Ok guys, i just got my latest H bag (and it is my first vintage item too) a couple of days ago and it's the Kelly 35 Ebene Box leather GHW. Of course the bag is very old (coincidently it was made in my birth year too so i guess we were destined 
). its almost 30 years old now...
The bag, when i received, was in an overly used condition with lots of scratches on the leather, bottom edges and hardware areas and colour off the edges. So i decided to call up H store and asked my SA seeing how possible if i wanted my vintage Kelly to be sent for a spa retreat!
I was told it would have to be sent to Paris (from Bangkok store) and that it would take 6-8 months to finish. Oddly, My SA even told me if i could tolerate using the bag as the wait would be long and the colour that is scratched off round the edges won't come back unless the craftsman replaces it with the new whole-piece leather ...which would cost almost like buying a new one !?!?!
So my spa treatment hope flew away...then i called my friend just to express how depressed i was! but then i was given some weird idea that "why don't i just fix the bag myself?". i was told a couple of things that i had to buy to revamp my vintage Kelly and then a few hours later i got all stuff i needed and here is what i have done to my bag.
It took me 3 hours instead of 6-8 months... well...ok i'm not a craftsman but let's see if my own spa treatment is the right decision .... or not??
Before & After
Before : this is the picture of taken by the seller of the bag
After : tada.... my vintage kelly after several applications of shoes/bags wax, nourishing cream, shoes/bag shine sponge and leather colour. Does it look any better??
This is the plastic sticker i put by myself to cover the hardware. Before putting stickers on, i polished all hardware with jewellery polishing cloth which has helped bring back the shine!
This is the before and after comparison shot. the left picture shoes serious wear of colours. this happened to all edges of the bag. the right one is after i paint the leather with leather colour (used for changing colours of leather/canvas bags or shoes) i bought dark brown colour which is pretty much the same as Ebene colour
After several polishing and buffing, the dry and arid leather seemed to be healthier! leather is softer and i also concealed the white mark near the turnlock with leather colour i used with the bag edges.
Comparision shot: rear view
And of course, 26 year-old vintage Kelly didn't come with a strap at first. I called up H store and asked if i could order a strap for my vintage kelly and my SA told me she wasn't sure if this particular leather/colour/hardware will be offered this year but if it would ... i had to wait for 6 months anyway. So i gave up and flicked through LV website and found this strap to match my Kelly most. I guess i am lucky that LV makes this strap for their damier bags and the color is the same Ebene as my Kelly and is made from calf skin with similar texture and feel to Box leather.The strap has same width (16mm) as the Kelly strap and the plus is it is adjustable so i can adjust the length and use my kelly as a crossbody bag too!
Lastly, some modelling shot in my closet
What do you guys think??? am i a good craftsman? or was i too crazy fixing things without the proper 6-8 months spa retreat ???...hhehehe
). its almost 30 years old now... The bag, when i received, was in an overly used condition with lots of scratches on the leather, bottom edges and hardware areas and colour off the edges. So i decided to call up H store and asked my SA seeing how possible if i wanted my vintage Kelly to be sent for a spa retreat!
I was told it would have to be sent to Paris (from Bangkok store) and that it would take 6-8 months to finish. Oddly, My SA even told me if i could tolerate using the bag as the wait would be long and the colour that is scratched off round the edges won't come back unless the craftsman replaces it with the new whole-piece leather ...which would cost almost like buying a new one !?!?!
So my spa treatment hope flew away...then i called my friend just to express how depressed i was! but then i was given some weird idea that "why don't i just fix the bag myself?". i was told a couple of things that i had to buy to revamp my vintage Kelly and then a few hours later i got all stuff i needed and here is what i have done to my bag.
It took me 3 hours instead of 6-8 months... well...ok i'm not a craftsman but let's see if my own spa treatment is the right decision .... or not??
Before & After
Before : this is the picture of taken by the seller of the bag
After : tada.... my vintage kelly after several applications of shoes/bags wax, nourishing cream, shoes/bag shine sponge and leather colour. Does it look any better??
This is the plastic sticker i put by myself to cover the hardware. Before putting stickers on, i polished all hardware with jewellery polishing cloth which has helped bring back the shine!
This is the before and after comparison shot. the left picture shoes serious wear of colours. this happened to all edges of the bag. the right one is after i paint the leather with leather colour (used for changing colours of leather/canvas bags or shoes) i bought dark brown colour which is pretty much the same as Ebene colour
After several polishing and buffing, the dry and arid leather seemed to be healthier! leather is softer and i also concealed the white mark near the turnlock with leather colour i used with the bag edges.
Comparision shot: rear view
And of course, 26 year-old vintage Kelly didn't come with a strap at first. I called up H store and asked if i could order a strap for my vintage kelly and my SA told me she wasn't sure if this particular leather/colour/hardware will be offered this year but if it would ... i had to wait for 6 months anyway. So i gave up and flicked through LV website and found this strap to match my Kelly most. I guess i am lucky that LV makes this strap for their damier bags and the color is the same Ebene as my Kelly and is made from calf skin with similar texture and feel to Box leather.The strap has same width (16mm) as the Kelly strap and the plus is it is adjustable so i can adjust the length and use my kelly as a crossbody bag too!
Lastly, some modelling shot in my closet
What do you guys think??? am i a good craftsman? or was i too crazy fixing things without the proper 6-8 months spa retreat ???...hhehehe
Enjoy using her she is a beauty.
Congrats on your Kelly! You did a great job!!!
