Luxury Authentication Analyst
Authentication analyst covering the resale market, marketplace verification programs, and counterfeit trends.
Published November 2026 · Contact
Are Kate Spade and Michael Kors Outlet Bags Real? The Short Answer
Yes. Bags bought from Kate Spade's or Michael Kors' own outlet stores, or from the brands' official websites, are genuine. Neither outlet is a separate company or a reseller. Each brand runs its outlets itself:
- Kate Spade belongs to Tapestry, Inc., the owner of Coach, which bought Kate Spade & Company in 2017. Tapestry's annual report says its brands operate freestanding retail stores, outlet stores and concession shop-in-shops. Back when Kate Spade & Company filed its own annual reports, it wrote that it also operated outlet stores under the kate spade new york trademark, in the US and abroad.
- Michael Kors belongs to Capri Holdings, the company that was called Michael Kors Holdings until it renamed itself in 2018. Capri's annual report lists four main Michael Kors retail formats: collection stores, lifestyle stores, outlet stores and e-commerce sites, and says the outlet stores extend the brand's reach to additional consumer groups.
Tapestry and Capri are separate companies. Tapestry agreed to buy Capri in 2023, but the deal was called off in November 2024 after a US court blocked it.
So "outlet" does not mean "fake". The useful question is the one we answered for Coach in Coach Outlet vs Coach: was this bag made for the outlet, or is it a full-price (boutique) bag? Outlet styles usually resell for less, and a secondhand listing may present one as the other. The real risk sits elsewhere: look-alike "outlet" websites that sell counterfeits.
Kate Spade Outlet vs Retail: Read the Style Number
Kate Spade's outlet line shows in the style number on the small white fabric tag sewn into an inside seam of the bag (the paper hang tag on a new bag repeats it). Our free Kate Spade style number decoder reads it for you. In short:
| Style number | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Starts with P (PXRU, PWRU, PXR00, PWR00) | Full-price line: Kate Spade boutiques and katespade.com | PXRU1234 |
| Starts with W (WKRU, WLRU, WKR00, WLR00) | Made for the outlet channel | WKRU1234 |
| K codes (K1234, KB123), since about 2021 | The code does not say; the hang tag does | KB123 |
The letters after the P or W add the item type: XR or KR for handbags, WR or LR for wallets and small leather goods. The P/W split runs on the two older formats: four-letter codes, used until about 2021, and zero-padded codes, used from about 2020 to 2024.
K codes don't encode the channel. The same format appears on katespade.com and on katespadeoutlet.com. For those, read the paper hang tag: outlet hang tags read "Our Price" with "debuted on" and a date, or "Comparable Value" with a price. Some Kate Spade sites outside the US also sell outlet styles alongside full-price ones.
Worth knowing
A W tells you the line, not the verdict. It is a sales channel, not a lower grade and not a sign of a fake. A P bag bought at an outlet is normal too, because outlets also sell past-season full-price stock. And fakes print real style numbers on correctly laid-out tags, so a code that decodes cleanly proves nothing on its own.
For everything a copied tag cannot vouch for (the branding systems, hardware, materials and construction), see how to authenticate a Kate Spade bag.
Michael Kors Outlet vs Store: What You Can Actually Check
Michael Kors is harder. Unlike Coach's F prefix or Kate Spade's W, Michael Kors has not published a code that marks outlet product, and Capri's annual report does not describe one. We have not found a reliable one either, so we don't claim one. Advice that a certain letter or label means "outlet" is guesswork until the brand confirms it.
What you can check:
- Where it was bought. A receipt or price tag from a Michael Kors outlet store tells you the bag was sold through the outlet. It does not tell you whether the style was made for the outlet or moved there from full price.
- The style number. Michael Kors bags carry a style number on a small tag or label inside (our Michael Kors bag guide shows where, on older and newer bags). Search it on the brand's own website. A current style should match a product, and the name and color on the tag should agree with it. An older style may simply no longer be listed.
- Not the name on the label. MICHAEL Michael Kors is not the outlet line. Capri's annual report names it as one of Michael Kors' three main collections, next to Michael Kors Collection and Michael Kors Mens.
For a secondhand bag, the outlet question matters less than whether the bag is genuine. That comes down to the hardware and labels: on Fulton-style bags, whether the round MK medallion is an open ring or a solid disc, and whether the made-in label carries the right code. The Michael Kors bag guide walks through both.
Why Outlet Bags Still Get Faked
Outlet prices do not stop counterfeiters; they give them a cover story. A fake priced far below boutique retail looks believable when it is sold as an "outlet" or "clearance" bag. Kate Spade & Company wrote in its own annual report that counterfeiting of its products, "particularly our kate spade new york brand, continues". Counterfeiters copy whatever sells, and that includes the outlet styles as much as the boutique ones.
Fake "Outlet" Websites: The Real Scam Pattern
The "outlet" name already promises a discount, which makes it a favourite disguise for counterfeit shops. Two documented cases:
- Michael Kors, 2012. FashionUnited reported that Michael Kors won $24 million in damages and a permanent injunction against websites including MichaelKors-Outlet.net and MichaelKorsSale.com, which sold bags, wallets, shoes and watches carrying the Michael Kors trademark.
- Kate Spade, 2013. In two domain-name decisions at the World Intellectual Property Organization, Kate Spade won the transfer of websites that presented themselves as a "Kate Spade Singapore outlet store". The sites used Kate Spade's trademark and product images to sell purported Kate Spade products at significant discounts, and the panel found the goods were likely counterfeit.
The pattern has not changed: the brand name plus a word like "outlet", "sale" or a country in the address, the brand's own photos, prices far below the normal outlet range, and ads on social media that lead straight to a checkout. How to stay on the real site:
- Type the address yourself. Kate Spade's outlet store online is katespadeoutlet.com; its full-price store is katespade.com. For Michael Kors, start from michaelkors.com. Don't arrive through a social media ad or a coupon page.
- Read the whole domain. Extra words, hyphens or a different ending mean a different site, whatever the logo says.
- Distrust the price, not just the design. Fake shops copy the layout and photos. Discounts far beyond the outlet's usual range are the tell.
- Pay with protection. A credit card or another payment method with a dispute process gives you a way back if the order never arrives or is not what was shown.
We do not publish coupon codes, and we do not link to look-alike sites.
When to Get a Kate Spade or Michael Kors Bag Authenticated
A bag bought in person at a Kate Spade or Michael Kors outlet store, or on the brand's own website, does not need authenticating. The cases where a check is worth it:
- A secondhand bag on a resale app, a marketplace or social media, especially one described as "from the outlet" or "never used, tags attached".
- A bag from a website you are not sure about, including one you reached through an ad and only checked the address of afterwards.
- A listing whose price, style number and description don't agree, such as an outlet W code offered at a boutique price.
- A bag you are about to resell, where a written opinion helps the buyer trust the listing.
Our authenticators review your photos of the tags, hardware, lining and construction against verified genuine bags and give a clear verdict.
A code that checks out doesn't prove the item is real. Counterfeiters copy genuine codes.
Our authenticators check the stamps, hardware and construction of your Kate Spade against verified references, from $15. You get a verdict within 24 hours, and a Certificate of Authenticity if the item passes.
Authenticate My Kate Spade →FAQ
Are Kate Spade outlet bags real?
Yes. Kate Spade outlet stores and katespadeoutlet.com are run by Kate Spade itself, part of Tapestry, Inc., and the bags they sell are genuine. Many are styles made for the outlet; some are past-season full-price styles.
Are Michael Kors outlet bags real?
Yes. Outlet stores are one of the four main Michael Kors retail formats in Capri Holdings' annual report, next to collection stores, lifestyle stores and e-commerce sites. Bags bought there are genuine Michael Kors.
What is the difference between Kate Spade outlet and retail?
Kate Spade's full-price line is sold in its boutiques and on katespade.com. Its outlet stores sell styles made for the outlet channel, plus some past-season full-price stock, at lower prices. On the older tag formats, a style number starting with W marks an outlet style and one starting with P a full-price style.
How can I tell if my Kate Spade bag is from the outlet?
Read the style number on the white tag sewn inside the bag. On the older four-letter and zero-padded codes, W means made for the outlet and P means full price. K codes used since about 2021 don't say; check the hang tag for "Our Price", "debuted on" or "Comparable Value". Our Kate Spade style number decoder reads the code for you.
How can I tell a Michael Kors outlet bag from a store bag?
Michael Kors has not published a code that marks outlet product. A receipt or price tag from an outlet store shows where a bag was sold, and the style number can be searched on the brand's website. MICHAEL Michael Kors is one of the brand's main collections, not an outlet label.
Does an outlet code mean my bag is fake?
No. A W code on a Kate Spade bag marks a genuine outlet style. It tells you the line, not whether the bag is real, and a counterfeit can carry any code, so check the bag itself as well.
Are there fake Kate Spade or Michael Kors outlet websites?
Yes. Michael Kors won a 2012 case against sites such as MichaelKors-Outlet.net, and Kate Spade won the transfer of sites posing as a "Kate Spade Singapore outlet store" in 2013. Type the brand's address yourself and read the whole domain before you pay.
