I heard somewhere that they got new materials for those parts that immediately wore out due to humidity.
I thought about Goyard a lot and spent a lot of time at the Barneys Goyard boutique looking at these bags. I know these are very popular, but in my view the quality is not that high. Ironically, the materials look fine and I wouldnt have thought the problems in that blog would happen, but the stitching often looks shoody, the handles do not feel like quality, and many of the bag designs are not well thought out (ie the messenger bag that is about an inch too short to fit many magazines into).
At one stage every second person was carrying a Goyard tote in NY. I think allowing themselves to be regarded as an "it bag" (JAFIB) was a big mistake as the brand does not have the depth to replicate that success. I suspect Barneys will find a more profitable use for that space in the not too distant future...
Valextra always appears to me to be very well made but the stuff is so STIFF.