Bag Lady: How does a Vuitton replica patina over the years?
Well, my last post was non-replica related so I guess now I have to get back on topic! This post is not necessarily a review of any Louis Vuitton bag as it is a critique of how patina is achieved on bags from a specific seller, in this case Fabaaa. I feel it’s an important topic for Vuitton lovers like me but it’s never addressed. Well, now it is and you can use this info in order to purchase the right bag for you.
While I had turned my focus to other things during my absence, namely work, purchasing quality furniture pieces for the best prices I could and failed attempts at gardening, I still tried to keep my hand on the pulse of the replica market. That means knowing who had the best quality available legitimately via the web but not necessarily the lowest prices. It’s not as true with replicas that you get what you pay for because we’ve all heard of the $1,000 real gold Rolex replica that actually turned out to be the Chinatown $100 thinly gold-plated so-many-tells-it could-have-been-a-police–informant model. However, for me, people knew that when I recommended going to buy a replica bag, I almost always told them to head over Highreplica.com which was site so good, selling replicas so nice that Chanel and Louis Vuitton had them shut down. You can go over to Highreplica.com’s old site and see. It was the site you could go to and find out if the replica you wanted matched the bag it was based on. If for no other reason, it was the best site just for that. Most sites give you TERRIBLE pictures and you end up hoping and praying that whatever they send resembles what you saw, let alone the real bag. I was always pleased with their level of quality on goods and had no problem going anywhere with them. I was amazed but not surprised that the heavy hitters of the luxury goods industry would seek an injunction and bring the hammer down on them with a judgment. In any event, Highrep is fine and doing well at their new site. Whew!
But I decided to give another site a try. I just wanted to see what other sites that were touted as quality but flew well under the radar had to offer. The funny thing about this was that I did not like going to sites that were poorly organized with merchandise presented poorly. And sites that compounded these problems with poor photographs and bad lighting of bags, well, let’s just say they could have been carrying the genuine article and I wouldn’t care. I can’t see what I’m buying so I don’t buy. It’s really that simple.
But I decided to give Fabaaa.com (which has changed it’s name and moved due to legal action) a shot to see what they had. The reason why is because I had heard from many that they were good quality but at a cost that was a little lower than Highrep and when I visited their site, they had versions of Gucci bags done accurately that Highrep didn’t even have. If they could get an accurate representation of a popular Gucci bag in stock that Highrep couldn’t get, for whatever reason, then they were worth my time. And I knew from talking to others that the vachetta on their bags was actual leather whereas Catty and Jackie had pieces that used that plastic stuff that would never patina; of course, their bags were cheaper than Highrep and Fabaaa, if I recall correctly. But it didn’t really come down to price because, like I said, I don’t like skimping too much on my replicas. Yes, there is a numerical barrier of entry for me, but it’s not as high as some might imagine. And for watches and accessories, it’s even lower. The $1,000 replica watch with no gold or precious stones in it or on it? Oh, hell no.
I actually purchased these bags in July of 2009 so they’ve had two years to patina and I’ve even taken them on trips, only once they turned though. I did what Japanese women are notorious for doing: I let both bags sit for a little over a year and half before I took them out anywhere. That’s right. I WILL NOT TAKE A LOUIS VUITTON BAG OUT ANYWHERE WITH BRAND NEW VACHETTA, REAL OR FAKE. So, what I ended up doing actually was taking them out and leaving them in my sunny mudroom. I tuned it everyday before I went out anywhere which soon had the bags turning a faint, but noticeable, brown. Once I achieved that, I employed a secret technique that I use that ensures a honey brown color that guarantees that the bags won’t get called. I will share that further down! The bags arrived in two separate boxes, one containing the Louis Vuitton bags and theh other containing the Gucci Secret purse, which I will do a separate post on because I just love those bags. Here’s how they looked (I don’t imagine they box differently than this either):
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The Vuittons were in here together!
Here’s how it was wrapped:
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I guess they wanted to save on shipping. The nice thing about this was that if the boxes got wet at all, the bags more than likely would have stayed dry. I applauded Fabaaa for that at least. The first bag I got out was the Louis Vuitton Keepall which I bought for Greg because he prefers that to the Evasion which is what I wanted to get him for taking to the gym and stuff. I think the Evasion is much more practical but being that he’s Russian, he wonders what a woman could possibly know about practicality. O_o Let me say real fast that the vachetta on these bags were VERY, VERY WHITE! So white that I was sure I got ripped off; there was no way these bags were turning any color but the definitely were turning me green! I was very leery of keeping them and ready to pack them up and send them back to Fabaaa. But I calmed down and decided I was being too paranoid. They had a decent reputation so I could be patient and find out what these bags would do.
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The pictures are not great but I never claimed to be a photographer. I just chronicle. And sorry about the bed! I usually iron my sheets every weekend. Don’t look at me like that. I’m old school, dammit. I even line the shelves in my kitchen. Okay, this is akward. Back to the bags!
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The dust bags for these bags actually were inside the bags. Take a long, hard look at that piping. That’s an important part of the bag because this is usually how you find out if the bag you have is cheap. Bags by many sellers, like Catty, will put vachetta, albeit crappy, on their bags but the piping will be plastic. They will NOT patina! That was my first order of business when I got these. I made sure to dab them with some olive oil to see if it would absorb and change color. If the piping won’t change, you may as well get rid of the bag because while the main part may turn a little brown, the piping will remain brand new vachetta white. It’s a major, major tell and it can’t be disguised. Also, for those wondering if this bag has tells, it doesn’t . . . externally. On the interior, there’s supposed to be two pockets and there’s only one. Remember that, if you buy. While that won’t be a problem 95% of the time, if you live in certain areas or travel in certain circles, it could cause you undue embarrassment. For most people, I wouldn’t really be concerned. Also, Fabaaa did not have pictures of the interior of this bag and stated in their description (pulled from LV no doubt) that it had the correct number of pockets.
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The stamping on this side says Louis Vuitton blah blah blah and it’s in the proper spot and correct for this bag.
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Let me just say that the hardware is very high quality and should give no cause for grief whatsoever! I was really surprised by that. Hardware can sometimes be hit-or-miss. On this, it was a hit!
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The ancillary items, like the luggage tag, are in fine shape although when they first arrive, they’re very thin, almost like they are dehydrated. Now, on both the Keepall and Carryall, they are thick and robust. When they arrived two years ago, they looked and felt awful! And don’t get me started on that little brown envelope. We KNOW that’s crap!
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This Keepall is as accurate as the real thing. Like the Carryall, the monogram canvas is pliable and the hardware was impeccable. It did not disappoint. And the piping was legit! Yea! Look how white that vachetta is, people! How can people carry a Louis Vuitton with vachetta like that? Yuck!
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This side is fine. Everything lines up perfectly.
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Same on this side!
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The stitching on the inside, like the outside, is superb. The stamping on the hardware is precise and the quality is outstanding. Now, you might be saying how on earth any place that makes these could get this bag wrong but trust me they do. And you’ll see them walking around everywhere and people don’t even know. Considering what Eluxury.com sends people though, even the bad replicas may be mirroring the real thing!
Now, the big question people have is what they look like two years later. People always show bags when they are new, which is fine. But these bags are purchased to carry, hopefully, for a long time. And a Louis Vuitton bag has to get that patina or, frankly, it’s not worth carrying. The questions isn’t simply will they turn color but what color will they become. If you carry yours right away, they will change perhaps a little faster than mine did. They need to be exposed to elements, oils from your hands and just the outside environment luggage and purses encounter if they are used. I don’t like carrying new vachetta so I had to wait. These have changed beautifully but it took time and patience. This is what the Keepall looked like perhaps eight months in, without any carrying, just turning in the sun:
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The shoulder strap is placed for comparison. It was stored in the bag without any exposure to air or sun. As you can see, they are changing but slowly. Carrying it would speed things up but I have other bags and I wasn’t really traveling at that point. But it is clearly getting that patina that will make it looked like it has been owned for years. I took several pictures because I wasn’t sure the color would be communicated well. Here’s the others:
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Yeah, they’re turning but they are light. But my method takes them to the next level while keeping them from becoming dirty and speeds the process after a year. If you have questions about it, just ask! The look achieved is one of gentle use not knock-down, drag-out, balls-to-the-wall, third-world travel. The pictures can’t really capture how dark they have become but I tried. This is what they look like today, two years later:
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This last photo actually tells the depth of color best, even though it's still a little light. I am very pleased with how well it’s turned out. I just began using it in the last month or so and I got compliments on it so I know it worked out. You have to be patient but most people will not wait almost two years to carry any bag but I tell you it’s worth it. You’ll feel more confident with it and that will help boost its realism. You’ll look like a Vuitton collector instead of new money. New Money is not a good look for anyone! Please feel free to ask questions or comments below! Missed y’all!
