Recognising Genuine Kenzo: An Authentication Guide
Kenzo's Tiger is one of the most copied embroideries in fashion: fake Tiger jumpers flooded the market for years. Here is how to recognise a genuine Kenzo piece, from the logo sweatshirts to the recent knits of the Nigo era.
At NB08, every piece is checked and authenticated in our boutique before it goes on sale. Here are the checkpoints.
Why check the authenticity of a Kenzo piece?
The worldwide success of the Tiger jumper, followed by the Nigo revival (Boke Flower), keeps counterfeiting of logo pieces going on a massive scale.
The Tiger embroidery and the motifs
The authentic Tiger is embroidered with impressive density: distinct whiskers, crisp colour gradients, a bright eye, even relief and a clean reverse side. Copies produce a flat tiger with bleeding colours and blurred outlines. The same standard applies to the Boke Flower and the KENZO PARIS lettering.
Labels and markings
A woven KENZO PARIS neck label with the exact typeface, a composition label with product code and country of manufacture (Portugal, Romania… depending on the piece). Consistent sizes across the labels. Dubious printing or spelling mistakes: a deal-breaker.
Knits and finishing
Kenzo knits are dense and springy, the ribbing firm, the shoulder seams clean; the sweatshirts are in thick fleece. A thin knit that loses its shape as soon as you try it on gives the copy away.
Price and seller: the warning signs
A 'new' Tiger jumper at €40 is a counterfeit. Ask for macro photos of the embroidery and labels.
Checklist: authenticating a Kenzo piece in 7 points
- Dense Tiger: whiskers, eye, crisp gradients
- Clean embroidery reverse
- Exact KENZO PARIS label
- Consistent product code + country of manufacture
- Dense, springy knit
- Firm ribbing, clean seams
- Realistic price and reliable seller
Buy an authenticated piece at NB08
Every piece we offer is checked and authenticated in our boutique before it goes on sale.
