Crash leather .. give me a 101 course please :)

[beautiful stranger]

Hi ladies, I want to know all I can about the crash leather .. what does it feel like to the touch? the smell? does it "crinkle"? I mean like a crinkling sound? .. all the help is much appreciated!

[Contessa]

The crash leather is a gorgeously glossy, crinkled, thinner textured leather.

A brand new bag in crash leather may squeak a bit and be a tad stiff, but within a week, the leather softens up and before you know it, the crash leather will become like butter and puddle to the ground.

It's also a highly durable leather and is perfect for the elements. It wears well (meaning, the bag can take a beating and it still looks like new).

Crash leather is chic, sexy, gorgeous, modern, and becomes more beautiful with use!

[paintednightsky]

Crash is very durable. It is the toughest, yet very beautiful regardless. It's thin and light and textured. However it does soften up but it retains its' qualities. It is very hard to scratch or do anything to crash leather. There is no crinkle sound. It's just like carrying a regular leather bag except tougher.

However, it doesn't smell good like her other leathers because of the special coating on the bags that make them so tough. I'd say it's a faint chemical smell at first. You don't smell it unless you go close up to sniff it though but it's nothing major. It's like a trade off. Her regular glossy/matte leathers smell really nice and are very soft and supple but more easily damaged.

[Chamois]

Originally Posted by beautiful stranger

Hi ladies, I want to know all I can about the crash leather .. what does it feel like to the touch? the smell? does it "crinkle"? I mean like a crinkling sound? .. all the help is much appreciated!

I like that (black) crash leather is a nice medium between matte black leather and patent leather...kind of matte with shiny patches, and a distressed, crinkled look that keeps it from looking too formal. IMO I think you notice the reflective qualities of the chocolate crash and purple crash more than the black, which make they appear more "metallic." Perhaps because the purple and brown are "colors" as opposed to the basic "black" everyone is so used to. Because of the "distressed" look, I can't imagine noticing a scratch if one appears on your bag.

I know samples are limited, but why don't you e-mail BE, and perhaps they can send you a sample? That's the ONLY way you'll be able to decide for yourself! Good luck!

[dsrk]

This is mine, and there are others if you search the threads. Here is an excellent review by Chamois on a couple of the crash leathers.


I have viewed the crash leathers IRL and this is what I think:

• Black Crash ~ Nice surface sheen. Surface has a crackled aesthetic with minimal texture. Lightweight.
• Chocolate Crash ~ Slightly darker than a milk chocolate bar but lighter than a semi-dark chocolate bar? Hard to say. It's a bronzey-brown color to my eye and is quite subtle in stark contrast to the Pewter Crash. Surface has a crackled asthetic with minimal texture. Lightweight.
• Pewter Crash ~ More bold, more reflective, and more sheen compared to the other three Crash colors ~ at least to my eye. I attribute this to its lighter color in contrast to the darker tones of the Black, Chocolate, and Purple. Its crackled surface aesthetic strikes me as more vivid than the other Crash leathers, which, again, I attribute to its significantly lighter color. Lightweight.
• Purple Crash ~ OMG, to me, this is TDF!!! Keep in mind that Purple is MY color! It is exquisite, understated, and subtle ~ with a beautiful sheen. Like the other Crash leathes, its surface has a crackled aesthetic with minimal texture. Lightweight.

Thickness
These Crash leather samples are about the same thickness of the Petrol and Wine, slightly thinner than the Matte Chocolate (which is slightly thinner than the Dark Grey Glossy), thinner than the Dark Grey Glossy (the next thickest), and even more thin than the Black Glossy (the thickest of them all).

Backside
The backside of the crash leathers are "tight", if this makes sense, compared to the Petrol and Wine, which has minimal leather fibers. The backside of the Matte Chocolate is more fibrous than the Crash leathers as well as the Petrol and Wine. The backside of the Matte Chocolate is more fibrous than the Crash leathers, Petrol, Wine, and Matte Chocolate. The backside of the Black Glossy is even more fibrous than the Crash leathers, Petrol, Wine, and Matte Chocolate. And, the most fibrous backside is the Dark Grey Glossy.

Texture
The surface of the Crash leathers has a crackled aesthetic.

Aroma
The Crash leathers lack the wonderful aroma typical of the other BE leathers.

Please keep in mind that my review is based upon small leather swatches rather than a finished handbag product; thus, I cannot speak to the "structure" or "handle" of the leather itself.

[beautiful stranger]

wow thanks everyone for your detailed discriptions!! I really appreciate your time and effort .. I am getting a crash pewter love me!!!! plzzzzz tell me I did the right thing!!!!?????????

[mk78]

Have you seen pics of SHC's LM in pewter crash? It looks really great on her, plus it's not a garish, loud metallic. I think you did the right thing Did you get it from Jackie, or elsewhere?

[mk78]

Here's a pic of SHC's LM (hope she doesn't mind!!) It is to die for and can be worn dresseds up or down

[mk78]

Wow!!! Sorry for the huge pic!! Not sure how to resize??!!

[mk78]

Here's another pc of pseub's LM in pewter crash but with the gold hardware, not usre if SHC's was with the gold hardware or was it the lighting that made it look more silver?

[valkyrie360]

I have the pewter crash LM and I LOVE it!!! You SO did the right thing!!

[beautiful stranger]

no I'm not getting it from Jackie :) ... wow the pics here are great!! I was going back and forth whether to get it or not but I am so glad that I decided to get it!! .. thanks for your help everyone!!
oh by the way .. I got the silver hardware since I had the idea that pewter is a more silverish mettalic color .. is that correct? I see some pics show as more golden or bronze ... is that it?

[valkyrie360]

Yep, it's silver hardware, pseub special ordered.

[Cornflower Blue]

Loving your pewter crash bags ladies!! I've only got the AP in pewter crash but I am seriously addicted to it!

beautiful stranger - I think it'll be gorgeous!

[sarahgoldman]

Oh that pewter crash bags is fantasic! (add one to the wishlist!)