How to Spot Real vs Fake Eric Emanuel Shorts

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Plus, tips on how to avoid buying fake shorts

Co-authored by Devin McSween

Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Fact Checked

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Real vs Fake EE Shorts

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Avoiding Fakes

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Eric Emanuel is an American streetwear designer who is best known for his trendy mesh shorts. The EE shorts are super popular, and with that popularity comes counterfeit items pretending to be the real thing. If you want to ensure that your Eric Emanuel shorts are authentic, keep reading! In this article, we’ll explain how to legit check EE shorts and provide tips on how to avoid buying fakes.

How to Legit Check Eric Emanuel Shorts

Image showing the main differences between a real and fake pair of Eric Emanuel shorts.

Washing instructions: Real shorts have a clear space between “IT” and “IDC,” while fakes do not.
Perforations: Real shorts have neat, uniform, and precise oval-shaped mesh holes, while fakes might have large and messy holes.
Packaging: Real shorts come in a clear vinyl bag with “EE” branding and a size sticker. Fakes often use the wrong font or colors, and forget the size sticker.

Section 1 of 2:

Differences Between Real and Fake EE Shorts

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Washing instructions Checking the washing instructions on the care tag is one of the best ways to authenticate Eric Emanuel shorts. The genuine tag reads “ERIC EMANUEL” and “MADE IN NEW YORK,” followed by “COLD WATER WASH,” “HANG DRY (OR DRY IT IDC),” and “100% POLYESTER.”^{[1]
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- Signs the shorts are fake: Fake shorts often forget to put a space between “IT” and “IDC,” so the tag reads “(OR DRY ITIDC).” Additionally, the information might be wrong (e.g., it doesn’t say it’s made in New York, gives different instructions, or indicates a different material). It may be misspelt, or the font may appear incorrect, too.
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“Made with care” tag The care tag on Eric Emanuel shorts also provides information about the shorts. The tag reads: “EACH PRODUCT IS MADE WITH CARE BY THE EE TEAM” followed by, “EMAIL INFO@ERICEMANUEL.COM WITH ANY QUESTIONS.”^{[2]
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- Signs the shorts are fake: The shorts are missing this part of the care tag, or any of the information on the tag is missing. The information might be wrong or misspelled. Additionally, the font may be wrong (too small, large, thick, etc.).
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Authenticity tag Eric Emanuel shorts have another tab on the care tag that indicates that the shorts are authentic. This part of the tag has a holographic sticker with a globe symbol that contains the “EE” logo. The sticker is also covered in diagonal text that reads “AUTHENTIC ORIGINAL.”^{[3]
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- Signs the shorts are fake: The shorts are missing this holographic sticker. If the sticker is on the care tag, the “EE” logo may be missing. Additionally, the globe symbol might appear blurry, and the text might be hard to read.
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Waist tag All Eric Emanuel shorts come with a signature tag on the waistband. The tag includes the “EE” logo and “ERIC EMANUEL.” The tag then reads “PROPERTY OF:” with the short size written in a script-style font underneath. At the bottom of the tag reads “MADE IN NEW YORK.”^{[4]
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- The border and most of the text are written in the same color, which is usually either navy blue or red, while the size is written in black font.
- Signs the shorts are fake: The waist tag is missing, or any of the information is missing. The color of the border and text may be wrong, and the font may be incorrect. The tag may appear poorly stitched, too.
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“EE” logo Every pair of Eric Emanuel shorts has the “EE” logo printed on the bottom of the wearer’s left leg. The logo has an interlocking design, with one tall “E” and a wider, squatter “E” resting inside of it. The “EE” logo is clear and precise, and uniform across all shorts styles.^{[5]
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- Signs the shorts are fake: The “EE” logo may be printed on the wrong leg of the shorts, or placed too high or low on the correct, left leg. Additionally, the logo may appear off (e.g., the lines might appear too wide or narrow). It might also look messy and imprecise.
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Mesh holes Eric Emanuel shorts are made out of a mesh material that is covered in perforations. The holes are small, narrow, and oval-shaped. The holes are also clean and precise, without any frayed material inside, and evenly spaced.
- Signs the shorts are fake: The perforations may appear large or more circular shape. Additionally, they might not be uniform or neatly cut, and the holes may appear ragged or have visible pieces of material inside.
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Material Eric Emanuel uses high-quality, 100% polyester to make his shorts. The shorts are comfortable, soft, and breathable. The mesh is only single-lined, so the lighter colors can be slightly see-through.
- Signs the shorts are fake: The shorts appear rough or uncomfortable, or feel low-quality. They might appear very see-through, too.
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Packaging Eric Emanuel ships his shorts in packaging that mimics an old-school, athletic style. The shorts come in a clear, vinyl bag with the “EE” logo and “Eric Emanuel” written on the front. The bottom of the bag reads “A SPORTS PRODUCT” and “‘BEST SHORTS IN THE WORLD.’” The bag uses a navy blue and bright orange color scheme. Finally, the size is written on a white sticker.^{[6]
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- Signs the shorts are fake: The shorts don’t come in a branded vinyl bag, or the bag is missing key details. For instance, one of the logos might be missing, or the size sticker might be missing. The font or colors might be off, too.
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Price Eric Emanuel shorts definitely aren’t cheap—the basic shorts cost $98 while the patterned shorts cost $108. Emanuel likely prices his shorts so high because they’re made in the USA (New York, specifically) and he uses high-quality materials.
- Eric Emanuel shorts are super trendy, and new drops typically sell out in seconds. So, the shorts often sell for even more on the resale market!
- Signs the shorts are fake: The shorts are significantly cheaper than $100. For instance, dupes might sell for $10 to $20.

Section 2 of 2:

How to Avoid Buying Fake EE Shorts

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1
Shop for shorts from the Eric Emanuel website. The best way to ensure that your Eric Emanuel shorts are authentic is to get them from Eric Emanuel’s official website, ericemanuel.com. Alternatively, get them in person at one of the Eric Emanuel stores.
- Eric Emanuel shorts (and other items) tend to sell out quickly. Follow Eric Emanuel on Instagram (@ericemanuel), or sign up to receive email updates on the Eric Emanuel website.
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Compare the seller’s images to real pictures of the shorts. If you’re shopping for pre-owned Eric Emanuel shorts online, like on StockX or Depop, look over the images carefully. Legit check the shorts using the methods mentioned above (e.g., care tag, waist tag, logo), and then pull up an official image of the real shorts. Make sure all the details match up, and nothing looks out of place.^{[7]
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- Stay away from sellers who only provide the stock images of the shorts, as this prevents you from determining if the shorts they’re selling are real or not.
- If the seller doesn’t provide quality pictures, ask them to send you better pictures of the shorts. If they refuse to, shop from a different seller—this is a red flag that they’re selling dupes.
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Read the item description carefully. Lots of sellers sell “one to one” replicas of Eric Emanuel shorts, which are fake shorts that are meant to look like perfect dupes of the real thing. Because the shorts are super trendy and pretty pricey, many people purposefully buy these dupes. Sellers typically note that their products are dupes in the description, so just read it carefully so you don’t accidentally buy a fake pair.^{[8]
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- For instance, the description might mention that the shorts are “one to one,” “quality dupe,” or “Eric Emanuel-inspired.”
- Of course, lots of sellers might sell dupes, but not explicitly say that the shorts are fake. Be wary of any wording in the description that mentions getting the shorts from a vendor or third party, as this is typically a sign that they’re fake.
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Buy pre-owned shorts from highly reviewed sellers. If you’re shopping on a site like StockX, Depop, or eBay, make sure the seller is as trustworthy and reliable as possible. Ensure that their review score is high and that they’ve made a lot of successful sales. Then, read through their reviews. Look out for any red flags, like people who received fake items, never received their item, or didn’t get a refund.^{[9]
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- If the seller has poor reviews or shows any other red flags, shop from a different person.
- Make your purchase with a credit card whenever possible. This gives you protection in the case that the seller sells you a fake product and refuses to give you a refund. You simply reach out to your credit card company to file a dispute.
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Stay away from items with prices that are too good to be true. New Eric Emanuel shorts cost $100, and pre-owned ones often cost even more. People who have authentic shorts know how much they sell for, so they’re very unlikely to sell them to you for an amazing deal. If you see a pair of EE shorts that are selling for significantly less than $100, they’re very likely to be fake.^{[10]
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