If you laid eyes on a tag that said "Made in Italy" it was definitely made in Italy. The rules of international commerce (as I understand them, anyway) require placing the country of manufacture tags in everything now. Doesn't matter what the item is or the company.
Also, it's not just the suede lined bags. Some of them are made in Italy. The only way anyone can tell with 100% certainty is to look for the "Made in [wherever]" tag. Don't assume because it says "
Prada Milano" on either the outside or inside metal/leather tags that it's made in Italy.
Good example: I recently ordered a Lancel bag. Clearly stamped "Lancel Paris" on the outside label and inside label. All the information that came with it talked about how wonderful Paris was and how special this
French company is. I pull the lining out, lo and behold: MADE IN CHINA. I did some research on that one and sure enough, this dyed in the wool French company has been farming out their bags for manufacture to China the past several years.
I'm done with the whole thing. I've sold all but two of my older leather Pradas and my three nylon Pradas. The only new bags I'm buying now are Cole Haan, Michael Kors and bags that I know for fact are made in China or Indonesia, etc without having to rifle through the bag looking for "made in" tags. They are also priced accordingly. This is what bites about Prada sneaking the Made in China bags into their higher end bags: the prices are no different than the bags made in Italy. If I buy an Italian bag, by gawd, I want it MADE in Italy. If it's a French bag, I want it MADE in France.
Rant over.....