Short answer
Counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags miss the published dimensions by 0.5 cm to 2 cm in most cases resellers log. Some high-tier copies hit the published numbers to the millimeter. A tape measure tells you if a bag sits in range. It does not prove the bag is genuine.
What Louis Vuitton publishes
Official product pages list three numbers: length, height, depth. The US site shows inches and centimeters. Model names carry the length in centimeters. A Speedy 30 is 30 cm long. A Keepall 45 is 45 cm long.
- Speedy 30: 30 x 21 x 17 cm (11.8 x 8.3 x 6.7 in)
- Neverfull MM: 32 x 29 x 17 cm (12.6 x 11.4 x 6.7 in)
- Alma BB: 23.5 x 17.5 x 11.5 cm (9.3 x 6.9 x 4.5 in)
- Pochette Metis: 25 x 19 x 8 cm (9.8 x 7.5 x 3.1 in)
- Keepall 45: 45 x 27 x 20 cm (17.7 x 10.6 x 7.9 in)
The published figures come from model specs. Louis Vuitton does not print a tolerance range. Two authentic bags built in different years can differ by a few millimeters at the seam.
Where counterfeits drift
Reseller notes put depth at the top of the miss list. Copies of the Neverfull MM run 1 cm to 2 cm shallow against the 17 cm spec. Height at the handle base comes second. Strap drop comes third.
Rounding causes part of the gap. Some workshops cut from centimeter charts and convert to inches with one decimal. Others cut canvas by hand and lose 3 mm to 5 mm per panel. A 4-panel body compounds the error.
How replicas are listed
Replica sellers quote sizes in centimeters and copy the official figures. A listing that reads 30 x 21 x 17 cm for a Speedy 30 matches the brand page. Ask for a photo of the bag next to a tape measure before you order. A seller who refuses that photo tells you something.
How to measure a bag
- Set the bag on a flat table and let it stand on its base.
- Measure length across the widest point of the base.
- Measure height from the table to the top of the body. Leave the handles out.
- Measure depth at the center of the base, front to back.
- Measure strap drop from the top of the strap to the top of the bag opening.
- Write each number in centimeters and inches.
Use a rigid tape or a ruler. A soft tailor tape sags and adds 2 mm to 4 mm. Measure a stuffed bag and an empty bag. Canvas relaxes under load.
Numbers to record
- Length, height, depth
- Strap drop and handle height
- Seam count per panel
- Hardware width in millimeters
What measurement cannot show
Canvas grain, stitch count per centimeter, date code format, and hardware plating sit outside the tape measure. Bags that pass the dimension check fail on those points. A single metric gives a wrong answer.