Fendi is one of many pioneering designer brands that have deployed RFID technology to protect their brand integrity and battle against counterfeiting. Since 2011, all Fendi bags come with a branded leather tab and a fabric tag where the RFID chip is sewn in.
I recently came across a Peekaboo replica and a 2Jours replica that have gone up a notch in the counterfeiting game. Both the replicas have all hardware engraved with Fendi logo, a leather tab foiled with Fendi logo at the front and serial number stamped at the back.
Without side by side comparison, it is very difficult to tell the difference between the real and the fake.
I also noticed two versions of knock-off Fendi zippers. One is an obvious fake with debossed double "F" logo versus the authentic embossed logo.
However, the second version came really close except the copyright mark is disproportionately large and the embossing is less crisp compared to the real one.
Both replicas even have the RFID tag in the interior. However, the tag is hollow without the actual RFID chip.
Here below is the inside of an authentic Fendi RFID tag.
So how does the RFID chip work? The RFID chip is commonly used by retailers to track their inventory within a physical location without the need to scan the items. An RFID chip contains all the information about a Fendi bag such as the style model, the SKU number and even the store where the purchase happened. In order to read the information on an RFID chip, you do need an RFID reader that is compatible with the chip.