Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[americandreaming]

Hi all! This is rehab related, but not Coach. I'm wondering if anyone has ever rehabbed a Mansur Gavriel bag and how it turned out. I found one that has some missing hardware, which is super simple to fix, but I don't know much about the leather other than it's calf leather. The site doesn't indicate if it's full grain or not, like vintage Coaches. Anyone own one/rehabbed one?

I raised that question re leather grade in a thread in the MG forum that was ultimately inconclusive.

I have noticed brands love to mention they use full grain leather, eg Hermes and Coach, every chance they get so I personally assume that if a brand doesn't mention FG leather, it's not.

MG's website sets out the tanning and different finishes, including for calf leather but they describe it as 'smooth, refined leather' without mentioning the grade. If it were full grain leather, I'd expect them to state that.

 

[americandreaming]

So cute! My daughter would love all the pink.
She already claimed all my Casinos, too! (but she lets me keep those in my cabinet.)

I don't blame her

 

[pammbw]

I raised that question re leather grade in a thread in the MG forum that was ultimately inconclusive.

I have noticed brands love to mention they use full grain leather, eg Hermes and Coach, every chance they get so I personally assume that if a brand doesn't mention FG leather, it's not.

MG's website sets out the tanning and different finishes, including for calf leather but they describe it as 'smooth, refined leather' without mentioning the grade. If it were full grain leather, I'd expect them to state that.

Yes lol define "refined" To me that means treated in some way other than the normal tanning process. Makes me wary.

 

[Crystalcoach]

Yes lol define "refined" To me that means treated in some way other than the normal tanning process. Makes me wary.

True, I didn't think about that. They do love to scream FG leather when they use it. I used to think "refined" meant extra nice. Haha! What a dork. Now I realize the other meaning applies, like refined sugar. It's been refined because there were "imperfections" in the leather. Personally, I like the 'jolie ladie' of natural leathers.

Anyway, I got the bag. It was $50, and it just needs new collar studs and some cleaning/conditioning. I will post pics when I rehab it. We'll see... I've done a lot of Madewell bags, and their leather--while not full grain--rehabs really nicely (albeit with some color loss since they're veg tanned); I hope that's the case with this bag too!

 

[LadaZuri]

One of my favourite styles is the Geometric Clutch 9044. I received this one with the help of an awesome TPFer! Sometimes I name my best-loved bags and this one is Audrey (Hepburn).
View attachment 5074924

She arrived with a small scratch on the back:
View attachment 5074926

Which magically disappeared with the dunk and conditioning (Leather CPR, Blackrocks and lastly Renapur heated on the sponge - which will be absorbed over the next couple of days).
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Thanks for looking.

I didn’t know you were looking for these! Very nice!

Oh yes! Please keep me in mind when you see one you don't want (because you already have it!!! )!

Very nice, and we are bag twins! Audrey Hepburn is the perfect name! I used Leather CPR and Blackrocks on mine but I didn't add Renapur and I think that your bag looks better, so I will have to try adding the Renapur, thanks!

View attachment 5074970

Your bag looks like perfection to me, but thank you for the awesome feedback!

Here we are 24 hours after the warmed Renapur treatment. Much of it has been absorbed and will soon be ready for buffing. One of my favourite parts of the rehab process is retraining the top handle.

Before (listing photo):

This morning:

Now:

 

[americandreaming]

Squeeze key case arrived today and had what looked like a mould spot on the front. Scrubbed it with fairy and then ran a tsp of vinegar over it, rinsed and dried with a hairdryer, applying CPR, Chambers and Renapur. I've been running a hairdryer over it and buffing after each coat it's not bringing out a shine. Oh well. As long as it's clean and hydrated!

 

[Crystalcoach]

Oh yes! Please keep me in mind when you see one you don't want (because you already have it!!! )!



Your bag looks like perfection to me, but thank you for the awesome feedback!

Here we are 24 hours after the warmed Renapur treatment. Much of it has been absorbed and will soon be ready for buffing. One of my favourite parts of the rehab process is retraining the top handle.

Before (listing photo):
View attachment 5075389
This morning:
View attachment 5075386 View attachment 5075388
Now:
View attachment 5075411

View attachment 5075412

Here's one on Mercari: https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m88484917004

 

[whateve]

Squeeze key case arrived today and had what looked like a mould spot on the front. Scrubbed it with fairy and then ran a tsp of vinegar over it, rinsed and dried with a hairdryer, applying CPR, Chambers and Renapur. I've been running a hairdryer over it and buffing after each coat it's not bringing out a shine. Oh well. As long as it's clean and hydrated!

View attachment 5075414

View attachment 5075415

I think it looks nice. I find Blackrocks gives a better shine than Renapur.

 

[LadaZuri]

Here's one on Mercari: https://www.mercari.com/us/item/m88484917004

Thank you so much! Edited to add that although it looks black, the bag is mahogany which I already have.

 

[americandreaming]

Thank you so much! Edited to add that although it looks black, the bag is mahogany which I already have.

It's so weird because it looks 100 per cent black to me. I can't see the mahogany in it at all lol

 

[LadaZuri]

It's so weird because it looks 100 per cent black to me. I can't see the mahogany in it at all lol

You are correct and I wonder if they have copied and pasted another seller's description? It doesn't appear to be in "excellent vintage condition", either. Perhaps I will get it authenticated and ask the seller. Oh well, I can't message the seller because I'm in Canada.

 

[Lucyblue13]

Pulley is finished unless I give her another coat of Blackrock in a few days. I feel like I can't get her hydrated enough. She has 4 coats of CPR and one coat of BR. Looking so much better though. I am happy I saved her from whatever pile she was sitting in. She has a few strings I would have already snipped off my other bags, but I can't bring myself to take the scissors to her.

Before



After

 

[Lucyblue13]

She still looks squashed in the middle pic, guess it's a weird angle.

 

[LadaZuri]

Pulley is finished unless I give her another coat of Blackrock in a few days. I feel like I can't get her hydrated enough. She has 4 coats of CPR and one coat of BR. Looking so much better though. I am happy I saved her from whatever pile she was sitting in. She has a few strings I would have already snipped off my other bags, but I can't bring myself to take the scissors to her.

Before
View attachment 5075590
View attachment 5075591

After
View attachment 5075592View attachment 5075593View attachment 5075594

Looking awesome!

 

[LadaZuri]

It is probably considered a travesty to alter a rare vintage bag, but has anyone given thought to lengthening an attached strap?

I have 3 Kimballs I love whose straps are short for crossbody wear and I don't want to part with them. Two are rare colours (sapphire and jade) and the third is red. The Kimballs have the rolled, sewn on straps. I presume the extensions would have to be at the center point... like adding a few inches of Coach's gold coloured chain strap?

Any thoughts?