Off-White by Virgil Abloh is defined by precise typography and signature details that fakes struggle to copy. Our experts and AI confirm whether your piece is genuine.
The signature quotation marks and text are set in Helvetica with a specific weight. We check the font, spacing and placement, which replicas frequently get wrong.
The arrows logo is made of strictly parallel diagonals at a precise angle. We measure the lines, since fakes often have arrows that are uneven or slightly off-parallel.
We verify the orange zip-tie tag, its text, finish and attachment. Wrong colour, font or a flimsy tie is a common replica giveaway.
On Industrial Belt pieces we check the text alignment, spacing and print quality against genuine references.
Authentic Off-White uses clean, even stitching. We inspect seams and graphic edges for blurry prints or messy thread work.
Off-White does use a proper article number: a long alphanumeric style code such as OMAA038R21FAB0011001, found on the inner care label, on the hangtag barcode and on the box. It encodes line, category, model, season and colour. The famous orange zip tie, contrary to the myth, is not a serial number.
The style code sits on the sewn-in composition label and repeats on the hangtag barcode and the box label. All three must match character for character — a label-versus-box mismatch is one of the most common slips on fakes.
The opening letters give line and category (OM for men's, OW for women's), followed by the model number, a season code and a four-digit colour code. Searched at an authorised retailer, the code should return exactly the model, colourway and season the seller claims. Sneakers from the Nike collaborations carry a Nike style code on the box instead.
The orange tie is a signature marker, not an identifier: it is not bound to a specific unit and circulates freely on its own. What matters on it is the plastic, the typeface, the depth of the print and the moulding of the lock.
A style code is ink on a label, and labels are copied together with the codes of genuine pieces. A match is only the first filter; the print of the diagonals, the Helvetica quotation marks, the stitching and the hardware decide the rest — all readable from photographs.
| What we look at | Authentic | Replica |
|---|---|---|
| Style code on the label | Agrees with box and hangtag, resolves to the same model at an authorised retailer | Code from another model or season, label, hangtag and box contradict each other |
| Zip tie | Firm plastic, even print or engraving, clean lock with no flash | Soft or brittle plastic, mushy type, visible moulding seams |
| Diagonal stripes | Consistent angle and spacing, dense ink, crisp edges | Drifting angle, thin ink, ragged edges, misalignment at the seams |
| Typography and quotation marks | Strict Helvetica, controlled spacing, exact cap height | Substituted font, uneven spacing, inconsistent stroke weight |
| Labels and stitching | Straight attachment, clean interior, consistent stitch density | Crooked labels, loose threads, stitch length that wanders |
Typically around 15 minutes after we receive clear photos of your item.
Often we need the arrows logo, the quotation-mark print, the zip tie and the tags, so more than two photos give a far more reliable result.
Tees, hoodies, belts, sneakers and most other apparel and accessories.
Send a few clear photos and get an expert verdict with a digital certificate.