I passed by a reputable reseller in my area, and they had a rare Evelyne III 40 (TGM), Clemence leather, in a light neutral (etoupe or light beige). However, when I examined it and tried it on with the strap, the leather was (as best as I can describe) visibly crumpled and stretched.
With the perforations facing out, the leather did not lie flat against my body and it instead looked crumpled over the perforations. The leather did not smooth out after I removed the storage stuffing (just paper) inside the bag, tried to smooth the leather by rubbing it gently with a gloved hand, or try to put a small object and gently press down on the bottom of the bag to get the leather to stretch out the way it would in use.
Further, there was a visible slight crease on one side of the bag, about 1 cm away from the edge and parallel to the edge. It was as though the bag was stored flat on its side but a large, heavy object was placed on top of it such that the side of the bag pressed against part of the larger piece of leather with the "H" perforation. There was also what looked like slight puckering in the leather near the side.
I tried flipping the bag over and you could see this crumpling on the other side, too, even if there is an external pocket there and there are two pieces of leather.
I've seen photos of large Evelynes where the bag is slightly stretched with age, especially if a badly fitted insert is used. This looks like a slight bulge before the edges of the bag, especially near the bottom. The bag I examined had this, but it also had the even more visible crumpling, stretching and puckering I describe.
The bag did not look horrible, but the crumpling was visible enough to be bothersome, especially given the bag's lighter color. I did not think the bag's leather would stretch back to normal and most of the crumpling would disappear with normal use and storage.
The reseller's sales associate sympathized and conceded the bag did not appear to have been well card for, and it's possible the owner put heavier, bulkier objects in the bag without a care. I even asked if she meant a watermelon, because this appears to be the only possible explanation. However, the SA explained they would not price the bag lower because the leather was considered pristine in the sense that it had no scuffs and scratches, despite the visible crumpling.
Apologies as I could not take photos but has anyone ever seen what I am trying to describe? Would you agree that if you are uncomfortable seeing what I described, you should not be buying such a bag except maybe with a very compelling discount? It is likely the previous owner put items too heavy and bulky in the bag and stretched the leather in odd ways, and you should listen if even the sales associate is conceding these are likely permanent and you should be comfortable with the bag as it currently looks if you are considering buying it?
I saw the old article below, and what I saw goes beyond the Clemence slouching and the slight veining demonstrated in the photos:
https://www.purseblog.com/hermes/overrated-or-underrated-hermes-leathers/
Anyone else have similar experiences with stretched, crumpled, or badly cared for large, soft bags in Clemence leather, and the Evelyne 33 or 40 leads this description?
but I hope the strap don't slice up your feet!
