Incredible YSL Fake (spotted in Japan)

Compare the authentic YSL Muse in white (above) to the small Muse in white (below) that we spotted a girl toting at Ise, Japan.

Can you tell the difference? Which do you like more?

Your keen eye should have honed in on the differences in hardware by now. The small muse utilizes silver hardware while the authentic YSL muse bag uses gold hardware. Salespersons at YSL (Breeze mall, Taipei) told Chibi that silver hardware is only used on white patent muse bags. Well, the small muse we saw sure isn't patent. Look carefully again, what else is different? Yes, the silver padlock on the small muse is a rectangular lock with white leather strapped across horizontally. On the other hand, the gold padlock on the authentic muse is cylindrical in shape with the white leather strapped across its circumference vertically. As far as we know, YSL did not come out with a special edition muse bag that has a different padlock,

Despite being a fake, the small muse we saw was very well-made. For one, it seems to be made out of high quality leather and had been put together impeccably. Without the silver hardware and the padlock, we would have went on assuming that the bag was real. Chibi actually prefers the silver hardware to YSL's gold (as do I). In fact, we were so enamored by the small muse that we have since been looking for the same mini muse that stole our hearts. Of course, it was nowhere to be found because it was really just a fake.

Without threading into philosophical and moral issues with regards to authenticity, I will simply conclude that this mini muse we spotted is most definitely an incredible fake.

-----Update (Aug 20th)-----

YSL did come up with an updated Muse Tote in Large that has silver hardware. We duly note that it is black, and its padlock remains cylindrical. However, this is good news for those who prefers the silver hardware, don't you think? At Bergdorf Goodman for $1,795.