Valentino Rockrunner trainers: how can you spot a fake?

If Valentino had to define itself in just three words, it would be chic, elegant and feminine. The Italian brand is renowned for the beauty and quality of the clothes and accessories it sells. After more than 50 years, Valentino is still as prestigious a brand as ever. However, the success of some of the brand's iconic pieces has attracted counterfeiters who have been quick to create replicas. Unfortunately, Rockrunner trainers are no exception. That's why, if you're looking to buy this pair of second-hand shoes, this article provides you with a genuine guide to authenticity.

Tongue label :

First of all, pay particular attention to the label on the tongue of your pair of Rockrunner shoes, and more specifically the location of the brand name on it. This inscription says a lot about the authenticity of the shoes.

On a genuine Valentino product, the ends of the "VALENTINO" lettering touch the edges of the tongue. On replica shoes, the lettering is misplaced and too small. On shoes from replica factories, there are gaps between the lettering and the edge of the tongue.

On the left, an authentic Valentino pair, on the right, a counterfeit Valentino pair.

The front of the shoes :

Let's take a look at the front of the shoe, and more specifically at how the suede is stitched to this area. The suede patch covers the entire front of the shoe for better support and protection.

On counterfeit Rockrunners, this suede patch is not shaped correctly. It is too curved, too round. On a genuine pair from the Italian brand, this curvature is less pronounced. The seams on the genuine Rockrunner pair are curved on the inside.

Curious to find out more about counterfeit designer trainers? Check out our articles on Day trainers by Hermès, Chain Reaction trainers by Versace and Track trainers by Balenciaga.

The spikes at the back :

One of the features that makes this trainer unique is the small dots on the back of the pair. This part is interesting to analyse because it differs between a real pair of shoes and a fake from the Italian brand.

The toes of a shoe from a sewing workshop have shorter spikes. The surface on which the spikes appear is also not correctly positioned. In fact, on a replica, there is no distance between the suede and the spikes when there should be.

On the left, a genuine Valentino pair, on the right, a pair from replica factories

Seams :

Seams are always an excellent way of finding fake pairs, as crooks constantly overlook them. So let's take a look at the seams in the central area of the Rockrunner.

The main fault that counterfeiters make with the seams concerns the curvature and sharpness of the seams. The curves are not respected, and this fault is particularly visible on the curve at the back of the central part of the shoe.

Secure the purchase of your used pair of Valentino Rockrunner shoes with Obvy :

If you want to conduct transactions, sales and/or purchases, between private individuals in complete security, choose Obvy. Obvy is a secure payment platform designed to eradicate online scams between individuals. When you make a transaction on Obvy, the funds are only credited to your seller when the buyer certifies the conformity of the item purchased.

In the event of a counterfeiting scam, you can quickly and easily return the product to the seller and get your money back. What's more, you'll have all the information you need about the seller in the event of legal action.