Before you buy that Louis Vuitton bag you've been dreaming about, learn how to tell the difference between the real thing and ...

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shelley Alvarado, a senior account executive and former Louis Vuitton employee from Los Angeles. It's been edited for length and clarity.

First, the logo is the most obvious giveaway of fake Louis Vuitton bags. Many people are interested in buying Louis Vuitton bags with the famous original monogram pattern, which contains the ...

A 54-year-old man previously convicted of illegally manufacturing over 16,000 counterfeit Louis Vuitton bags was ordered to pay the French firm 500 million won ($490,000) in damages, Tuesday.