Christie’s Plans Website For Gucci Collectors to Help Fight Counterfeits

Hate fake handbags? So do we. When I think of fake handbags, I can’t help but imagine poor Asian children sewing bad leather. I know plenty of women, myself included, who have gone onto eBay or any other auction site purchasing a handbag that, at the time, felt like a total steal, only to find that it was in fact, a phony. Not even harsh negative feedback can compensate for the emotional distress.

In order to prevent fraudulent items continuing to arise, Gucci has now made it possible for collectors to have a new way to value and sell their luxury items. The NY Times reports that Christie’s will be teaming up with Gucci, who are both part of the luxury mega-group PPR, on a new project to help Gucci fight online counterfeiting. This is great news.

In addition, Gucci plans to open up a museum in Florence in 2011, and a website dedicated to evaluating Gucci goods, which will launch by the end of the year. The “Gucci Collector” site from Christie’s will include a section where people can upload vintage items and get an appraisal.

In addition to providing a service for collectors, both the museum and the online website will help preserve the history of the brand. It may also help collectors research potential acquisitions and avoid getting taken in by counterfeits. Take that, fakes!

Via: Luxist