Tuesday, May 30, 2017

A Louis Vuitton Sent Out For Refurbishment

Good Morning.
Happy Tuesday.
I think I told you that there were a few last things that I wanted to do while I was still getting a paycheck. 
I apologize in advance if purses are not your thing. 
I love them more than shoes and almost more than coffee. 
Not really. I love my coffee!

Speedy 25 with all new leather

I was giving my Speedy 25 a good cleaning. 
The 25 means 25 centimeters or about 10 inches wide.
The Speedy is a Louis Vuitton icon. It was created in 1965 as a day bag for Audrey Hepburn.
It has been created in other patterns and leathers over the years.
There are Limited Edition versions of it about twice a year. 


I guess I was a little too aggressive with my cleaning because I broke the metal zipper pull.

Refurbished Louis Vuitton Speedy

I decided to take it into the store for that repair but I also wanted to ask about replacing all of the leather on the bag.
A Louis Vuitton Monogram bag is made out of printed canvas. That is the LV section. 
It has Vachetta leather piping, handles, chaps, tabs on both ends and a zipper pull tab.

New leather on a Speedy 25, Louis Vuitton

I'll interject at this point, that Bill was incensed to find out that the bag was made of canvas instead of all leather. Sometimes I just need to stop talking. Can I get an "amen"? 

Refurbished Louis Vuitton Speedy

I could have chosen to replace just the zipper pull with the leather tab but the Vachetta leather tans or oxidizes over time because it is not stained or coated leather.   
The zipper pull would have never matched the rest of the bag.
My bag is 21 years old and was very suntanned or patinated.
A too little suntanned for my preference which is why I was trying to give it a good cleaning.
If you see hand held bags with black handles, that is dirt that can be cleaned.
That is not patina. It is dirt.
My little brass bits had greenish tarnish around them. Gross. 

New leather on a Speedy 25, Louis Vuitton

I could have replaced handles and chaps too but it would never have matched the piping or tabs on the ends.
I took it up to the Louis Vuitton at the Dallas Galleria. They were very nice.
I chatted with the sales associate about it.
She pointed out that there was value in refurbishing this bag because it was my first Louis and therefore a little sentimental. 
I decided to go for it and replace all of the external leather pieces. 


The internal pocket and tabs would still have the original leather but that doesn't bother me.
No one can see the inside of the bag but me and these bits show the history of the bag. 


I believe the repair was being done at the factory in California.
There is a Louis Vuitton factory in the U.S.
There are factories in Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland and the U.S.
There is a date code in every bag. Until recently the date code indicated the factory with two letters.
The four numbers indicated the week and year of production.
One of my tiny bags was made in the France during the fourth week of 2016.
The date code looks like this.


SF is a factory in France. The week is the first and third number. The year the second and last number.  So the date code on my mini bag reads - SF0146. This is not a serial number.
I've heard that they have changed the date codes again. I assume this it to foil the counterfeiters.

New leather on a Speedy 25, Louis Vuitton

 My bag would take five to six weeks to redo.
As this is sort of a retirement present to myself, I thought the timing was perfect.
It would be ready around the end of school. 
I was nervous. 
I've never had to leave anything for repair. 
What if they ruined the bag while they were taking it apart?
I didn't need to worry.


Does she look 21 years old to you?

Refurbished Louis Vuitton Speedy

That is what I love about this brand. 
Hermes is the only other brand that takes care of older bags like this. 
Chanel will no longer refurbish anything over 5 years old and 5 years old is a baby in the world of Chanel.


I will point out that I didn't buy this bag in the Louis Vuitton boutique.
I bought it from a local reseller that is not longer in business yet they refurbished it for me anyway.  


Here are some thoughts. 
I am so glad I did this. 
This looks like a brand new bag but it has the history of my old bag.
It is a beautiful, classic and I'll carry it for years to come.
It was much less than the cost of a new bag.

New leather on a Speedy 25, Louis Vuitton

It took exactly five weeks. 
I picked it up my last day of school.

Refurbished Louis Vuitton Speedy

Perfect. 
Thanks for letting me share.
Happy Retirement to me!
Katie 

14 comments :

  1. I think when you have something special and something very good then you take care of it in the best way possible. Good for you fixing it up -- it looks like new!

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  2. Since you love this bag so much it is good that you refurbished it. It looks beautiful.
    Happy New Week.
    Kris

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  3. Bravo for saving your shopping buddy! I still have my first LV but unfortunately my first Gucci was stolen. I have a small LV (for evenings out) and it will go to the grand daughter when she is older.
    You are right-the history of the bag cannot be replaced but leather can.
    Continue to enjoy that adorable bag!
    Best wishes, Mimi
    http://inmyprimetime.blogspot.com

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  4. Happy Retirement to you!! I am so jealous!! I also read your post about your surprise party at work. How lovely!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  5. Looks fantastic! Good for you. I am a huge LV fan and had no idea you could repair the vachetta. Thanks for sharing. Congratulations on your retirement..

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  6. I had no idea they did that! That is so good to know. I also have a LV Speedy bag that is older. I haven't carried it in years, but can't part with it. I'll remember this tip. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. I have a similar bag but not that old. Yours looks great. I did not know that you could refurbish them, makes sense when you send all that money. I love mine too.
    Bev

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  8. I also inherited a vintage speedy 30 and the vachetta is in poor condition. I was thinking of having it all replaced at LV in Boston but they do not give any quotes for pricing over the phone. Do you recall how much the 25 was to replace all leather? Thanks!

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  9. How much approximately to refurbish your speedy?

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  10. I have a Speedy 30 I need to refurbish all the tabs.Could you please share a round about price on that?

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  11. Chanel doesn’t repair after 5 years but that’s ok. Send it to the guys they send it to. Cheaper if you go directly to them instead of thru Chanel anyway. They’re called the Leather Surgeons

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  12. how much was the cost of repair ?

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    Replies
    1. $600.00. That was three years ago. I think they may have gone up since then.

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  13. Wow $600 but so worth it! It looks beautiful, and new.enjoy it!

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