What year did epsom replace courcheval?
- Thread starter Luccibag
- Start date
I can tell the two leathers apart as epsom has more shine and different texture. In some colors is has a plasticized look. Personally I know one color that I am not crazy about is Epsom Blue Jean. However, in Potiron and white I think it is great. I think it was about 2004-05 that Epsom came in. That is just off the top of my head. Lisse was inbetween. I am carrying my black Lisse Trim today and I just checked the year stamp and it is E in a square.
How to put it - I think, epsom looks somewhat "flat" compared to courchevel, which has more "colour-depth"? The colour in courchevel is deeper (more concentrated) in the middle of each grain, almost like a dot... (Don't know if it makes any sense? I'll try to take pics tomorrow of both in the same colour.) I prefere courchevel much more, it's TDF in bright, saturated colours - red, green, yellow - esp. for small accessories, where you don't get much corner-wear.
(just a small thing, I see it often on ebay too: it's Courchevel, with E - like the place in the French Alps, has nothing to do with 'cheval'
)
(just a small thing, I see it often on ebay too: it's Courchevel, with E - like the place in the French Alps, has nothing to do with 'cheval'
)
How to put it - I think, epsom looks somewhat "flat" compared to courchevel, which has more "colour-depth"? The colour in courchevel is deeper (more concentrated) in the middle of each grain, almost like a dot... (Don't know if it makes any sense? I'll try to take pics tomorrow of both in the same colour.) I prefere courchevel much more, it's TDF in bright, saturated colours - red, green, yellow - esp. for small accessories, where you don't get much corner-wear.
(just a small thing, I see it often on ebay too: it's Courchevel, with E - like the place in the French Alps, has nothing to do with 'cheval'
I totally agree. I never understood why they felt they had to tweak it. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I haven't really had bad corner wear on bags. I have touched up my Kelly with a little Meltonian on one occasion and that was it. In golds and reds it is a great leather.
As to why they changed it, I have no idea if this is true but I recall that my SA at the time said so many people were ordering Courchevel that Hermes felt it was becoming too popular. I rememer thinking it was weird, that they would change something just because lots of people liked it. So even then I thought there might have been more to it than that.
Years later, someone else (a craftsman perhaps, but I don't recall exactly) told me that the fakers were all faking Courchevel. Maybe that was why Hermes tweaked it, to get ahead of fakers? Again, seems not totally logical to me, to change something good for that reason alone.
Years later, someone else (a craftsman perhaps, but I don't recall exactly) told me that the fakers were all faking Courchevel. Maybe that was why Hermes tweaked it, to get ahead of fakers? Again, seems not totally logical to me, to change something good for that reason alone.
Personally, I always thought that the fakers faked clemence. Much easier to do. Who knows? I think it is just old fashioned merchandising and manipulation. You have to give the public something they don't have KWIM? Could also have been a leather thing. Maybe the tannery just didn't make it anymore?
I just had a new idea. I think that they were trying to take the concept to the next level where the stamped grain would not be compromised as easily. I say that because with Lisse and Epsom, there seems to be an increasing amount of plasticization to the look of the finish as if they were attempting to make it more impermeable to wear or the elements.
I just had a new idea. I think that they were trying to take the concept to the next level where the stamped grain would not be compromised as easily. I say that because with Lisse and Epsom, there seems to be an increasing amount of plasticization to the look of the finish as if they were attempting to make it more impermeable to wear or the elements.
thanks for the information. I bought a bag that I thought was Epsom but it's looking like it's courchevel. It's a gorgeous bag either way but I like to know the exact specs of my bag. I'm away or else I'd post a closeup but judging by the datestamp if 94 it's not Epsom.