Short answer
The phrase joins three separate facts. Hermès makes the Constance 24. Louis Vuitton makes Epi leather. Noir is French for black. Hermès has not made a Constance in Epi. A bag sold as a "forged" Constance 24 Epi Noir copies the marks of two brands at once. In US law that is a counterfeit, not a replica and not an inspired design.
Constance 24: the Hermès part
Hermès introduced the Constance in 1959. The designer was Catherine Chaillet. She named the bag after her fifth child, who was born on the day the design was finished. The number 24 is the width in centimeters. A Constance 24 measures about 24 cm wide, 18 cm tall and 7 cm deep. The closure is a rotating H clasp set into the front flap. Hermès builds the Constance in leathers such as Epsom, Swift, Togo, Evercolor and Chevre.
hermes phony constance 24 epi noir
Epi and Noir: the Louis Vuitton part
Louis Vuitton launched Epi leather in 1985. The name comes from the French word for a wheat sheaf, the motif that shows in the grain. Epi is a calfskin with a dyed, textured finish and a water-resistant surface. Noir is the black colorway and has been part of the line since the 1980s. Epi belongs to Louis Vuitton. It has never been an Hermès leather.
hermes fake constance 24 epi noir
Why the two do not meet
Hermès color names are French: Noir for black, Gold for tan, Etoupe for gray-brown, Rouge Casaque for red. "Constance 24 Noir" describes a black Constance, and that bag exists. "Constance 24 Epi Noir" does not exist as a production item. The leather name is the giveaway in any listing that uses this term.
hermes fake constance 24 epi noir
Legal status in the United States
Trafficking in counterfeit goods is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 2320, the Trademark Counterfeiting Act of 1984. A first offense carries up to 10 years in prison and a $2 million fine. A second offense carries up to 20 years and a $5 million fine. Under the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1117, a rights holder can recover statutory damages of up to $200,000 for each counterfeit mark, or up to $2 million if the use was willful. US Customs and Border Protection can seize and destroy shipments. A personal-use import does not avoid seizure.
Checks for a bag sold under this name
- Ask for the leather name from the maker's own list. Epi is not on the Hermès list.
- Check the stamp. Hermès blind stamps are heat-pressed with no gold foil. Louis Vuitton used date codes before 2021 and RFID chips after.
- Compare the grain. Epi has a raised crosshatch texture. Epsom has a fine, even embossed pebble.
- Check the price. Resale prices for a genuine Constance 24 sit in the thousands of US dollars and often higher. A unit price in the hundreds points to a counterfeit.
- Check the seller. Hermès does not sell wholesale. No supplier holds an authorized wholesale channel for Constance bags.