Florentine Black Friday Haul Impressions..

[DaffodilDuck]

Great thread and photos! Is this your first Florentine? If it is, you're so practical and wise for a first-time Flo owner to see how useful and attractive the visibly textured Florentine can be.

Both the bags smell like leather (mm) but also...bizarrely...fresh fish, salmon specifically. They have a mild fishy odor. I swear it’s not gross like it sounds.

Yay, someone else who's had the same scent experience I've had with two (of several) Florentines. One was a Red satchel (Made In America version) and the other was a Black Black Logo Lock Tote, so a fairly recent style.

The Red's fish scent was really noticeable as I unwrapped /unboxed the bag. I decided to keep it because I hate the hassle of returns through the mail and because with Flo, one never knows if the replacement you order will turn out to be a less desirable texture or color than what you returned.

The fish scent lingers when I take the bags out of their slipcovers/dustbags. It's not unbearable or anything. But it's very clearly a "marine" type smell.and that's rather disconcerting in a bovine product!

 

[MrsKC]

You’ve posted some beautiful bags yourself!!

I just ordered the flap fold over in Natural from Dooney. I still got the sale price. It has been over a year since I have had my eye on this little beauty!!

 

[Bestbagyet]

Great thread and photos! Is this your first Florentine? If it is, you're so practical and wise for a first-time Flo owner to see how useful and attractive the visibly textured Florentine can be.



Yay, someone else who's had the same scent experience I've had with two (of several) Florentines. One was a Red satchel (Made In America version) and the other was a Black Black Logo Lock Tote, so a fairly recent style.

The Red's fish scent was really noticeable as I unwrapped /unboxed the bag. I decided to keep it because I hate the hassle of returns through the mail and because with Flo, one never knows if the replacement you order will turn out to be a less desirable texture or color than what you returned.

The fish scent lingers when I take the bags out of their slipcovers/dustbags. It's not unbearable or anything. But it's very clearly a "marine" type smell.and that's rather disconcerting in a bovine product!

I have 2 Dooney's that have what I describe as a "skunk" funk. One is a red Shelby Shopper and the other is a fuchsia Claremont Dover tote. I've had both for several years and they still smell awful. I rarely carry either because they smell so bad. No amount of airing out or even stuffing with fragrant dryer sheets helped. I regret not sending them both back.

 

[Dooneysta]

Great thread and photos! Is this your first Florentine? If it is, you're so practical and wise for a first-time Flo owner to see how useful and attractive the visibly textured Florentine can be.



Yay, someone else who's had the same scent experience I've had with two (of several) Florentines. One was a Red satchel (Made In America version) and the other was a Black Black Logo Lock Tote, so a fairly recent style.

The Red's fish scent was really noticeable as I unwrapped /unboxed the bag. I decided to keep it because I hate the hassle of returns through the mail and because with Flo, one never knows if the replacement you order will turn out to be a less desirable texture or color than what you returned.

The fish scent lingers when I take the bags out of their slipcovers/dustbags. It's not unbearable or anything. But it's very clearly a "marine" type smell.and that's rather disconcerting in a bovine product!

I made this thread for Bestbagever, who mentioned there’s not a lot about FloLoLo here and on QVC, you can’t REALLY see extra close. so I put these up so BBE can have more info to decide while the sale’s still on!
They’re technically not my first Flos, no...I have the Lily bucket from the NFL collection (Cowboys) but those seem not like the softer Flos everyone lusts over. The NFL Lilys are more structured so the leather is stretched tighter and mine, anyway, is a ‘waxed’ or ‘greasy’ texture...very slick. It is very smooth like Flo is described, though.
But for a big bag that’s supposed to be a worker, pebbly will be more practical than ultra-buttery like the satchels.

I’ve never had the famous Flo satchel...weird to have a lot of D&B (they had taken over the house like LavenderJunkie till I moved them off site to their own storage unit) but not have one of the pillars of the brand. After seeing the waxy taut Lily, the buttery scratch magnet crossbody and the pebbly tote, I wonder even more about the satchels now!

 

[Dooneysta]

Yay, someone else who's had the same scent experience I've had with two (of several) Florentines. One was a Red satchel (Made In America version) and the other was a Black Black Logo Lock Tote, so a fairly recent style.

The Red's fish scent was really noticeable as I unwrapped /unboxed the bag. I decided to keep it because I hate the hassle of returns through the mail and because with Flo, one never knows if the replacement you order will turn out to be a less desirable texture or color than what you returned.

The fish scent lingers when I take the bags out of their slipcovers/dustbags. It's not unbearable or anything. But it's very clearly a "marine" type smell.and that's rather disconcerting in a bovine product!

I have 2 Dooney's that have what I describe as a "skunk" funk. One is a red Shelby Shopper and the other is a fuchsia Claremont Dover tote. I've had both for several years and they still smell awful. I rarely carry either because they smell so bad. No amount of airing out or even stuffing with fragrant dryer sheets helped. I regret not sending them both back.

The fish smell was disconcerting on a bovine product you’re right!
But fortunately it’s strong but mild, if that makes sense. I smell it easily but it’s not like, old don’t-eat-that fish stink, it’s freshly caught fish stink. I’ll live with it.

I HAVE smelled the super-ripe fish on bags. I was told by someone who worked for a luxury company that when bags (or merchandise in general) are shipped from overseas to somewhere else, there’s often a preservative/repellent sprayed on them when they go into the shipping containers so that while the containers are sitting on the docks and while they’re in the ship hold, bugs and rodents don’t try to go in there.
I was told a common one that’s used smells distinctly like fish. Usually the product airs out sufficiently between unpacking from the containers and being trucked to the retail destination that you don’t notice it.
I imagine though if the transport was super efficient or whoever sprayed really laid it on, that’s when you still smell it.
I’ve been in, like, stores looking at fake flower arrangements and smelled it.
I don’t like the thought of a chemical on the bag, but I REALLY don’t want to think there were dock rats sleeping and peeing in it either, so I’ll take the former, I guess.

The mild stink I get from the Flos is not as fishy as what I’m talking about, so I wonder if ours were just almost aired out, like it was sprayed when the raw leather came from Italy and it’s been airing since or if there’s just some molecule that is reminiscent of fish in this leather naturally, the way wine people describe wine as ‘notes of leather, asparagus and chocolate’ despite none of those things having been in the wine...

I’ve never found airing out to be totally effective and dryer sheets just add dryer sheet smell to the funk smell.
I have used baking soda actually poured on/in the bag, or charcoal in an open container in the bag then sealing the bag up in something to ‘some’ success, and the product Zero Odor, which is a spray.

 

[Dooneysta]

I just ordered the flap fold over in Natural from Dooney. I still got the sale price. It has been over a year since I have had my eye on this little beauty!!

If you don’t mind a small bag, you’ll like it. It’s very beautiful, it’s so soft, and the credit card flaps really should allow you to lose the wallet. The back pocket is a great size for a smartphone and if you have a little carabiner or lobster claw keychain, you could attach your keys to the tiny d-ring attaching the strap and then have your keys not taking up internal space either.
Here is a pic of the card slots pocket with my little card holder I’m currently using in it. Then a pic of the cards in the bag slots. Two of the cards are in those ‘paper’ RFID sleeves and they still fit easily into the Dooney slots. I hope you love yours!!

 

[lavenderjunkie]

Dooneysta: In my experience, the pebbly Florentine handbags show much fewer scratches and wear then the soft, smooth, pristine Flo leather we seem to prize. As long as the texture is even and doesn't displease you, then it's worth considering keeping the handbag.

My Florentine collection has both smooth and pebbled Dooneys. And sometimes, in a store, with the option of buying either, in the same color and style, I have chosen the pebbled version... the color seemed more vivid on the pebbled one and the smooth Flo was very scratched from just sitting on the shelf in the Dooney store.

 

[Lilybarb]

Both of your bags are lovely. The older I get, I don’t get too hung up on imperfections —imperfections such as scratching, pebbling. I too am lumpy and scarred. It’s just life.

@MrsKC, well put!!

 

[Dooneysta]

Dooneysta: In my experience, the pebbly Florentine handbags show much fewer scratches and wear then the soft, smooth, pristine Flo leather we seem to prize. As long as the texture is even and doesn't displease you, then it's worth considering keeping the handbag.

My Florentine collection has both smooth and pebbled Dooneys. And sometimes, in a store, with the option of buying either, in the same color and style, I have chosen the pebbled version... the color seemed more vivid on the pebbled one and the smooth Flo was very scratched from just sitting on the shelf in the Dooney store.

What’s your preferred source store for Florentine..? There’s a lot of mileage between everything where I live. I’m about three hours from either an actual Dooney boutique or an outlet... in opposite directions, unfortunately. So I have never been to either one yet. Macy’s in our city has beaucoup MK selection but about eight Dooneys. Dillard’s has a much better selection but not Flo; mostly pebble/nylon.
I have bought nearly everything online or from TJ Maxx-type stores.
Where do you normally find the best jackpot to be if you want to paw on bags in person...?

 

[lavenderjunkie]

What’s your preferred source store for Florentine..? There’s a lot of mileage between everything where I live. I’m about three hours from either an actual Dooney boutique or an outlet... in opposite directions, unfortunately. So I have never been to either one yet. Macy’s in our city has beaucoup MK selection but about eight Dooneys. Dillard’s has a much better selection but not Flo; mostly pebble/nylon.
I have bought nearly everything online or from TJ Maxx-type stores.
Where do you normally find the best jackpot to be if you want to paw on bags in person...?

I haven't been doing a lot of hands on handbag shopping these days. In the past, the best selections were the Dooney retail boutique (which has since closed) or the Dooney outlets. These days most of my Dooneys are bought online.... I Love Dooney, Dooney.com, Macy's. Sometimes I call and outlet, but I like the ease (and low cost) of returns to ILD and Macy's.

 

[Dooneysta]

I haven't been doing a lot of hands on handbag shopping these days. In the past, the best selections were the Dooney retail boutique (which has since closed) or the Dooney outlets. These days most of my Dooneys are bought online.... I Love Dooney, Dooney.com, Macy's. Sometimes I call and outlet, but I like the ease (and low cost) of returns to ILD and Macy's.

Thank you for the insight; perhaps I’ll make one outlet trip next year to look/‘take the temperature’ of staff to gauge whether shopping by phone is okay. I’d hate to drive that long to find it’s a token shop with less inventory than I’ve got myself The Outlets at San Marcos are supposedly a gigantic property with international tourist bus loads abounding, but that doesn’t mean the Dooney shop is sizeable...

 

[lavenderjunkie]

Thank you for the insight; perhaps I’ll make one outlet trip next year to look/‘take the temperature’ of staff to gauge whether shopping by phone is okay. I’d hate to drive that long to find it’s a token shop with less inventory than I’ve got myself The Outlets at San Marcos are supposedly a gigantic property with international tourist bus loads abounding, but that doesn’t mean the Dooney shop is sizeable...

Remember, you can call any Dooney outlet, no matter where you live and they are located. Sometimes you need to call several to find what you are looking for. And not all outlets offer the same gracious level of CS to phone customers. At tip.... don't call the outlets on weekends or holidays or at closing time. As a phone customer you will get much better service if you are not competing with customers standing right in front of them. Also, ask for the manager or assistant manager. Working with a SA on the phone is challenging enough without encountering one who knows less than you do about the styles and prices.

 

[Dooneysta]

I have 2 Dooney's that have what I describe as a "skunk" funk. One is a red Shelby Shopper and the other is a fuchsia Claremont Dover tote. I've had both for several years and they still smell awful. I rarely carry either because they smell so bad. No amount of airing out or even stuffing with fragrant dryer sheets helped. I regret not sending them both back.

I bet fuschia Claremont is staggeringly beautiful, though.
Perhaps it could still be salvaged. I’ve never had complete and total success destanking bags, but they’re typically hard cases.
I bought an old AWL satchel that REEKED of smoke. Got most cleaning the bejeezus out of it and hosing it down several times with Zero Odor/Lysol. I don’t think it’s gone (haven’t carried it in a long time) but I mean, that lady might’ve smoked on it for three decades if the original owner.
(Zero Odor water-spotted the lining of a 1975 anniversary ‘It’ Dooney, though.)
The others have mostly been vintage LV from Japan...smoking is popular there AND it’s ultra humid so smoky mildew funk is common. Most clear up sitting in a baking soda pile (I fill that puppy up with baking soda because the lining is different from D&B often; it’s not ‘loose’ inside so there’s no way for baking soda to get between the lining and outer shell and get stuck. For old AWL or any Dooney with non-fabric inners, you could do this.
For others I’ve done the charcoal thing I described.

Depends on exactly what the source of stink is for your bags, which you don’t know, but you might try charcoal. (not for a grill, like for a fish tank: charcoal briquettes usually have lighter fluid added!!)

 

[starbucksqueen]

Beautiful bags.. I own the crossbody in navy. It's a go-to. Very versatile. It's good for quick trips to the store, for travel and museums. Nice to go inside of a big bag as a wallet. It's probably one of the most perfect bags Dooney came up with.
My crossbody is also very smooth and classy. My last two Florentine bags were rather pebbly for Florentine. I kept them because they are still lovely and I didn't pay full price. I prefer smooth Florentine and here's my mini-rant: DB promotes the smooth version on QVC and also, I think they tend to use the "Nuovo Florentine," because no way did this resemble the Florentine on bags I purchased 5 or 6 years ago. They just dropped the "nuovo."
Both of your bags are lovely.

 

[Bestbagyet]

I bet fuschia Claremont is staggeringly beautiful, though.
Perhaps it could still be salvaged. I’ve never had complete and total success destanking bags, but they’re typically hard cases.
I bought an old AWL satchel that REEKED of smoke. Got most cleaning the bejeezus out of it and hosing it down several times with Zero Odor/Lysol. I don’t think it’s gone (haven’t carried it in a long time) but I mean, that lady might’ve smoked on it for three decades if the original owner.
(Zero Odor water-spotted the lining of a 1975 anniversary ‘It’ Dooney, though.)
The others have mostly been vintage LV from Japan...smoking is popular there AND it’s ultra humid so smoky mildew funk is common. Most clear up sitting in a baking soda pile (I fill that puppy up with baking soda because the lining is different from D&B often; it’s not ‘loose’ inside so there’s no way for baking soda to get between the lining and outer shell and get stuck. For old AWL or any Dooney with non-fabric inners, you could do this.
For others I’ve done the charcoal thing I described.

Depends on exactly what the source of stink is for your bags, which you don’t know, but you might try charcoal. (not for a grill, like for a fish tank: charcoal briquettes usually have lighter fluid added!!)

Hi Dooneysta, Thank you for the suggestions! I'll try the baking soda first. And, yes, the fuchsia claremont is beautiful, which is why it is a shame I don't get to enjoy her.