I agree on 2004 leather. That was the year of seafoam, rose, the light turquoise color, eggplant. I've never had a bag to equal them as far as leather, but I guess it's still a matter of personal taste. You have to be careful with a used one, because they've been kicking around out there for a while. But if you find a good condition REAL one, I'd go for it!
Comparing leather by Year and Season (best, worst, characteristics)
- Thread starter mimz
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You can check out the style reference section (top of the Balenciaga page), but I'm not sure if there are any good photos of what the font should look like. I have tried but with my camera all I usually get is a terrible flash or blur.
I just checked the auction tag against my 04 black city with pewter. It is actually very close as far as font, letter shape, underscore. But the second line on mine says N 0041C.
I just checked the auction tag against my 04 black city with pewter. It is actually very close as far as font, letter shape, underscore. But the second line on mine says N 0041C.
It so hard to describe the love for the 2005 bags. You have to feel it to know the difference...and there is a difference between the S/S 05 and F/W 05 bags. My sister has the best S/S 05 black city I've ever seen. It's so distressed, the leather is almost textured and if you run your fingers over it, you can FEEL the texture.
All I can say is...when my good friend sees my S/S 05 black city, she freaks out. She just sits there and caresses it and tried to use it as a pillow. She owns a 2006 blueberry Work and she says it's nothing like my black city.
All I can say is...when my good friend sees my S/S 05 black city, she freaks out. She just sits there and caresses it and tried to use it as a pillow. She owns a 2006 blueberry Work and she says it's nothing like my black city.
Hmmm. I've owned a 2005 s/s black day and an indigo work and I've had a lilac city from 2004. The leather on the s/s 05 bags was thicker, more matte and has a little more nap. The leather on the lilac was really soft, but thin and quite delicate. I have three bags from fall 05 and they are vastly different from the s/s 05 - and they are vastly different from each other. They are all glossy to some degree, but the bordeaux leather is like fine silk. Its thin and delicate but has the most gorgeous drape and is so incredibly soft (softer than any of my earlier bags). The rouge theatre is more pillowy/crinkley but still has a silky feel to it. The chocolate is crinkley but has a tougher, nappier feel - not as smooth of a hand. Its softened up considerably though and is no longer crinkley - but puddles and drapes beautifully. I had a navy 05 twiggy with leather like my bordeaux - super soft, thin and drapey. S/S 2006 was a bad season - that was when most of the leather was visibly veiny and thin and stiff when new (I'm sure it breaks in just fine, though).
I have a blueberry work, juane work and sandstone work and they all have similar leather - pillowy, thick, glossy and soft. I think its a tie between that leather and the silky, thin leather from f/w 05 as being my favorite. I'm probably alone in the fact that I'm not sentimental at all about past seasons leather. In fact, I prefer the later seasons since I love the glossy finish and pillowed distressing.
I have a blueberry work, juane work and sandstone work and they all have similar leather - pillowy, thick, glossy and soft. I think its a tie between that leather and the silky, thin leather from f/w 05 as being my favorite. I'm probably alone in the fact that I'm not sentimental at all about past seasons leather. In fact, I prefer the later seasons since I love the glossy finish and pillowed distressing.
Thanks again everyone. Sunspark, do the numbers on your black city look the same as the auction ones? Are the 1's the same? I've had a look in all the style reference forums, can't find anything that shows a 2004 tag.
HandbagAngel, and Rollergirl , thanks I'm thinking it may be safer to go for a 2007 city!
HandbagAngel, and Rollergirl , thanks I'm thinking it may be safer to go for a 2007 city!
Hi,
I'm hankering after a Black City and am not sure whether to buy an 07 before they all go as the leather looks so good, or whether to wait (as I really should save up) for an 08 one. I'm just a bit worried, with all this talk about 07 leather being amazing and 08 not so amazing, that I may miss out on a good 07 bag.
So, has anyone seen an 08 black City, if so what was the leather like? If anyone has bought one, can they post a pic?
I'd be very grateful for any advice. Thanks.
I'm hankering after a Black City and am not sure whether to buy an 07 before they all go as the leather looks so good, or whether to wait (as I really should save up) for an 08 one. I'm just a bit worried, with all this talk about 07 leather being amazing and 08 not so amazing, that I may miss out on a good 07 bag.
So, has anyone seen an 08 black City, if so what was the leather like? If anyone has bought one, can they post a pic?
I'd be very grateful for any advice. Thanks.
fayden 
YUMMY indeed!
my ocean o7 looks very familiar to o5's - just judging from pics... b/c it's completely matte, very look/smooshy look and has very discreet distressing.
to the question on the previous page - bbags should loose their sheen after a while, but i think it depends on the bag. my ocean didnt really have much of a sheen when i got her and it disappeared v. quickly. my sandstone got matte quick too... whereas my vert d'eau and black still have their sheen.
YUMMY indeed!my ocean o7 looks very familiar to o5's - just judging from pics... b/c it's completely matte, very look/smooshy look and has very discreet distressing.
to the question on the previous page - bbags should loose their sheen after a while, but i think it depends on the bag. my ocean didnt really have much of a sheen when i got her and it disappeared v. quickly. my sandstone got matte quick too... whereas my vert d'eau and black still have their sheen.
I have B-Bags from 2002 through 2007 (waiting for the '08 Fluorescent Yellow for my 2008 purchase). Just the other night, I was doing an *inventory* and was comparing the leather. While my favorite bag is my '07 Rouge Vif, I have to say that when I looked at my '05 Weekender, I just kept on "petting" it because the leather is just so spectacular on the bag. It's soft yet textured, thick yet smooshy (one person denoted the leather as "chewy" - I kind of like that). Mind you, my '05 Turquoise and '05 Anis Weekenders are yummy too, but it's almost as though the lighter colors don't have as much texture. I guess it's kind of hard to describe unless you own an '05 bag ... maybe we should setup a Balenciaga Bag "petting zoo" 
somewhere (preferably a nice climate with Sun & Palm Trees!!!).
somewhere (preferably a nice climate with Sun & Palm Trees!!!). 
2005 leather looks like a puddle of leather. It's hard to explain - something about it resembles water... lol
The texture of the 05 bags are unlike any other season bbag or any other leather bag period that I've ever felt. With the softness of Chanel lambskin but much more mobile - fluid... very hard to explain. Pictures are hard to show it... you need to feel it and see it worn in person. Like water - or melted velvety chocolate, really.
The texture of the 05 bags are unlike any other season bbag or any other leather bag period that I've ever felt. With the softness of Chanel lambskin but much more mobile - fluid... very hard to explain. Pictures are hard to show it... you need to feel it and see it worn in person. Like water - or melted velvety chocolate, really.
cross-posted from shopping forum:
thanks, Saraz15! can you pls elaborate how the 08 leather's "not as nice" as your 07's? not as thick too? which 07 do you have currently?
Hey Glossie....yes I did get an SS08 black (about 3 weeks ago)...haven't taken pics yet, but I will.I'm liking it so much better now that it's starting to break in. I don't know what it is, but when I first got the bag, it was pretty stiff with a silvery gloss on top...now it's looking more smooshy and the coating's wearing off a little. The leather's not as nice as any of my 07's, maybe because it's Agneau?... Though, the weird thing is my 08 Bubblegum has amazing leather. I will post soon...waiting for a few more purchases to come in so I can post them all together.
thanks, Saraz15! can you pls elaborate how the 08 leather's "not as nice" as your 07's? not as thick too? which 07 do you have currently?
Today I visited the Saks in Palm Desert (El Paseo) and they had a black city, black day, and black sgh part time. Both the day and city were thin and too veiny for me, but the sgh part time had thicker more distressed leather. And the pinks there.....hmmm.... sorry, I just don't like the veiny dry leather
Sorry to those who may.
Sorry to those who may.
I think I assumed this was an 08 bag being it was posted Dec 20th - just 2 weeks before the new year, and usually this is right around the time all the new year's bags are on the shelves...?