How to Spot a Fake Burberry Coat

Co-authored by Dina Scherer and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: July 6, 2024 Fact Checked

Burberry coats are a stylish, luxurious way to stay warm in the chilly weather, but they can be a bit pricey. If you’re on the hunt for a good bargain, you might run into some Burberry knock-offs along the way. Don’t worry! There are several ways to spot a fake coat before you make any big purchases.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Tags and Labels

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1
Find a tag on the inside of the coat. Open up the coat and look inside along the neckline—there will be a rectangular tag stitched into the coat. Along the bottom, there will be 2 smaller tags stacked on top of one another. One of these tags will state where the item is made, while the other will mention the garment’s size.^{[1]
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- The “Made in” label will be on top of the size label. This size tag is written out in centimeters.
- Burberry produces their garments all over the world. Your coat might be made in Poland, India, Spain, England, China, or other countries.^{[2]
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2
Check that “Burberry” is written on the tag in large, capital letters. All 8 letters will be the same size and centered in the middle of the label. If the stitching doesn’t look uniform, or if the letters are lowercase, then the coat is likely a fake.^{[3]
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- Some coats may have a logo of a knight riding a horse.^{[4]
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3
Look for a hanging tag dangling off the side via a sturdy string. All new Burberry coats have a tag hanging off the side of the garment, attached by a sturdy string. You won’t be able to rip the tag and string off the jacket—instead, you’ll have to cut it off with a pair of scissors.^{[5]
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- If the tag is flimsy and easy to remove, then the coat is a fake.
4
Locate a second fabric tag with a serial number. Authentic Burberry coats have a long, rectangular tag stitched along the inside of the garment. Check along the inside of the coat for an inner tag—this will include what the coat is made out of, along with care instructions. On the backside of the label, look for a 13-digit serial number, as well as their London address.^{[6]
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- Their London address is:
  Horseferry House
  Horseferry Road
  London SW1P 2AW
5
Read the “Burberry” label twice on each button. Burberry buttons are very intricate, and have the company name written twice on the metal. Both instances of “Burberry” will be arched into a circular shape around the button.^{[7]
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- If the buttons are blank, the coat is probably a knock-off.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Materials and Coloring

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Study the coat for a distinct, black-and-red plaid pattern. The tan, black, gray, and red plaid pattern is the bread and butter of every Burberry coat. Look for 4 thin, red lines—2 will be horizontal, while the other 2 will be vertical. Additionally, look for 3 vertical dark lines, along with 3 horizontal gray lines. Together, these lines will form a plaid pattern on a tan backdrop.^{[8]
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- This distinct plaid pattern is either the lining or outer pattern on most Burberry coats.
2
See if your coat is made with solid colors. Aside from their trademark plaid, Burberry coats don’t use flashy colors and patterns. In fact, Burberry Heritage trench coats are made in tan, gray, black, red, or blue.^{[9]
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Research source} On the official Burberry website, black, brown, beige, blue, green, pink, red, yellow, and white are the only colors listed for all of their coats and jackets.^{[10]
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- For instance, if your Burberry coat is bright orange, you can assume that it’s a fake.
Burberry coats are expensive, and made with high-quality materials that back up the high price tag. Run your hand over the coat—does it feel durable and water-resistant, or thin and flimsy? If the coat doesn’t feel very high-quality, then it probably isn’t.^{[11]
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Feel the stitching to see if it’s smooth. Check for exact, seamless rows of stitching going along your coat. Take a close look for any hanging threads, which are a big red flag that the garment is a knock-off.^{[12]
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- Burberry trench coats will have 11.5 stitches for every 1 in (2.5 cm) on the collar. These coats will also have 4 lines of stitching going across the belt.^{[13]
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- Some Burberry coats are stitched in a quilted, diamond-like pattern.^{[14]
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Tips

Burberry coats are very luxurious, and tend to cost over $1,000. If you find a coat being sold for significantly less, it probably isn’t an authentic Burberry.^{[15]
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