’d also like to get your opinion if the shirts here are authentic? http://www.wereonsale.com.
Also, hope you can email the IG site that sold you the fake shirts. I’m currently going through IG shops kasi.
francis.
Hi! My mom bought 2 lacoste 5button polo shirts to an IG seller too but it doesn’t fit her that’s why we’re planning to sell them. Need to verify if it’s really authentic since i do have an online shop too and i don’t want namang masira din name namin for a small amount. How can i send you pictures? Thank you! 🙂
You can email the pics to me Avhie at [email protected]
Hi, I recently bought 2 pairs of lacoste classic shirt to an IG seller. Claiming that it was “Authentic Overruns”
Hope you can check the IG acct VIRYNN because it was endorsed by some celebrities.
Thank you!
Nette
Same here, authentic po ba yong wereonsale at authenticph facebook?
Hi, thank you so much for the info. can you also email me the name of the ig reseller? Thank you
Hi! Very informative post! May I know the ig seller so that I can warn my family not to buy on those stores. Thanks 🙂
Hello Ms. Leah! I think your orange shirt is not an original as well. The crocodile logo should have been placed in between the second button and the placket of the shirt just like the photo of the Caiman shirt you posted. And the croc itself looks odd to me. Furthermore, the buttons should have been sewn vertically. I think it is just a VERY good fake unlike the yellow and pink you got there. But you know, I might be wrong, I’d be happy to see a picture of the Devanlay tag of your orange shirt. Thanks
Hi DM! I bought my orange Lacoste shirt from the Lacoste shop at Rustan’s. It’s not a Caiman shirt, but ‘Virelai’ which is for boys aged up to 14 years old. Yes, we cannot compare this one with the Caiman shirt because pag-adult yun and iba talaga yung features =)
Hi sis I was planning to buy some shirts at this IG store that starts with letter “T” can you check it please? This post is really helpful and informative. I can send you some pics that I want to order from them. Hope you can reply as soon as possible. 🙂 Thanks.
So informative. .thanks for posting..
Natatawa ako at the same time..ur seller was too irresponsible. .dapat sinabi nya na over runs..kung tlgang fanatico kayo ng lacoste, at that cheaper price dpat alam nyo na..ung mga authentic na 2nd hand binebenta nila ng 500..used na un..so kung buyer ka, san ka mas mgging interesado sa 800 over runs o 500 na used na..#justsaying
One more thing..lhat po ng binebenta online na la coste prices below 1500…Fake po un o over runs..kz hindi po basta basta nag a authorize yan ganyang nga bigatin companies for reselling. .mas nkakahiya ung ngbebenta ng 1500+ lacoste overruns. .wag pong ganun!
Thanks for the post. This is very helpful considering I got shocked seeing this “overruns” prices 2-3 times cheaper when I just bought mine in a SM Lacoste Outlet for over 5 thousand pesos each. Muntik na buti nalang I do search before buying anything. Now I know. For me, bottom line, I will say no to overruns and will just continue buying from reliable Lacoste Outlet.
Amen to that =) Yes, buy only from reliable stores (like Rustan’s and Duty Free).
parang na’fake din ata ako 🙁 pa’email naman po sakin kung ano yung mga IG or FB account ng mga resellers ng lacoste na fake na yan.. thanks!
Hi mam pls do reply if ung tushoppe sa ig is authentic.. ihope yes.. nanghihinayang kase ako bumili ako 🙁 and if u have time to search s mga legit seller ng overrun lacoste plsss plss begging u .. pls infom me
Hi nakabili po ba kayo ng lacoste shirt duon? Please inform kung authentic overruns nga po. Kasi yun yung sabi ng seller. Thanks
They’re not overruns, they’re replicas.
Hi mam nasubukan niyo na bang kumuha sa wereonsale?? Paki e -mail naman po kung authentic po ba ang ibinibenta nila.ty po
hi can you please send me his name too 😀
Hello guys, can i ask something, authentic ba usually ung overrun lacoste live polo shirt pocket??? Kasi theyre selling at php900?? Pls help..
Most, if not all, overrun shirts being sold in IG are replicas. There’s no way Lacoste will sell their shirts at P800 to P900.
Please confirm yung sa wereonsale.com kung legit. Thanks
Theres no such thing as reseller or over runs for lacoste. I read a lot of blogs and forums kaya so far di pa ko nakabili ng fake. Usually sa seller na may isa or dalawang item lang ako bumili like over size or padala gling ibang bansa and i always request for detailed pic of the item so i can compare it with my orig shirt. Nagkalat na tlga counterfeit ngayon so better be knowledgable and consider first is the prize pag masyado mura alam na!
Yea, I learned my lesson already =)
Paki confirm naman if fake ba itong http://www.wereonsale.com/mens-classic/
Thanks for this post! Do you mind checking if the shirts here are authentic? http://www.wereonsale.com. Thanks
Hi ms leah,
Thanks for these info. I have an authentic lacoste shirt w/c says made in peru and with a smaller tag inside. Bought personally at US
They are priced very cheap at 800 pesos! Who is in his right mind would believe that it’s genuine when it’s originally sold at 4000 pesos?
Let’s not be easily tricked with rock bottom prices. Obviously you get the right quality of clothes sold at 800 pesos.
However thanks for the info. Very informative.
hi leah,
Thank you so much for these info.. Made me realized i was a victim of Fake reseller. Items i got were over priced at Ps2000.00, because its from Subic raw. Unfortunately, all Fake identifiers your mentioned are present in my item 🙁 ..Lessons learned is to buy from outlet stores. Thanks again and God bless.
Thank you for this blog. I’ve bought a lot of Lacoste stuff from different IG sellers and I always have this feeling that I could be buying a fake Lacoste shirt or bag or wallet or what-have-you. But I was so clueless on how to spot a genuine from a fake one. Again, God bless you for this post.
Ang daming nagtatanong tungkol sa wereonsale. Yes confirmed replica or fake yung binebenta dyan. Buyer beware. I also bought from them and compared it to my original lacoste shirt. Conclusion: Fake or if you a prefer a politer way of saying it, replica.
Lacoste website have L1212 and has 2nd tag on the shirt please look at it
http://www.lacoste.com/us/lacoste/gifts/for-him/beautiful-basics/l.12.12-original-cotton-pique-polo/L1212-51.html?dwvar_L1212-51_color=UHN
Hi Leah! I wanted to buy sa isa sa mga ig seller online. I read your blog, and some naman about authenticity, pumapasa sila. But wanted to make aure lang sana, can you check po the glamourstyleshoppe sa instagram? Thqnk you!
Glamourandstyleshoppe pala yung name nila. Please po. Thank you so much for the help.
After what happened to me, I’m wary na about IG resellers. To be sure, buy at authorized stores only.
Thank u for this info..i order 2pcs lacoste live! for 800@ but i cancel it when i read ur blog..very informative..
Made in Peru design in France, original kung sa America ka bumili ng Lacoste, ganon kasi availble na tag sa U.S at Latin America, Pero kung sa Asia mo nabili na may ganon tag fake un sigurado
Hi, tnx for this blog. Ive been eager to buy overrun lacoste shirts on fb and IG, since my hubby is oversized and sa kanila lang ako nakakakita ng size nya. Dahil sa trinoma ang hirap makatyamba ng size ni hubby. Tnx for this post it helped me alot on spotting a fake. I guess talagang mag oorder nalang ako sa malls ng size ni hubby 🙂
Hi,
When you buy something very cheap and the seller is telling of its authenticy, you should think twice! Some sellers may only after for the money not thinking of the customers’/ buyers’ sake. Buyers otherwise should be extra careful also. Better tag these items as “class A” rather than “authentic overruns” to avoid complaints. To be fair enough, 800 pesos for that quality you bought is reasonable enough! Thanks for the info..
ALL lacoste that IG sellers are selling are FAKE. Remember, lacoste does NOT HAVE overruns. And lacoste only sells at their stores and their outlet shops. They never sell to an INDIVIDUAL. So if a seller tells you s/he has stocks in different sizes and colors.. Beware! 🙂
try this one out/
for the key points you provided, the croc is on the right spot, the tags are still wrong i think, but the colors are right. might be better version?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Branded-Original-Overruns/1535823279991186?sk=info&tab=page_info
I agree with Mhel. The label that says Designed in France, Made in Peru does exists in a genuine Lacoste polo. It’s just that it is now being copied by fakes, so it is no longer a method to tell the authenticity. The EASIEST way to tell it is fake is by checking the buttons. Buttons are one of the signature elements of the Lacoste shirts. All genuine Lacoste shirts (except snap buttons) use Mother of Pearl (MOP) buttons and as you may know, MOP is made by mother nature thus, no two buttons are alike. Darker polo should have darker MOP buttons while lighter polo uses light MOP buttons. If you see a clear buttons that are plastic-y and has no unique marbling, beware!
Hi magkano ba usually ang polo shirt sa lacoste stores?
Around P4,000 to P6,000 for basic shirts, depending on your size =)
Hi. my ask sana ako bumili ako ng Lacoste shirt sa FB, “Fancy Shirt” old name sa fb now “Factory Shirt” ung name. Massbe ko naman na original ung nabili ko MOP ung button nya lahat ng indiction na fake na lacoste tiningnan ko pero talagang original sya nabili ko worth 1200 ask lang kung Legit ba na seller un? ganda pati ng feedback sa kanila kasi imported from europe ung items nila. kaya quality daw talaga
Hi! Can you also email me if shirts being sold in wereonsale.com are fake also? Thanks
I’ve checked this site before and I have reservations about the Lacoste items they sell. Better talaga to buy at Rustan’s if you don’t want to worry about fakes.
Please beware of an Fb seller claming that she’s selling Lacoste Authentic overruns. I have received my order and confirmed that the items are fake. Facebook name is Lacoste Over runs / Lacoste Overruns
Hi Leah,
There is someone trying to sell us Lacoste for php1250/pc. We checked the fb page and most pics were grabbed. She has photos of the items on hand (with JRS bag) but we are still hesitant to purchase from her. Same as what you’ve mentioned, “authentic overruns”. We are quite skeptical. This person claims she is in the business for 3 year. Just wondring if this is the same person. Can you help me find the identity of this person? Fb page or IG, perhaps?
Hi! Thanks for this great blog! You seem to have nailed it when it comes to comparing the fake from the real one. Although you forgot to mention that original Lacoste shirts (classic lines) only uses genuine mother of pearl buttons. Darker shades uses the black buttons while the lighter ones uses pearl cream buttons. Of course, it only has 2 holes. Some bad fakes uses ordinary plastic buttons sometimes with four holes. There’s an ad in FB (JL Branded Original) selling fake Lacoste shirts which they claim as overruns made in Peru. As far as I know, Lacoste never have overruns. If they do however, they make sure they destroy it because it does not meet their quality standards. Cheers!
Why did I just see this article now??? I just purchased and received my orders this morning. Excited pa naman to show to my husband. Nung binuksan niya, he knew right away that it’s fake. True enough when I closely looked at the details, fake indeed
Hi! Thank you for your article, it is indeed informative. I just want to share something about lacoste polo shirts- particularly the womens. Based on experience it differs from where you bought the shirt- i mean kasi yong nabili ko jan sa pinas long time ago at a lacoste store (sm davao) at the back of the patch- kita mo yong burda, tapos dalawa ang tags sa neckline. Same din sa nabili nung friend ko from manila- she bought hers at rustans- 2 tags sa neckline ( first yong gator and the size in #, second where it’s made) then kita ang burda at the back of the patch. When i arrived here in south california i bought some lacoste shirts and they’re different- the back of the patch where it’s stitched, you can’t even see the marks unless you will really take your time kasi parang clear thread ( more like a very fine nylon). Then the label is not two overlapping each other- just one with the name lacoste and the size in number. The one i bought doesnt have any made in peru in it anymore. And the tags sa side- they don’t have the DEVANLAY too. Some are made in Morroco and still some are PERu. The bottons are mother of pearl- you can check sa back ng buttons meron xang imperfections due to molding- like black spots and it’s normal. Tapos 2 holes lang- if 4 ung holes- it’s guaranteed fake. And yes the patch should be right after the 2nd button from the top- not in line, it’s after, more of in between the 2-3botton irregardless of you bought the classic buttond or the 5 buttons. Now, the 2017 lines ng lacoste some buttons are with printed LACOSTE in it na- kasi dati talaga wala. So not necessarily mean pag may print yong bottons fake na agad- just check it. Iba din yong lacoste live- kasi winking crocs yong patch- and wala pa ako nun lol.
*just like Leah, i was fooled with fake lacoste in the past too. And yes doesnt mean made in Peru- original na. Lacoste is toooo expensive for some that’s why some people with great minds are trying harder to make it- generic- thinking a lot of people should wear it, produce knock offs and have it on the market so cheap to support thier underlying second gain- money. But for real, the feel of wearing thr original lacoste is totally different than wearing the conterfeit ones 🙂 thank you so much for your time reading my comment. Happy shopping! 🙂
Hello!!! I recently bought an “authentic” Lacoste shirt from this IG store. The one that I bought has exactly the same
1. price tag. Same barcode
2. Tag’s croc. (doesnt even look like a crocodile)
3. Logo. (dark logo and long mouth)
as the one you posted above.
I bought it also for 850. I feel like we’ve been scammed by the same seller hahaha