Zoe owners:: colors, styles, soft leather?
- Thread starter AbbytheBT
- Start date
From the Neiman Marcus website:
Soft tumbled calfskin from Marc Jacobs is made to look better with time, and this gorgeous tote in polenta is no exception.
Choose polenta (shown) or black tumbled calfskin.
Double calfskin handles.
Antiqued brass hardware.
Buckle detail around the ends.
One outside flap pocket with two buttons.
12 1/4"H x 16 3/4"W x 4 1/2"D.
Made in Italy
Soft tumbled calfskin from Marc Jacobs is made to look better with time, and this gorgeous tote in polenta is no exception.
Choose polenta (shown) or black tumbled calfskin.
Double calfskin handles.
Antiqued brass hardware.
Buckle detail around the ends.
One outside flap pocket with two buttons.
12 1/4"H x 16 3/4"W x 4 1/2"D.
Made in Italy
Attachments
I am resurrecting this thread due to BarmakianBags' new purchase and a lot of unanswered questions on previous pages (and a few of my own!).
I have the red Zoe as pictured here:
http://forum.purseblog.com/marc-jacobs/i-would-name-my-future-daughter-zoe-if-321082-2.html
I would say that the leather does scratch easily, especially compared to my Stella (it's the only fault I can find with dear Zoe). If my fingernails rub it the wrong way, it gets a small mark- nothing that breaks the surface of the leather, but still visible. I guess it contributes to the vintage feel, though
(Hey, I like to think positive!)
As far as the difference in the leather goes, it's a bit stiffer and shinier, I think, than my peacock Stella (which I think is soft calf, right?). But the quality! It's beyond comparison. Although I usually prefer very soft leather, the stiffness is not a big deal for me on this bag, because the small Zoe is kind of built like an ''envelope bag." To have something this small be smooshy and unstructured would be weird, I think. It would make Zoe look lumpy, and we can't have that, lol. Make sense?
And I don't really know how to word this, but the suede feels completely different than the suede on my peacock Stella. It's quite a bit softer. Does anybody know if MJ uses different kinds of suede like he uses different kinds of leather?
I have the red Zoe as pictured here:
http://forum.purseblog.com/marc-jacobs/i-would-name-my-future-daughter-zoe-if-321082-2.html
I would say that the leather does scratch easily, especially compared to my Stella (it's the only fault I can find with dear Zoe). If my fingernails rub it the wrong way, it gets a small mark- nothing that breaks the surface of the leather, but still visible. I guess it contributes to the vintage feel, though
(Hey, I like to think positive!) As far as the difference in the leather goes, it's a bit stiffer and shinier, I think, than my peacock Stella (which I think is soft calf, right?). But the quality! It's beyond comparison. Although I usually prefer very soft leather, the stiffness is not a big deal for me on this bag, because the small Zoe is kind of built like an ''envelope bag." To have something this small be smooshy and unstructured would be weird, I think. It would make Zoe look lumpy, and we can't have that, lol. Make sense?
And I don't really know how to word this, but the suede feels completely different than the suede on my peacock Stella. It's quite a bit softer. Does anybody know if MJ uses different kinds of suede like he uses different kinds of leather?
the leather used on the Zoe bags is tumbled calf leather which has a smoother more satin-like finish (I also think it might be a little thicker). It is more stiff when the bag is new, but does soften up (the used Zip Top hobo I bought last spring is very soft!) -- it does tend to scratch a little easier than soft calf, but I've found that regular use of a leather conditioner, smooths out any scuffs and minor scratches and can sometimes make the minor ones blend into the bag eventually (a SA once even told me gently rubbing the flat side of your fingers over a scuff or minor scratch will smooth it out -- something to do with the natural oils in your skin!)
as for the suede lining, I don't believe it's a different type of suede. it might have something to do with the leather and the way the suede feels attached to tumbled calf leather versus soft calf - since soft calf is so soft and sometimes squishy, it might make the suede lining feel a little bit thinner and maybe courser -- maybe your bag is newer and/or less used so the suede feels softer
one thing I wanted to add -- a lot of people think that if a bag has turnlocks on the front then it's considered a "Zoe" bag, but actually MJ used these turnlocks quite a bit in 2002 and there were really only 2 or 3 bags referred to as the Zoe (original Zoe -- the bag that BB just bought), the Zoe Hobo (the larger hobo style of the same exact bag and the Ltd Ed one with python, patent leather & suede) and I believe the Zoe tote -- most of the other bags pictured in this thread have entirely different names (i.e., the original Multi-Pocket, Gym Locker Tote, etc) -- one of my fav MJ bags of all time, the Zip Top Hobo has these turnlocks on the front, but it isn't considered a Zoe bag (we should rename this thread "Turnlock Styles"!!)
as for the suede lining, I don't believe it's a different type of suede. it might have something to do with the leather and the way the suede feels attached to tumbled calf leather versus soft calf - since soft calf is so soft and sometimes squishy, it might make the suede lining feel a little bit thinner and maybe courser -- maybe your bag is newer and/or less used so the suede feels softer
one thing I wanted to add -- a lot of people think that if a bag has turnlocks on the front then it's considered a "Zoe" bag, but actually MJ used these turnlocks quite a bit in 2002 and there were really only 2 or 3 bags referred to as the Zoe (original Zoe -- the bag that BB just bought), the Zoe Hobo (the larger hobo style of the same exact bag and the Ltd Ed one with python, patent leather & suede) and I believe the Zoe tote -- most of the other bags pictured in this thread have entirely different names (i.e., the original Multi-Pocket, Gym Locker Tote, etc) -- one of my fav MJ bags of all time, the Zip Top Hobo has these turnlocks on the front, but it isn't considered a Zoe bag (we should rename this thread "Turnlock Styles"!!)
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I love BB's new Zoe. I think I'm putting it on my wish list for next year.
Any other colors besides black, red, and cream? I did see the teal one in the beginning of this thread, although I've never seen a Zoe-style bag in that color on ebay.
Iluv, would you be able to add pics of the gym locker tote and zip top hobo so we can compare them together?
And which bag is actually the "Zoe"--the one that BB/Suprechic have or the hobo vs. tote? Thanks.
Any other colors besides black, red, and cream? I did see the teal one in the beginning of this thread, although I've never seen a Zoe-style bag in that color on ebay.
Iluv, would you be able to add pics of the gym locker tote and zip top hobo so we can compare them together?
And which bag is actually the "Zoe"--the one that BB/Suprechic have or the hobo vs. tote? Thanks.
I think this is called the Zoe Satchel- see how there's two rolled handles and it's constructed so that the front and the back of the bag are "belted' together with a zipper in the middle? It is different from the one thithi posted above in reply #18 (and I don't know the name of it), because that one's more tote-like. In that unnamed one, the belt isn't pressing two panels of leather together, it's just a decoration around the top of the bag, so it must be much different than this Satchel.
Barmy's and my Zoe are just plain old Zoes with no qualifiers. These are smaller than the hobo and have a different strap. They also have no top zipper and simply snap closed.
Here's Bbags' Zoe that illustrates what I'm talking about.
See how there's a hole that goes through the two sides of the leather (reinforced by a brass o-ring) with a piece of brass that attaches the strap going through it? That's what differentiates the Zoe from the Zoe Satchel posted above. Also, the Zoe has one flat strap, rather than two rolled straps. This is probably the easiest-to-recognize difference.
And as far as I know, the only difference between the Zoe Hobo/Limited Edition Zoe Hobo (with python) and the regular Zoe is the size. This python Zoe (I think it's JAP4LIFE's) is much bigger in every dimension than the regular Zoe, but the strap style is the same.
Hope that helps clarify things! And iluvmybags, please correct me if I'm wrong about anything.
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So to clarify (this took me forever to get it sorted out in my own head):
Zoe Satchel
-zippered top
-two rolled handles
-panels of leather pushed together by a belt (zipper between the panels on the top)
-has a "dip" near the middle of the top of the bag that shows the zipper from the front
Zoe
-smallest size
-snap top
-one flat strap
-hole on front and back of bag on each side, reinforced by brass o-ring with brass hardware, attaching the flat strap to the bag
Zoe hobo/Ltd Ed Zoe hobo
-same as Zoe but bigger in every dimension
Zoe Satchel
-zippered top
-two rolled handles
-panels of leather pushed together by a belt (zipper between the panels on the top)
-has a "dip" near the middle of the top of the bag that shows the zipper from the front
Zoe
-smallest size
-snap top
-one flat strap
-hole on front and back of bag on each side, reinforced by brass o-ring with brass hardware, attaching the flat strap to the bag
Zoe hobo/Ltd Ed Zoe hobo
-same as Zoe but bigger in every dimension
I think this is called the Zoe Satchel- see how there's two rolled handles and it's constructed so that the front and the back of the bag are "belted' together with a zipper in the middle? It is different from the one thithi posted above in reply #18 (and I don't know the name of it), because that one's more tote-like. In that unnamed one, the belt isn't pressing two panels of leather together, it's just a decoration around the top of the bag, so it must be much different than this Satchel.
Suprechic, I *think* that might be the gym locker tote, actually. It's smaller than the one thithi posted in reply #18, as you say, and it looks a lot like a red bag that Spacey sold recently as "gym locker tote".
But can any vintage expert chime in?
Oh, that might be true! Would that make thithi's #18 response the Zoe Satchel/Tote, then?
I'll go back and edit my reply to be correct once we know for sure. But I think you're right about the gym locker tote thing.
I'll go back and edit my reply to be correct once we know for sure. But I think you're right about the gym locker tote thing.
I'm not into red bags, but I have always loved the red Zoe. I saw a bright aqua-ish Zoe-like bag the other day--I can't remember if it had one or two handles. It was on someone's desk. The color was amazing, but what caught my attention the most was the bag's vintage look, its structure and how the leather held its shape. It looked thicker and polished vs the soft and smooshy leather of other MJ bags (which I love), so it seemed like another type of bag and one that would complement any collection. I wish I knew the name of that color...