Exotics

[ExoticsOnly]

I do not expect a bag costing $35000 in todays money to develop cuts so I had a world leading classification society cut the bag open to investigate. I am sorry to say that their findings surprised, and also disappointed me. There were several cuts in the skin having being patched up with tape. While Valextra used to make the bags in Armani’s Prive Collection this bag is not made by them.

 

[ExoticsOnly]

This is how a surveyor investigate when documenting shoddy workmanship. Everything is made apart. It was a first time for them, they usually do supertankers and oil rigs. And no, Armani did not honour the «not limited» warranty on their Prive bags so goodby Giorgio. Not surprisingly I did not get the usual card for xmas this year.

 

[_Moravia_]

@ExoticsOnly as you have numerous exotics, I am curious as to how you store them? Do you put them in their individual dust bags when you’re not using them? Also, do you do any kind of maintenance or cleaning of them from time to time? Thank you.

 

[ExoticsOnly]

I do not use dustbags because there is hardly any dust in my home. Living in Scandinavia I do not have to worry about high temps and humidity. I am using a soft horsehair brush to remove dust from use and I use acid free paper to keep the bags in shape. I condition the bags using neutral cream for glossy skins and Bick4 for matte skins, but just a tiny bit. Lizard need more as it dries out more easily, ostrich on the other hand is rich in oils so no need to condition. Ostrich do absorb sweat and grime from carrying so I use saddle soap to gently clean the handles. I am not hysterical about appearance because I do not worry about resale.

 

[jbags07]

Your exotic collection is amazing! Your bags are are simply stunning

 

[_Moravia_]

I do not use dustbags because there is hardly any dust in my home. Living in Scandinavia I do not have to worry about high temps and humidity. I am using a soft horsehair brush to remove dust from use and I use acid free paper to keep the bags in shape. I condition the bags using neutral cream for glossy skins and Bick4 for matte skins, but just a tiny bit. Lizard need more as it dries out more easily, ostrich on the other hand is rich in oils so no need to condition. Ostrich do absorb sweat and grime from carrying so I use saddle soap to gently clean the handles. I am not hysterical about appearance because I do not worry about resale.

Thank you very much. This information is very helpful @ExoticsOnly.

 

[JolieS]

It is a pleasure to see a collection of such breadth and focus. Thank you!

 

[sruss220]

Do you own any Jada Loveless exotics? I bought one today and it’s beautiful. I cannot find very much info on this brand

 

[Bagatha Christie]

While there may be handbags being an investment like some Hermes and the Chanel 2.55, most bags serve a carrying purpose only. Exotics are especially bad in economical terms as they loose half their value when you leave the store. While I usually put quite some consideration into what my hard earned money is used for, I do occasionally do bad purchases. At least I thought so about this clutch for many, many years.

Vernon Bruce Hoeksema, the former lover of Valentino Garavani and VP of his company do make intriguing bags of extremely high quality under his own name. He is also an excellent salesman so when he offered me a one-off back in 2007 at a discount I said yes. An orange crocodile clutch in avant garde design with an all metal flap and middle aged is not a good match unless you are on acid so it has never been out of the box.

Sunk cost, then? Not at all, it is an investment in the Warren Buffet league. While Hoeksema used 925 silver as metal hardware on this design he used pure palladium for the one-off. Palladium being heavier than silver this is a heavy bag to carry for an evening out. I do not know exactly the weight of the hardware, but the bag weight in at 625 gram so I guess the palladium is about 400 gram. Today palladium is $75 per gram having increased 8 times since my purchase.
View attachment 5393185

This is beautiful - it definitely doesn’t need to be carried to be admired as it does look more like an artistic book binding or a vase than a bag already. That’s great news on the value of palladium too.

This is a really inspiring for appreciating the materials of the bags.

 

[ExoticsOnly]

Do you own any Jada Loveless exotics? I bought one today and it’s beautiful. I cannot find very much info on this brand

I saw her bags at Saks some years ago. They are truly beautiful, and very well made. She is using alligator, which is a favourite of mine. There are also other smaller US brands offering high quality, Lana Marks, Darby Scott and Alexandra Scott to name a few. And there are a number of European brands, and also Hong Kong and Singapore brands that offer high quality bags. To me quality of skins and construction is more important that a logo or instant recoqnition.

 

[topglamchic]

@ExoticsOnly thank you for showcasing your collection. I am a lover of exotics and I too purchase out of love for the skins. I truly admire your collection. Thank you for sharing.

 

[jonoft]

Knife cuts being taped. Front and back were made of belly skins of decent quality, the side pockets were made partly of flanks. Finish was semi-bombe.

 

[MidlifeFashionPrincess]

Amazing collection. Thanks for sharing!

Dare I ask--do you have a favorite or two?

 

[ExoticsOnly]

I guess the Guepard, Geneve in green ostrich is the bag I use most. Guepard is almost unknown to the bag world. If the company still exits I don’t know, but they used to make handbags in exotics, high-end watches, perfumes…, and champagne!

 

[ExoticsOnly]

Rene Mancini, another manufacturer of handbags and shoes in exotic skins that flies well below the radar if you are not old school… or just old like me. Mancini used to make shoes for Chanel, Balmain and Givenchy back in the days. They had a shop in Paris, but moved to Milan years ago. Their speciality are bags and shoes in matching skins. Superb quality.