Case Study #3 Gucci Ace Sneakers

Spring 2016 has marked the release of Gucci’s signature low-top sneaker, the Ace, presented in bold colours and patterns. Alessandro Michele, the creative director of the fashion house, saw this as a great way to serve both the customers and the critics and enter the emerging sneakers market.

Since then, the silhouette has been released in a variety of fabrics and patterns, raising its popularity amongst all ages and lifestyles. Unsurprisingly, the replica manufacturers were quick to make a profit out of it. Some extremely accurate copies are currently available on the market, making it extremely dangerous to carelessly buy a pair online.

One of our clients has actually stumbled upon a suspicious pair of Gucci Ace sneakers, did not hesitate and sent the photos for an authentication with the LegitGrails team. This was an interesting case, as this replica did not show many obvious signs, but the details reviewed in this guide were enough to reach the conclusion. Let’s have a look at the photos and have a walkthrough of the process. 

If you want more details, check this guide to Gucci shoes authentication.

• The Bee Embroidery
• The Sole Logo
• The Footbed
• Example Details
• What does this case show about Gucci legit check?

Brief Order Description

Gucci Ace Sneakers Authentication: The Bee Embroidery

This authentication request was placed for a classic Gucci Ace Bee model, featuring a golden bee embroidery on both sides of the sneakers. What the team noticed right away was the inconsistent embroidery pattern. This was obvious, as there were several areas where the sews were spread out dramatically, resulting in large gaps.

Moreover, the treads used in this pair were rather thin, and there was a noticeable gloss to them, meaning that the threads did not meet the standard Gucci quality. Considering these flaws, the team’s suspicion about this pair was raised.

Fake vs Real Gucci Ace Sneakers: The Sole Logo

Moving onto the rest of the item’s details, the team stopped and carefully reviewed the sole of the pair. For Gucci Ace legit check, it’s extremely important that an authenticator could review the sole logo. This detail bears crucial information on an item’s authenticity, hence we always request to see clear photos of the sole. 

Looking at this sole, the team was almost certain about the fact that this is a replica, even though the other photos did not show considerable flaws for this conclusion. What’s completely wrong about this outcome are the fonts used. Just look at the ‘G’ - this is a very common sign of a replica Gucci Ace pair.

How to Spot Fake Gucci Sneakers: The Footbed

Finally, the footbed was reviewed, and it totally crushed any possibility of this pair being authentic. It is important to mention that the footbed is one of the most important details for sneaker authentication, yet drawing a strong conclusion on an item’s authenticity requires experience and great knowledge of what to look for. It’s pointless to analyse the colours of the threads, as different ones can be used across the different pairs of the same model. 

What’s important to point out here is the monogram pattern, which is a signature detail of the Gucci Ace sneaker. The wrong fonts were used in this pair, resulting in the G’s looking round and thick. Notice that the printing can be faded due to the wear and tear. 

The sewing pattern was also found to be off, and the team noticed how much it changed throughout the footbed. This was the last point needed to conclude that the pair is 100% fake.

Authentic Pair's Example Details

What does this case show about Gucci legit check?