I totally agree. My canvas (monogram or damier) items have never had a smell. Yes they are all authentic -- from the LV boutique. Only my vernis items have that varnish-y smell.
I bought an Azur Sayley and it actually has a new car smell. I bought it off of ebay and had it authenticated first. Very weird to me. It was the only bag I ever bought with that smeill.
I purchased a Damier multiple wallet and it smells... however, I did get it heat-stamped so don't know if that made a difference but i could have sworn when I held it in the store before i couldn't smell anything... but after a few months the smell has pretty much gone away.
^my Azur Saleya had that same new car smell too. as soon as i got used to it, it went away lol.
didn't happen with my other Damier bags or my Azur wallet.
Well I didn't "notice it" until someone here said it smelled like varnish. I whipped out my newest Vernis and sure enough I smelled the varnish. But it's not overwhelming or anything and I have to pick it up and sniff it to smell it, which is not something I enjoy doing, so ...