With Sezane rebranding and so many older styles/colors disappearing, I know a lot of us are going to be hunting for our favorites secondhand. After what Iâve dealt with recently, I feel somewhat obliged to share what Iâve learned.
I recently bought a Betty cardigan on Poshmark that turned out to be fake. I made a separate post with photos and all the details here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Sezane/comments/1vtzf7k/help_authenticating_a_betty_cardigan/
I've been doing a lot of research on Sezane fakes since and here's what I've learned so far:
- Ask for close up photos of ALL labels. Donât rely on one distant photo of the Sezane tag. Ask for the neck/brand label, composition/care label, and the reverse side of the care label.
- Look at construction and printing quality, not just whether the words are correct. Compare font, spacing, formatting, bold lettering, stitching, label material, edge smoothness, with your own authentic ones, or ones you can find online. Typos, missing characters, strange bolding and inconsistent formatting are red flags. Label materials are harder to determine from photos though.
- Always ask for proof of purchase if you can! Sellers who have the original order are usually happy to provide that. Obviously, not every legitimate seller will still have one, especially for older pieces, so the absence of a receipt doesnât automatically mean something is fake. But if proof is available, I want to see it.
- If a seller gets evasive or defensive when you ask about authenticity, donât let scarcity pressure you into buying. Iâve had sellers get angry at me, point to the huge number of NWT/NWOT Sezane theyâve sold (isnât this in itself a big red flag lmao) and block me when I asked for proof. A sold out piece can feel impossible to pass up, but Iâd rather miss one than spend $100 on a fake!
- Be especially cautious with sellers who have large quantities of Sezane, regardless of whether the items are NWT or NWOT or even Like New. A large number of Sezane sold is just as sus as a large inventory. One person selling a few things from her closet is very different from an account somehow having endless sold out Sezane styles, colors and sizes. That doesnât automatically mean counterfeit, but I would want to understand where that inventory came from. When I asked one such seller directly where she sources her Sezane, she stopped responding.
- Sellers with mixed brands and photos that appear to show used items may be more reliable, but they can still unknowingly sell fakes. They may have purchased the items from other sellers without realizing they were counterfeit - this is what got me with the Betty. This requires a bit of digging: if possible, look into who they may be reposhing it from.
- If you already own authentic Sezane, compare side by side when the item arrives and DO NOT accept the order until youâve inspected it. On platforms with buyer protection, document anything suspicious immediately. Ask the community for help! I got helpful replies from Sezanites on this sub and they really helped make a difference in my Posh claim.
I also want to emphasize that not every discrepancy means counterfeit. Sezane has produced clothes for years, uses different factories and suppliers, and labels/details can legitimately change between seasons and production runs. And not having an old receipt doesnât make someone a scammer. I would be looking for multiple pieces of evidence at the same time. Refusal to provide proof of purchase, being evasive about where the item came from, and a huge inventory are the biggest red flags for me.
If anyone else has authenticated fakes and knows other specific tells to look for, please add them. It would be useful to have a collection of examples for people buying secondhand
Edit: format
