Here are some more photos - it's sometimes difficult to get good photos of restorations because the color is in the light source and flash bulbs can created a completely different impression than in person - but here are a couple of bags that came out ok in the photos:
Cleaning handbags, redying handbags, restoring handbags and designing bags - this blog is about handbags, all leather bags. How I came to design leather and leather bags. I give tips on how to care for your leather hanbags...any leather...Lovin my bags!
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Lovinmybags restoration Hayden Harnett
Here are some more photos - it's sometimes difficult to get good photos of restorations because the color is in the light source and flash bulbs can created a completely different impression than in person - but here are a couple of bags that came out ok in the photos:
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Balenciaga Handles - de-oiling!
Why the sunglasses - well the heat lamps help to get that oil moving - so it is bright in the handle treatment centre!! :-)
Cheers!
Hermes in need of work
Handbag redyed to original color - Balenciaga
This is one of the most complicated restoration jobs we have. At $425.00 for a full restoration it is always a labor of love - involving over 40 hours of work to complete.
Before - Balenciaga Bubble gum pink has yellowed from oxidation
Here the Bubblegum pink is restored to match the color of the mirror.
Redye Handbag - Color Change by LOVINMYBAGS
There are some things you must think about before proceeding to color change any of your bags:
- Previous color: if the bag is going from light to dark you need to consider the color of the stitching (some stitching does not take color, the zipper color and any other accoutrements that may clash with the color you are thinking of going to.
- The amount of hardware and pockets add to the labor cost and will be pricy for a color change.
In the following example, this veg tanned Bottega was a multi colored bag previously - it had pinks, purple and tan colors running through it. To take it to a solid pink was a good choice of color. The Pink color was matched to a Bottega Pink found in their catalogue
The results were wonderful - with the lack of hardware the price of this procedure was kept under $500.00 and the bag looks like new.
Here is the catalogue (background of the photo) that we were asked to match to.
For more about redying your handbag contact info@lovinmybags.com
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Handbag Repairs
This lamb skin bag had warn corners and the leather had worn off on the back area. It also had darkened handles. Once repaired it looked like new.
Here is a Bottega Veneta that has faded and the wallet does not match: after restoration the handbag and wallet look like new and are a matching pair :-)
This is an example of the sort of damages we restore. There is wear and dye transfer on this unfinished Betsey Johnson bag. This bag weighs over 3lbs. empty.
What are you putting on your handbag?
I would like to know...advice will follow ...
Unfinished Leather Handbags
BULGA, Coach, Kooba, Gustto and other lamb skin bags:
Get caught in the rain and this bag becomes spotty!!
Not all protection sprays protect the leather and in some cases, the leather reacts to the chemicals and you get some discoloring.
We developed a product for this very delicate type of leather that goes on as a cream and protects from OIL and WATER without darkening -
Now - leather as I have mentioned in unpredictable due to the various tanning processes used - so always test the products first. If there is going to be some darkening - its usually very minimal - but you have to be ok with that doing the whole bag.
The other thing - some people love to "SLATHER" the cream on their bag -that is a no-no. A few thin layers is better than a thick layer any day!
The product is Lovin My Bags Pro-Treatment - no one who owns expensive leather bags should be without it!!
Barbara
Lovin My Bags
Patent Leather Handbags
- The best way to avoid this, is to keep the bag away from extreme heat, which causes the surface to be more susceptable to absorbing dye from clothes it comes into contact with.
- Always try to keep your bag off of any garments that are black or blue (such as blue jeans) or red, as these are the colors that transfer the most often.
We will continuing to investigate ways to correct and/or prevent patent leather from these problems...I will keep you posted as to our breakthroughs!!
Barbara
Handbag Care
There are many leather "faux pas" out there and most of them cannot be ignored. Leather is not a consistent fabric - it is as unique as a persons skin. Tanning changes leather characteristics and creates even more differentiating qualities that must be addresses when taking about care. Car leather is different from furniture leather which is different from handbag leather and then there are many different types of handbag leathers used by the different Handbag Designer.
It was suggested on one site to rub saddle soap on unfinished leather....ok, for a saddle that's fine, but unfinished lamb or kid skin will totally disintegrate with that high a pH and soap content....
It must be understood that the pH of leather is very important in making sure that the leather remains strong. Soaps and detergents are very high on the pH scale, usually in the 9.0 - 10.5 range, compared to leather which is 4.5. When the alkaline products are absorbed by the leather pH damage occurs. This is recognizable by the change is consistency of the leather : it becomes spongy and loose and eventually the fibers loosen so much that the leather rips like paper - leather basically decomposes. Handbag leather is very delicate and this deterioration process can occur faster on handbags than on furniture or car leather.
We encountered a situation many years ago, when a very high end car Manufacturer had put perforated leather in their cars - with the application of certain cleaners with high soap content the seats started to rip. The perforations allowed the cleaner to be absorbed by the leather very quickly so the leather fibers softened and the leather ripped like paper towel. It was a disaster - if this can happen with very thick leather made for a car seat, just imagine the ramification on very thin handbag leather?
Handbag leather is available in a variety of skins and a variety of tanning processes and requires very special care to maintain its beauty. Yet, little knowledge exists regarding the care of leather after purchase. We have found that even the tanneries don't understand the concept of leather care after the tanning process is completed and the leather is in the market as a product.
As a Handbag and leather Designer with a background in Leather Restoration, I have made it my "calling" to help educate all owners of designer handbag regarding its care and restoration so that these handbags do not get neglected or thrown in the closet to collect dust!!
Let's get those beauties looking beautiful again and maintain their youthfulness with special handbag beauty products!!
Here are some products that are a must for beautiful bags. Lovin My Bags Handbag Beauty Care Products:
- Luxury Leather Cleanser - Intensive cleansing that removes dye transfer and soiling
- Daily Cleanser & Conditioner for every day gentle cleaning
- Ultimate Moisturizer for bags with some sheen
- Feel Soft Moisturizer for non-shiny bags
- Pro-Treatment for all bags (protects from OIL and Liquids)
- For Handles Only - Inhibits oil absorption in the handles keeping them from darkening.
For a number of tips regarding finished and unfinished leather handbags check my website -
www.lovinmybags.com/tips.html
Barbara
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Handbag Care - Guide to using Lovinmybags Products and Services
Chloe's leather does well with the Feel Soft Moisturizer as a conditioning option.
As far as restoration goes, the Chloe restores very nicely with no feel modification once the restoration is complete. This bag can look like new even after years of wear and tear.
The Chanel Bags are my favorite bags to restore. They restore beautifully and easily - no feel modification once the restoration process is complete.
To deal with the loss of shine that happens with any shiny bag is to use the NEW Shine Restore.
Balenciaga's fade and discolor; usually a yellowing of the color occurs. This makes restoration very difficult, especially if the whole bag has to be restored, because we have to make color allowances for the yellow!
To cover the dsicoloration a base coat is applied to the complete bag, this can potentially cause the feel to be compromised, we can't help that; the Bbag has a very unique feel - so far we have not been able to fully duplicate the feel with some of the colors, such as white and some of the lighter colors. The darker Balenciaga bags have a better success rate in the restoration phase - due in part to the fact that there is less color required to correct.
This is a very challenging bag for both products and for services.
The BULGA bag also restores beautifully. The feel is very slightly modified, but still remains extremely soft to the touch.
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GENERAL Lovin my Bags Product Information:
For all Designer handbags:
Luxury Cleanser is a great intensive, non-darkening cleanser that is pH matched to leather and will remove inground dirt and enhance the color of many aniline leathers.
The Daily Cleanser is a fabulous cleanser for regular use - it also has moisturizing emollients that leave a great feel after cleansing.
Pro-Treatment is a must for every delicate leather. It is non-darkening and does not affect the shine on most bags. It provides protection from oil and water.
For Handles Only another must for preventing the darkening of handles
For a safe and effective moisturizing products there is a choice of:
- Feel Soft Moisturizer (Silky feel when dry)
- Ultimate Moisturizer (Grabby - moist feel when dry)
- Silk serum (Silky feel when dry - a more concentrated conditioning with real silk protein)
Lovinmybags has been busy!
Hello BLOG it's been a long time - eek almost a year has passed since I last signed off! It's kind of fun to read my blogs over again. I wasn't really a part of the handbag repairs, but had to start when things took off...so since October 2006, I officially became part of LOVIN MY LEATHER LLC, DBA LOVIN MY BAGS...Yahoo! :-)