Welcome to The Purse Forum.

marcinthemiddle · Jan 24th, 2009, 09:28 AM

Hi all! Ok, so here's the deal: I own several KOOBA bags and thought I loved them. My first two are the "Sienna" bag in teak and raisin. They were great but after THREE wearings the whipstitching on the straps and body of the bag started to shift and fray!!! I e-mailed kooba CS to inquire about repair and never heard back from them. Is their CS that bad??? What should I do? These bag that cost $695+tax are wearing and look cheaper than Coach outlet bags!!!
Anyone else. Have issues with their Siennas fraying???

HuskyLover · Jan 24th, 2009, 11:37 AM

The pebbled/textured sienna's whipstitching did fray (which both of yours are), but the smooth ones did not. Kooba's CS is widely known to be of no help whatsoever, and if you emailed with a problem, I would be truely shocked if you hear back from them. I had a black pebbled sienna that a bought directly from the Kooba website, I wore it one or two times and the fraying started, so back it went. I'll assume you have had them too long to return?

marcinthemiddle · Jan 24th, 2009, 12:20 PM

Yep-kept them for about a year, and now regret not brining them out tp play sooner! Should I just call them losses and eBay them? I've just gotten the "Blake" in black patent, and the "Tracy" in chocolate suede... Should I save myself grief and return them now??? (Sigh)

HuskyLover · Jan 24th, 2009, 12:47 PM

The Blake and Tracy are both newer style bags. If you read the "I Miss Kooba" thread, you will understand why most of us have wandered in other directions. I can't be of much help with the newer styles as I veered away from Kooba when the leather quality and designs took a dive (my opinion!). It's a shame your bags aren't the smooth Sienna's, there were no problems at all with those. Both the teak and the raisin were only done in the pebbled leather though, and as I mentioned above, those were the ones with the fray problem. It's up to you what to do with them (keep or sell), but I can offer a suggestion that has worked for me in the past on other bags, as well as clothes. If you decide to keep them, try 'Fray Check'. You can find it at any place that sells sewing supplies. I use it on clothes all the time, and have also used it on bags where linings started to fray, threads came loose, etc. I don't know how well it will work on handles since they get so much use, but it might be worth a try!

marcinthemiddle · Jan 24th, 2009, 12:59 PM

Thanks so much for the advice! You're right- the newer bags are kinda "lacking"-somehow... I have a bourbon and a black "Paige" bag that I adore, and the "Tracy" I only got cause the stud-detail was cool, and the suede was thick and velvety--
I really wish I got my hands on a smooth "sienna" bag when they were around!

Compass Rose · Jan 24th, 2009, 02:57 PM

I just love my flower-embossed Sienna, and I have had her for about three years now, and I haven't had any problems at all with the whipstitching. I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. As you were told above, the CS at Kooba is at the bottom of the barrel, which is so sad.

HuskyLover · Jan 24th, 2009, 03:37 PM

Here's a well-worn raisin sienna I just came across on ebay, check out those handles

Compass Rose · Jan 24th, 2009, 04:46 PM

Holy crap!!! Mine look brand new!!!!!

marcinthemiddle · Jan 24th, 2009, 05:32 PM

Wow! After a week mine looked like I had owned and worn them for atl least a year!

Compass Rose · Jan 24th, 2009, 05:50 PM

marcinthemiddle.....off topic.....I LOVE your avatar!!!!!!! My Sienna still has that lovely leather smell, too. I am so sad about those handles! I just ran over to my closet to check her out more closely, and everything is perfect....like new!

marcinthemiddle · Jan 24th, 2009, 06:53 PM

Thanks, CompassRose! It's one of my cats-Alley-Oop wearing toy goggles!
I'm glad your Sienna's in great shape! Is it in the smooth leather with emboss, or the textured leather like the teak, raisin and bourbon came in?
I just got the chocolate suede studded "tracy" and black crinkle patent "blake" that I've only used two time each-just not loving kooba right now-especially since after reading some threads about how nasty their CS is!
:)

Compass Rose · Jan 24th, 2009, 11:41 PM

It's the burbon flowered embossed. I'll try to take a picture of it tomorrow to show you the condition of it. Back in the day, you would have loved to be part of the Kooba sub forum. It was a flurry of activity in the day of the classics. We don't know what Kooba has done in the customer service department because it is truly non-existent these days which is such a shame. I hope you get good use out of your Blake and Tracy.

Compass Rose · Jan 25th, 2009, 11:45 AM

Here are some pictures of my Sienna and the whipstitching. I use this bag on a regular basis and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. The best part is that I got it on a clearance table with an extra coupon of 30 percent off so I think I paid a whopping $175 for this bag. I love it. But, as you can see, the stitching is still gorgeous!

marcinthemiddle · Jan 25th, 2009, 06:47 PM

Wow! What a gorgeous bag!!! I can see why the handles looke new-it's the same kind of whipstitching as my smooth desert colored sienna!! What a great find for you! Speaking of great finds- I picked up a Brand-new Botkier Bianca medium satchel in chocolate goatskin on sale for 287 and a black Kooba "Vanessa" tote for 350!!!
:)

nunnla · Jan 26th, 2009, 02:22 PM

I have a collection of Siennas and have not had any trouble with fraying. My black distressed one even got drenched in a Florida thunderstorm when I was attending a conference in Orlandoa couple years ago. Look like I had thrown her in the pool. Just took everything out, pulled the ultrasuede up, out and set beside the bag on the A/C unit by the window in my hotel room. Three days later, you'd never know what she had been through. I used Wilson's pump spray TLC on them all before use (double whammy) and annually (single treatment) thereafter. I've seen quite a few Siennas that have frayed though.

Jan 24th, 2009, 09:28 AM	#1
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	Disappointed & Frustrated with KOOBA!! Hi all! Ok, so here's the deal: I own several KOOBA bags and thought I loved them. My first two are the "Sienna" bag in teak and raisin. They were great but after THREE wearings the whipstitching on the straps and body of the bag started to shift and fray!!! I e-mailed kooba CS to inquire about repair and never heard back from them. Is their CS that bad??? What should I do? These bag that cost $695+tax are wearing and look cheaper than Coach outlet bags!!! Anyone else. Have issues with their Siennas fraying???

Jan 24th, 2009, 11:37 AM	#2
HuskyLover Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 768	The pebbled/textured sienna's whipstitching did fray (which both of yours are), but the smooth ones did not. Kooba's CS is widely known to be of no help whatsoever, and if you emailed with a problem, I would be truely shocked if you hear back from them. I had a black pebbled sienna that a bought directly from the Kooba website, I wore it one or two times and the fraying started, so back it went. I'll assume you have had them too long to return?
HuskyLover Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 768

Jan 24th, 2009, 12:47 PM	#4
HuskyLover Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 768	The Blake and Tracy are both newer style bags. If you read the "I Miss Kooba" thread, you will understand why most of us have wandered in other directions. I can't be of much help with the newer styles as I veered away from Kooba when the leather quality and designs took a dive (my opinion!). It's a shame your bags aren't the smooth Sienna's, there were no problems at all with those. Both the teak and the raisin were only done in the pebbled leather though, and as I mentioned above, those were the ones with the fray problem. It's up to you what to do with them (keep or sell), but I can offer a suggestion that has worked for me in the past on other bags, as well as clothes. If you decide to keep them, try 'Fray Check'. You can find it at any place that sells sewing supplies. I use it on clothes all the time, and have also used it on bags where linings started to fray, threads came loose, etc. I don't know how well it will work on handles since they get so much use, but it might be worth a try!
HuskyLover Member Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 768

Jan 24th, 2009, 02:57 PM	#6
Compass Rose Opie, My Schmopie!! Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 8,624	I just love my flower-embossed Sienna, and I have had her for about three years now, and I haven't had any problems at all with the whipstitching. I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened to you. As you were told above, the CS at Kooba is at the bottom of the barrel, which is so sad.
	__________________ Teddie says......"They'll never find me in here"! My jewelry creations at: www.greenfeatherdesigns.com

Jan 24th, 2009, 04:46 PM	#8
Compass Rose Opie, My Schmopie!! Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 8,624	Holy crap!!! Mine look brand new!!!!!
	__________________ Teddie says......"They'll never find me in here"! My jewelry creations at: www.greenfeatherdesigns.com

Jan 24th, 2009, 12:20 PM	#3
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	Yep-kept them for about a year, and now regret not brining them out tp play sooner! Should I just call them losses and eBay them? I've just gotten the "Blake" in black patent, and the "Tracy" in chocolate suede... Should I save myself grief and return them now??? (Sigh)

Jan 24th, 2009, 12:59 PM	#5
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	Thanks so much for the advice! You're right- the newer bags are kinda "lacking"-somehow... I have a bourbon and a black "Paige" bag that I adore, and the "Tracy" I only got cause the stud-detail was cool, and the suede was thick and velvety-- I really wish I got my hands on a smooth "sienna" bag when they were around!

Jan 24th, 2009, 05:32 PM	#9
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	sheesh! Wow! After a week mine looked like I had owned and worn them for atl least a year!

Jan 24th, 2009, 05:50 PM	#10
Compass Rose Opie, My Schmopie!! Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 8,624	marcinthemiddle.....off topic.....I LOVE your avatar!!!!!!! My Sienna still has that lovely leather smell, too. I am so sad about those handles! I just ran over to my closet to check her out more closely, and everything is perfect....like new!
	__________________ Teddie says......"They'll never find me in here"! My jewelry creations at: www.greenfeatherdesigns.com

Jan 24th, 2009, 06:53 PM	#11
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	thank! Thanks, CompassRose! It's one of my cats-Alley-Oop wearing toy goggles! I'm glad your Sienna's in great shape! Is it in the smooth leather with emboss, or the textured leather like the teak, raisin and bourbon came in? I just got the chocolate suede studded "tracy" and black crinkle patent "blake" that I've only used two time each-just not loving kooba right now-especially since after reading some threads about how nasty their CS is! :)

Jan 24th, 2009, 11:41 PM	#12
Compass Rose Opie, My Schmopie!! Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 8,624	It's the burbon flowered embossed. I'll try to take a picture of it tomorrow to show you the condition of it. Back in the day, you would have loved to be part of the Kooba sub forum. It was a flurry of activity in the day of the classics. We don't know what Kooba has done in the customer service department because it is truly non-existent these days which is such a shame. I hope you get good use out of your Blake and Tracy.
	__________________ Teddie says......"They'll never find me in here"! My jewelry creations at: www.greenfeatherdesigns.com

Jan 25th, 2009, 06:47 PM	#14
marcinthemiddle OP Boys <3 RM!! Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Orange, CT Posts: 85	Thanks! Wow! What a gorgeous bag!!! I can see why the handles looke new-it's the same kind of whipstitching as my smooth desert colored sienna!! What a great find for you! Speaking of great finds- I picked up a Brand-new Botkier Bianca medium satchel in chocolate goatskin on sale for 287 and a black Kooba "Vanessa" tote for 350!!! :)

Welcome to The Purse Forum.

Our Purse Forum, or TPF, is the #1 online social network for everything designer handbag related. Join over 200,000 enthusiastic members in this friendly community and start engaging in the discussion today.