Any of you NOT treat your leather trim?

LoriB

wife, mom, bagaholic
O.G.
Apr 3, 2006
2,852
6
I own all of the Apple leather products and have used them to treat and protect the handles on my speedy. I was so scared and paranoid of anything happening since that was my first high end bag. Well, a couple thousand dollars and two Balenciagas later, I am more relaxed about actually USING my expensive bags.

I am thinking of not doing anything to the straps and trim on my new batignolles horizontal. I am going to use the heck out of this bag and not baby it, but I would like to see the natural patina process without chemical treatments interferring.

Those of you with more LV experience...whatta ya think? Treat or let it go natural? Thanks!
 
I just got my can of Shining Monkey not too long ago and haven't treated my LV's yet. The recent bag I got isn't getting just a teeeeeny bit darker but I don't mind it for some reason. Maybe if I get a Speedy it will be a diff story but right now, all my bags are untreated and so far so good.
 
I've owned Vuitton bags for the last 10 years and NEVER use anything on any of my Vuitton or other bags. I don't know, maybe I just don't care as much as the other girls on here. They are just bags to me.:shame: I love how they patina naturally.
 
I have 5 bags and have never treated any of them. Mostly because I didn't even know you could treat them. I've gone in the rain, snow, sleet, sun, (much like the postman!! ha ha) and they've never even marked. Maybe I'm just lucky but the patina on all of them is really nice.
 
I never treated any of my three bags so far, but now that I know how I could, I'm trying to get a hold of this Shining Monkey stuff here in Germany. At least I'd like to protect them from water stains, my Noé and Pochette already have some. Also the leather on the Noé has discoloured from my Jeans :sad:
 
I just got a Batignolles Horizontal last week and I sprayed the Shining Monkey on it. This is my first LV, so I don't have prior experience. I mainly wanted to protect it against water spots. Obviously, I've only had the bag a week, but so far the SM didn't hurt it at all.
 
The SA told me not do put anything on it when I asked, so I won't. Besides I like the look of a dark brown (but not dirty) Patina, and I don't think the people I've seen the bag with, mind to put anything on it.

But I also carry a plastic bag with me whenever there's a chance of rain...
 
I never put anything on any of my bags. I don't know but it MIGHT void your warranty if you treat the handles because that means you've altered the bag in some way.
But as an example, my mom took her MC speedy to Disneyland a couple weeks ago and the vachetta was SOAKED. However, it returned to it's nice honey color, the way it had been when we left for the park that morning.
So because of the slow patina process I've witnessed on my own pieces as well as hers since the late 80s, I really have no need or desire to treat them.
 
I bought my first Speedy from a PF Member here and she said she did spray the handles with Leather protectant but I just got my second Speedy from another PF Member and I don't think she treated it and I think I might not.... I'm curious to see how it will patina without it.
 
some SAs say not to treat the leather, or if you do, treat it after a few months or a year. they said to allow the leather to oxidize and breathe before chemicals get to it. but my cousins have lvs that they have had for YEARS and it looks great w/out any treatment.