Docride's Hermes Lazarus Thread (can this Hermes be Saved? )

Not Docride, and certainly cannot be confused with an expert, but if the spa at H ( I'm assuming Madison as you're in NY) said they did what they could do and do not recommend anything else, there's your answer.
It's barely noticeable, on the back of a lovely bag, and anything you do may only make it worse and will definitely preclude your being able to bring it to H in the future.
Go and enjoy your bag!
 
Hi Doc! It is so nice of you to help out with your time and expertise.

I've been thinking of purchasing this clemence birkin, which was accidentally washed in the washing machine.
Is there any hope of restoring it? What do you suggest?
Thank you!
Hello there , Great question
Oddly enough I have been asked about this bag already by another person. Without touching this leather it’s hard to say if it’s now warped and stiff or warped and stretched .
Without actually handling the bag I would simply say generally with this kind of water damage the bags shape will be forever changed and the leather also. Could it be improved over this condition? Maybe , but I would not expect a return to it pre-accident state. I would ask if the bag was simply dunked and pulled out of clean water or if it went into soapy water and washed through spin cycle ?
was it rinsed ? Was it stuffed, closed up and allowed to dry slowly ( does not look this way ) ? Or was it allowed to dry open and it’s sides unsupported ?
Ask to see the bag opened up
Ask if the bag is stiff or overly floppy stretched and soft . Clemence being an oily leather might be able yo handle some water better than the interior chevre ( goatskin)
Often times the interior leather shrinks and pulls away from the exterior leather causing warping … ask your see the interior ? See if the bottom panel exterior is warped and twisted also .
Personally I think it’s still cute and I rather feel sorry for it . I doubt it will ever be a fancy event kind of bag but with some more information and with an understanding of its actual condition and a great price … maybe this bag is worth considering. I’d make sure you had a trusted restoration person on your team who wants to help.
oh and please make sure this bag was not exposed to sugary drinks . Or salt water or pool water as those cause the most damage.

all the best , doc
 
Hi Docride! I got my first swift bag last week, a gorgeous mini lindy in framboise. The second day I wore it I had on a long black cotton dress. After a long day of walking I discovered this color transfer. I took it to Hermes the day of happened. They worked on it and definitely made it better but it’s still very noticeable to me. They said the only other option is to leave it for service but they’d have to apply color to it which they don’t recommend for such a new bag. Any suggestions? I don’t have a leather shop I would trust with this bag, I’m in NYC.
 
Hi Docride! I got my first swift bag last week, a gorgeous mini lindy in framboise. The second day I wore it I had on a long black cotton dress. After a long day of walking I discovered this color transfer. I took it to Hermes the day of happened. They worked on it and definitely made it better but it’s still very noticeable to me. They said the only other option is to leave it for service but they’d have to apply color to it which they don’t recommend for such a new bag. Any suggestions? I don’t have a leather shop I would trust with this bag, I’m in NYC.
Hi there ,
Oh dear this is very disappointing I’m sure. May I ask are these photos from before or after spa?
Either way if these marks will make enjoying your bag impossible and cause you further distress I’d have H do the color work for you and then make your decision.
Generally , the longer dye transfer or pen marks remain on finished leather the harder is is to remove it tends to set and the leather becomes permanently dyed /stained.
Sometimes these can be removed if addresses early enough , sometimes not so much.
Sometimes colorwork can be done to cover the stain / mark.
However, much like covering a dark mark on a wall with a light paint often times the dark mark pigments migrate into the cover color andshow up again.
Also the cover color work will alter the hand feel to some degree.
It’s not the poor bags fault it’s the clothing which has leaky pigments yikes…
Imagine what’s it’s doing to your skin …
Perhaps it’s time to get your clothing pigments sealed or set?
maybe ask a trusted dry cleaner to assist you ? Without solving the dye transferable
Problems of the clothing you’ll have similar problems in future.
Sending hugs
Doc
 
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Hi there ,
Oh dear this is very disappointing I’m sure. May I ask are these photos from before or after spa?
Either way if these marks will make enjoying your bag impossible and cause you further distress I’d have H do the color work for you and then make your decision.
Generally , the longer dye transfer or pen marks remain on finished leather the harder is is to remove it tends to set and the leather becomes permanently dyed /stained.
Sometimes these can be removed if addresses early enough , sometimes not so much.
Sometimes colorwork can be done to cover the stain / mark.
However, much like covering a dark mark on a wall with a light paint often times the dark mark pigments migrate into the cover color andshow up again.
Also the cover color work will alter the hand feel to some degree.
It’s not the poor bags fault it’s the clothing which has leaky pigments yikes…
Imagine what’s it’s doing to your skin …
Perhaps it’s time to get your clothing pigments sealed or set?
maybe ask a trusted dry cleaner to assist you ? Without solving the dye transferable
Problems of the clothing you’ll have similar problems in future.
Sending hugs
Doc

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in such detail Doc. Unfortunately this picture was taken after Hermes worked on it, however I didn’t leave it, they quickly just tried to remove the stain in the back room but said if I wanted to do more they would have to apply the color to fix it. The dress I wore was brand new and I hadn’t washed it yet so I think that was the issue. I definitely learned the color transfer lesson the hard way. I’ve been collecting bags for 15 years, you’d think I’d know better but we live and learn I guess, hopefully this will be my first and last color transfer issue. I love the bag so much and don’t want the feel of the swift leather to be altered. And because of the casual feel of the mini lindy I really want this to be a bag I wear and enjoy often (within reason, no more dark clothing of course ) so I think I’ll leave the stain and continue wearing it. Since it’s on the back nobody will notice and maybe the color will patina and darken a bit with more wear in the future and it will blend in more? The artisan at Hermes said this but not sure how true it is. Thanks for the support, it’s so appreciated
 
Not Docride, and certainly cannot be confused with an expert, but if the spa at H ( I'm assuming Madison as you're in NY) said they did what they could do and do not recommend anything else, there's your answer.
It's barely noticeable, on the back of a lovely bag, and anything you do may only make it worse and will definitely preclude your being able to bring it to H in the future.
Go and enjoy your bag!
Thank you so much for your reply. That’s what I’ve decided to do. I’m so in love with this bag and every time I carry it the stain bothers me less and less so I’m not going to send it out. I was hoping there would be another option to remove the stain but now that I know there’s not I think it’s best to leave it. She has a few little scars but it doesn’t make me love her any less and you are correct, they aren’t so noticeable anyway . Thanks for the support!
 
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A jilted/scorned lover/significant other/partner etc.? :doh:
It makes me think of the posts I have seen a few time of bags for sale that “the cat scratched” and they are clearly slashed to shreds by a blade of some kind. It has to be someone angry, intent on destroying the item, but either the seller or reseller wants to put a nicer story to it. “Oops, silly mistake here!” rather than “Bag destroyed for revenge/Bad Juju”.
 
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond in such detail Doc. Unfortunately this picture was taken after Hermes worked on it, however I didn’t leave it, they quickly just tried to remove the stain in the back room but said if I wanted to do more they would have to apply the color to fix it. The dress I wore was brand new and I hadn’t washed it yet so I think that was the issue. I definitely learned the color transfer lesson the hard way. I’ve been collecting bags for 15 years, you’d think I’d know better but we live and learn I guess, hopefully this will be my first and last color transfer issue. I love the bag so much and don’t want the feel of the swift leather to be altered. And because of the casual feel of the mini lindy I really want this to be a bag I wear and enjoy often (within reason, no more dark clothing of course ) so I think I’ll leave the stain and continue wearing it. Since it’s on the back nobody will notice and maybe the color will patina and darken a bit with more wear in the future and it will blend in more? The artisan at Hermes said this but not sure how true it is. Thanks for the support, it’s so appreciated
Sending you warm friendly hug of support I think this sounds very reasonable.
doc
 
Hello there , Great question
Oddly enough I have been asked about this bag already by another person. Without touching this leather it’s hard to say if it’s now warped and stiff or warped and stretched .
Without actually handling the bag I would simply say generally with this kind of water damage the bags shape will be forever changed and the leather also. Could it be improved over this condition? Maybe , but I would not expect a return to it pre-accident state. I would ask if the bag was simply dunked and pulled out of clean water or if it went into soapy water and washed through spin cycle ?
was it rinsed ? Was it stuffed, closed up and allowed to dry slowly ( does not look this way ) ? Or was it allowed to dry open and it’s sides unsupported ?
Ask to see the bag opened up
Ask if the bag is stiff or overly floppy stretched and soft . Clemence being an oily leather might be able yo handle some water better than the interior chevre ( goatskin)
Often times the interior leather shrinks and pulls away from the exterior leather causing warping … ask your see the interior ? See if the bottom panel exterior is warped and twisted also .
Personally I think it’s still cute and I rather feel sorry for it . I doubt it will ever be a fancy event kind of bag but with some more information and with an understanding of its actual condition and a great price … maybe this bag is worth considering. I’d make sure you had a trusted restoration person on your team who wants to help.
oh and please make sure this bag was not exposed to sugary drinks . Or salt water or pool water as those cause the most damage.

all the best , doc
Thank you!!!!! You really are the best - I hope to post about this bag with good news post-restoration :smile: