The zip on a luxury handbag is more than just a detail: it can be one of the best ways to tell whether it's the real deal or a cheap copy.
The zips found on the handbags of major brands are often made by Switzerland's Riri, which was bought by Swiss group Oerlikon in March.
Based in Mendrisio in the Alpine country's southern, Italian-speaking Ticino region, Riri makes snap fasteners and zips for major French and Italian leather goods and haute couture houses.
They work with the brand stylists' designs, such as colourful teeth that form a pattern, or pull tabs and sliders that look like jewellery. They are then manufactured in small batches of 60 or more.
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