For Goodlooking Guys on the Go: Info On Men's Replica & Genuine Bags*RepGeek Award Winning Thread*
(Note: I am NOT endorsing any of the dealers or replica sites. You choose who you wish to make your purchases.)
I was asked by another member here on forum about what bags I could recommend for men. I started writing and doing a tiny bit of research and sent him back two PMs (it wouldn't fit into one). I thought about it for a minute and thought maybe every guy on here could benefit from this info, or girl's buying for guys they know. And almost everything I wrote to him is below. So enjoy and comment if you'd like to add something or PM me or others with questions.
Obviously, you guys care about style (for less), you're at RepGeek! Oh, yes, a basic $10 watch would have worked just as well but you had to have a platinum matte Hublot Big Bang. No, you couldn't be seen with just a Casio G-Shock. You had to have a "Super" Sea Dweller. Well, you know what, handsome, this info might be for you. Because you have class, don't you? You watched James Bond at the movies and you knew that trim Savile Row suit, that Submariner and that arresting DB7 was all for you. I bet you think this guide is about you. Don't you? Don't you? DON'T YOU? (I love Carly Simon!)
Well, tiger, you have that gorgeous replica watch, those True Religion jeans, that Armani suit and that Nike gym bag . . . whoa. What? NIKE GYM BAG?! Spongebob Squarepants suitcase? Marlboro promotional backpack? Budweiser novelty duffle bag? There's something wrong with this picture. Get you some style, STAT! You definitely need an ultimate replica travel bag to go with that ultimate Planet Ocean.
Well, let's start off with the first designer luggage makers of the rich and fabulous: Louis Vuitton. He got his start making luggage for the Napoleanic court, aristocracy and members of Parisian high society. He studied what people needed and wanted from a good traveling case and a brand was born. Almost all those iconic designs are still available for purchase today. Louis Vuitton makes bags for everyone, not just women. And if you travel, gentleman, these bags say you not only made it to your destination but that you have arrived.
This is who you can count in your company:
Mikhail Gorbachev:
Andre Agassi:
Keith Richards:
Yes, that's Keith Richards with a custom LV guitar case. This case is a bespoke travel piece from LV unavailable in replica form (unless you can find someone to rep it for you custom) and probably not as affordable as everything else (cost: $20,000 to $25,000). This photo was the first time Keith Richards has ever publicly endorsed any product in his entire career, for money or for free. And yes, he'd been asked before by other companies but he, like so many people, is a huge Louis Vuitton fan. There is no shortage of people willing to do whatever Louis Vuitton asks creatively. That says a lot about the company, service AND their products. And Mikhail? He doesn't even really want to be known as still living! Plutonium poisoning is rampant in Russia!But there he is with his beloved Keepall. And Andre is showing his softer side with his soft-sideded Monogram Canvas Sirius suitcase.
For Louis Vuitton, you have many different styles and options, truly something for everyone. Like Rolex, it's just the brand to have if you have money. But it's quality all the way.
One of their most famous travel bags comes in various sizes to suit all your space needs. The Keepall was introduced in 1924, in uncoated, unmonogramed canvas. But when it rained, it got soaked and so did your belongings. So LV decided to coat the bag in vinyl and an icon was born! The Monogram Canvas Keepall, in which the name says it what it does, holds clothes, shoes, toiletries, guns, diapers or all the money you just stole from a bank. This bag comes in the 45, 50, 55 and 60 sizes. A newer companion piece to the Keepalls (of any design line) is the smaller Carryall. The Monogram Canvas line is NOT for flying under the radar, going incognito or for those who don't like compliments. It garners attention, always. The untreated leather alone (which should oxidize over time) is glaring, almost white. If you need to tone down the color so it looks like you had it years instead of minutes, let me know. I have some tips.
Jason Preston in a deluge of Louis Vuitton Satellites (75 & 80) (the genuines here are not typically available online, but reps of them sometimes are):
There are Keepalls (and Carryalls) in the Nomad line, the Tobago Line (in Black, Blue and Red). They also have a Tobago in Orange. Like Quiz pointed out LV did NOT make this bag in this color available publicly. But everyone knows that LV makes things custom, for the right bucks, or for certain stores only, so who could say your bag is not real. The Orange is tasteful orange not sherbert orange. The Tobago lines also come with shoe bags, in corresponding colors, that hold two pairs of shoes and is constructed in such a way that the shoes cannot get dirt on the bag or each other.
Kanye West a.k.a. "The Louis Vuitton Don" with his TWO Miroir Keepalls:
The Tobago line is understated but undeniably Louis. The Nomade line is drop dead stunning and also classic. You see that bag and there's no doubt that it costs money, even if you can't see the LV stamped in the bottom corner.
The line that may be slightly more upright and conservative is the Damier Canvas line. An interesting fact is that this line was introduced in the 90's and everyone thought it was new. But the Damier Canvas line actually predates the Monogram Canvas line chronologically! It appeared well before 1896, the official introduction year of the now famous Monogram. The Damier Canvas Keepall is very business-oriented and no nonsense looking. My father enjoys this line. But he's very conservative and older. He wouldn't be caught dead carrying a Tobago product. The new version of this is Damier Canvas Azur, which is of course light colored. It's a showstopper in person. You won't mistake it for a Tumi or Samsonite any day of the week. A complimentary piece to the Damier Canvas Keepall in this line, but not actually a Carryall, is this Duomo Damier. The other bag that also goes well is the Damier Nolita. This travel bag looks small but actually is bigger than you think. The whole Damier line is very sexy in a subdued way.
Richie Sambora and his Louis Vuitton Cruiser 45 bag:
David Beckham (!) with the Monogram Canvas Sac Squash and the Pegase (comes in 50, 60, 70 sizes), just some of his personal LV:
Of course the Pegase is one of the best-selling of Louis Vuitton's small luggage pieces, along with a few other soft-sided pieces. In reality, you can actually buy replica hard-sided luggage but it too gets pricey, but no where NEAR as much as genuined hard-sided LV.
What some would deem the most "masculine" (in the classic American sense due to materials and image) is actually the most rare. That would be the LV Cup canvas bags with brushed silver hardware. They are also very, very functional! Seeing one in real life, depending on the circles in which you travel, would never happen. You'd have a better chance of seeing Osama Bin Laden in a Rolls Royce driving down The Avenue of the Americas during rush hour traffic than seeing a real LV Cup bag.
The watches that go with these classic bags? Anyone of them. There's a style to compliment the timepieces you prefer! Like Rolex, Louis Vuitton creates something for everyone which is why they are on top of luxury goods game because on the whole, they've made luxury available to everyone. Louis Vuitton can be bought new, yes, and pre-owned like new and vintage, which can less expensive. Or you can buy it in replica form, which can save you thousands.
If the whole world carries Louis Vuitton bags, and it is considered a French icon, let's hop over to England. England has Mulberry. I would even say Peale & Co., as a gentleman friend of mine from England's family owns many pieces of Peale. But Peale pieces are rare and vintage but well-crafted, sometimes they come up for sale. Mulberry's purses are replicated but their suitcases may or may not be.
Some Mulberry is available in replica form, but it is hard to find. And when you DO find it, you have to be sure of the quality! Stumbling onto high quality reps of other brands is easy. With Mulberry pieces, be prepared to hunt.
What goes well with a Mulberry bag watch wise? Without a doubt, Royal Oak Offshore pieces. Strong lines, strong presence is what a Mulberry bag shares with this watch. Mulberry is very establishment but modern, just like Audemars Piguet.
In Italy, fine leather goods capitol of the world, you have many choices. It's an open secret that their rural factories create handbags and luggage for many of the big names and small names around the world, when China simply will not suffice. A big name in Italy and the world in luxury luggae is Bric. They are sold at luggage stores online and at major upscale department stores. They occasionally come up on Ebay for good prices. Bric is reknown for having luggae designed by Pininfarina. These hard suitcases are very industrial appearing but also sleek and obviously penned by the same people who designed the best looking Ferraris ever. They are quintessentially an Italian luxury brand.
These Bric suitcases would set off Roger Dubois or Ulysse Nardin perfectly. They both have the chic styling of these bags.
Also, there is Floto Bags, the least expensive of any brand I've spoken of here. These bags are made completely of leather or canvas, depending on what you buy. Floto imports their bags from Italy and they are lined in super soft cotton in many colors and patterns. Here's the interesting part: The bags they sell are available on Ebay from themselves but the supplier of their bags ALSO sells to others; Floto does NOT have an exclusivity contract with the factory.This means you can buy IDENTICAL bags to Floto's bags without the name and fancy linings for less! Only someone who knows bags would be able to tell it wasn't an actual Floto. I'm not a fan of all-leather goods but these bags are fantastic and beautiful and should cost much, much more. The craftsmanship of my friend Nate's bag is unreal. This bag has to be seen to be believed. This bag carries clothes and one pair of shoes. Louis Vuitton makes a bag like this but either real or replica, it's hard to find. And to find a replica that is of the highest quality is even harder.
The watches that would pair well with Floto bags are the IWC Big Pilot, Portuguese or Ingenieur. They also would probably look smashing with a dashing Graham. But not the Swordfish.
And then, finally, America. We have, of course, Hartman, which I loathe but then there's Ghurka. They are sold online at their site and others sites and, as far as I know, I've never seen a replica of the bag but there's replicas of almost everything so maybe I missed it. The style is outdoorsy, very safarish without being L.L. Bean/Oris/Overland/Eddie Bauer-ish, which is a feat unto itself. I think the person most responsible for that is the inimtable John Bartlett, who was named creative director for this brand in 2005. His menswear line is impeccable so he was a good choice to perk up this all-American brand. The bag has that go anywhere construction look and feel. But it's very high-end. It's definitely for those who want that look of the the above outdoors like Oris with more panache and overall upscale appeal. These bags come up on Ebay and every one of them sells quickly. But the good news is you can sometimes get one less than retail there. It may not be professional in the Damier Canvas classic sense but it does said stylish and performance-oriented road warrior.I'm unsure if they make Ghurka replicas but maybe they do. *shrug*
This bag pairs well with Panerais which I think is because they share similar design philosophies. Panerai is functional and bold, just like Ghurka pieces!
The best for last. If Louis Vuitton is the Rolex of the luggage and bag trade, then I think Longchamp, also a French company, is the Patek Phillippe. Jeremy Scott has shaken this brand to its core. He' s doing for Longchamp what Marc Jacobs did for Louis Vuitton. He's a protege of Karl Lagerfeld and it shows. Longchamp already made spectacular purses and bags, which you can find repped with varying levels of success, all over. It's only a matter of time when everything this brand makes will be repped. With Jeremy Scott making luggage like this:
He is making fantastic bags, purses and lugagge for them. In addition to all that, Longchamp has him also making clothes for them, which is something the brand never before really made. But I can see why they are letting him do this for them. He's got creativity and talent. On the luggage above, I definitely see where he was going with it. I'm not a fan of this design, per se, but I know guys get a kick out of stuff like this. It's terribly fashionable but anti-fashion at the time. A guy could easily carry this luggage without feeling like a complete metrosexual.
I hope this little guide helps in some way. Enjoy!
UPDATE! Aug 8th, 2008: LOUIS VUITTON SPORTS BAGS:
There are any number of athletic bags available from traditional gym bag makers like Addidas, Nike and Reebok. They tend to be basic, catch-all duffel bags without little eye for details in design. The bags tend to be nylon rectangles with a few zippered pockets in the obvious places. And if Louis Vuitton gets crucified for logos, these duffel bags should give one pause as the logo on these bags tends to be bright white or some day-glo neon color.
Louis Vuitton, about two years ago, if I' m not mistaken, did a line of four special and limited edition sports bags. They do these bags rarely (we're talking once every 10 to 15 years), with only a few of them ever coming onto the pre-owned market, usually through prestigious outlets like Malleries. The prices of these bags when they came out was very, very high which ensured they did not make it into the hands of just anybody. Nor will they easily make it out of these hands again.
Now, there are places online that sell these bags but they are places to which I won't mention here because I cannot even put a disclaimer to use them at your own risk. I have used every site I recommend but always say that your experience with them could be different than my own. But the sites that have these bags, like iOffer.com, are a little more unregulated. I recommend using the dealers here or websites I mentioned to source you these bags, if you want them. You can Google the names of these bags and find sites selling them. There's not many as these bags are not as in demand as when they first came out, being several seasons old at this point. They were on EVERY replica site when the were originally introduced. If Monogram Canvas is unsuitable for you, some retailers can get the fantasy models of these bags in the other LV fabrics and leathers, but you have to ask them and tracking down fantasy models of LV items is harder than it sounds.
There's the first bag, the Sac Tennis. This bag was specifically designed for just carrying your tennis equipment. Now imagine that a bag designed with mainly tennis in mind carried a retail price of $2,895. Yes, it cost THAT much. The bag is designed with a great deal of structure, unlike their Keepalls which some people actually use as gym bags. The bottom is flat so it sits level on the ground and it has a rounded top; looking at it from the side, its form looks like the center portion of a Palladian window. It can carry street clothes, towels and tennis whites very easily as it is very roomy. It also has a special attachment which holds a racket and extra tennis balls. This attachment by itself I've seen go for several hundred dollars on the used market. The Sac Tennis:
This below is the Sac Squash, carried by David Beckham above in my travel bags write-up. It is specifically for carrying all your squash paraphenalia like the balls, head bands, wrist bands and goggles for you and another player. If you play with just your hands, this is enough as it does not come with a racket cover like the Sac Tennis above. However, the Sac Tennis' racket holder CAN accommodate a squash racket. So unbuckle the racket holder from the Sac Tennis bag and just grab this bag and go.
The Sac Gymnastique is Louis Vuitton's patrician response to the plebeian duffel bag. It is NOT a Keepall with pockets on the side. It has the same overall structure (flat bottom, Palladian top) as the Sac Tennis above but not the straps for attaching the racket cover. It also has two side pockets for ancillary items that you don't want to get lost under clothes and shoes in the main portion. There are sites that call their smaller Keepall 50's Sac Gymnastique. The Keepall is NOT a gym bag like this; it is a bag for travel. If a site tries to sell another bag as another bag, watch out. Because they don't know their product which I find unacceptable.
The last bag is actually quite interesting. It's the Sac Athletisme and it can carry a regulation soccer ball, a regulation football but not a regulation basketball. It has interesting details like a handle on one end that allows you to carry it vertically, parallel to your leg, and horizontally, perpendicular to your leg. It's very roomy and is actually easy to carry around due to it's fairly compact dimensions. The Sac Athletisme is also another bag that online retailers try to sell their smaller Keepalls as so be aware and note the differences. This bag is completely cylindrical and has a dual zippered opening for greater access to the interior which the Keepall does not have.
Let me state from a woman's point of view, that these bags are very masculine. They have proportions and dimensions that a man can pull off with his taller, bigger build. Visually, these look ridiculous on a woman. When I handled one at the Louis Vuitton store in Washington, D.C., I thought I looked (and I actually felt) silly. If you examine the picture of David Beckham in my original travel bag post, you ca see that the Sac Squash is fairly high and broad while all the other bags are a little long. They were sold originally under the men's section on eLuxury.com when they first came out so they were never released with women in mind anyway, I think. I would carry the racket cover but that's it.
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Originally Posted by Silverspeed
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