Luxury 101

Authentication Institute of America is based on the thought that education is key and should be available to everyone. The Learning Center is a space where you can trust the information provided is correct but will allow you to learn how to authenticate luxury items.

We will continue to update each brands pages below with relevant information that will not only allow you to learn, but will be the first public repository of authentication education created.

Education 101

The first part of learning about the luxury brands is understanding the differences between Contemporary and Ultra Luxury and which brand lies where. The below graphic is strictly referencing handbags only and is open to interpretation.

What characterizes a Contemporary brand?

Contemporary fashion stands for high-quality modern clothing and accessories that are currently on-trend, which are also accessible and attainable.

Brands considered to be Contemporary:

Burberry
Coach
Chloe
Dooney & Bourke
Kate Spade
Mansur Gavriel
Marc Jacobs
MCM
Michael Kors
Mulberry

What characterizes a Core brand?

A core brand is a day to day, mass marketed and produced brand that retails at a mid price point.

Brands considered to be Core:

Balenciaga
Celine
Faure le Page
Fendi
Givenchy
Gucci
Loewe
Miu MIu
Prada
Saint Laurent
Tod’s
Valentino

What characterizes a Luxury brand?

Established images in the minds of consumers that comprise associations about a strong degree of exclusiveness, selectiveness, extraordinariness, superiority, aesthetics, rarity, price, quality, and many other intangible features and symbolic meaning.

Brands considered to be Luxury:

Bottega Veneta
Chanel
Christian Dior
Goyard
Louis Vuitton

What characterizes an Ultra Luxury brand?

The same description of Luxury but with a much higher entry barrier and price point.

Brands considered to be Ultra Luxury:

Delvaux
Hermes
Moynat

Who Owns Who?

Most all brands are owned by a luxury conglomerate which is when companies fall under one corporate group. We’ve outlined the luxury conglomerates below and the brands that fall under them.

LVMH
Berluti
Bulgari
Celine
Chaumet
Christian Dior
Emilio Pucci
Fendi
Fred
Givenchy
Hublot
JW Anderson
Kenzo
Loewe
Loro Piana
Louis Vuitton
Marc Jacobs
Moynat
Off-White
Patou
Phoebe Philo
Repossi
Rimowa
Stella McCartney
Tag Heuer
Tiffany & Co.
Zenith

KERING
Alexander McQueen
Balenciaga
Bottega Veneta
Boucheron
Brioni
DoDo
Gucci
Pomellato
Saint Laurent
Qeelin

TAPESTRY
Coach
Kate Spade
Stuart Weitzman

PRADA GROUP
Prada
Miu Miu
Car Shoe
Church’s

RICHEMONT
Azzedine Alaïa
Baume & Mercier
Buccellati
Cartier
Chloé
Delvaux
Dunhill
IWC Schaffhausen
Giampiero Bodino
Jaeger-LeCoultre
Montblanc
Officine Panerai
Piaget
Peter Millar
Purdey
Roger Dubuis
Vacheron Constantin
Van Cleef and Arpels

OTB
Diesel
Dsquared²
Just Cavalli
Koché
Maison Margiela
Marni

AEFFE

Moschino

PRIVATE
Chanel
Fauré Le Page
Goyard
Hermes
Rolex

Brand Pronunciations

Ho many times have you tried to say a brand name and get stuck because you’re not sure how to? We get it and have broken them down below, easy to read and understand!

Alaia – “ah-lye-ah”
Alexander McQueen – “alexan-der muh-kween”
Balenciaga – “bah-len-see-ah-gah”
Balmain – “bahl-mahhhhn”
Bottega Veneta – “bow-tay-guh vah-netta”
Burberry – “bur-buh-ree”
Cartier – “car-tee-aye”
Celine – “se-leen”
Chanel – “shuh-nel”
Chloe – “clo-ee”
Christian Dior – “kris-tee-aan dee-or”
Coach – “ko-ch”
Comme Des Garcons – “come-dai’ gahr-sson”
Delvaux – “del-vo”
Dolce & Gabbana – “dol-chey and gab-ana”
Dooney & Bourke – “doo-nee and burk”
Emilio Pucci – “emee-lio poo-chee”
Fauré Le Page – “fo-ray-le-pahj”
Fendi – “fen-dee”
Givenchy – “zhee-von-shee”
Goyard – “goy-ah”
Gucci – “goo-chee”
Hermes – “er-mez”
Kate Spade – “kayt-spayd”
Kenzo – “ken-zho”
Lanvin – “lahn-vahn”
Loewe – “loh-wev-eh”

Longchamp – “lawn-shawm”
Louis Vuitton – “loo-wee vwee-tahn”
Maison Margiela – “may-sohn martin mar-jhell-ah”
Mansur Gavriel – “man-sewer – gav-ree-el”
Marc Jacobs – “maark-jay kuhbz”
Marni – “maar-nee”
MCM – “em-see-em”
Michael Kors – “mai-kuhl korz”
Miu Miu – “mew-mew”
Moschino – “mos-key-no”
Moynat – “moy-na”
Mulberry – “muhl-beh-ree”
Prada – “praa-duh”
Rimowa – “ri-mo-va”
Rolex – “roh-leks”
Saint Laurent – “san lau-ron”
Salvatore Ferragamo – “sal-vah-tor-re fer-ra-gah-moh”
Stella McCartney – “steh-luh muh-kaart-nee”
Stuart Weitzman – “stoo-urt wites-muhn”
Tiffany & Co – “tiff-an-ee and kho”
Tod’s – “t-ah-ds”
Tory Burch – “tor-ee burr-ch”
Valentino – “val-uhn tee-noh
Van Cleef and Arpels – “van-cleef and are-pell”
Versace – “vur-sah-ch-ay”

Handbag Styles

One of the first things to learn is what type of bag you are looking at. Is it a Hobo or a Satchel? Shoulder bag or a Crossbody? We’ve created a visual guide below to help you understand and learn the differences between them all.

HANDBAGS

TOTE

HANDLE

BRIEFCASE

BUCKET

POUCH

SHOULDER

CROSSBODY

CLUTCH

VANITY

HOBO

BAGUETTE

WRISTLETTE

BARREL

SATCHEL

MESSENGER

MINAUDIERE

BUM (WAIST) BAG

ENVELOPE

TRAVEL

DUFFEL

SUITCASE