Hermes leathers for rainy climates.

[littlebrowndot]

Hm I don't know if anyone ever had this idea, but I bought a longchamp pliage tote for my expensive bags and keep it folded up in my normal leather bag -- if it starts raining or if I'm out late at night, I just take out the pliage and carefully put my bag inside, so (a) it doesn't look like i'm carrying an expensive handbag and (b) it's protected from the elements!

 

[mooks]

Yep, it's a great idea and lots of the H ladies use a pliage

 

[docride]

This is an interesting thread! I also live where it is raining quite a lot and I need a bag for everyday use even if it is raining. I am thinking of buying a bag in togo. How can that leather be treated to be waterproof and restistant?

Check out the reference section Vintage bags and leather care thread

 

[S'Mom]

Togo, Clemence, Fjord, Epsom, Swift, Ostrich and Chevre are all good leathers for inclement weather. I use my Togo, Clemence, Swift and Ostrich bags when it's raining. Haven't had a problem yet with any of these leathers/skins.

 

[docride]

Thanks docride, I have been reading your threads with great interest, you have such extensive knowledge, experience, and may I say bravery with leather.

Hello English, It's not bravey, it's the right products...I would never leave out without some weather protection on my bags and I wouldn't be seen with a plastic half sack wanna be Hermes raincoat bellowing in the wind... LOL! How silly!
Good Leather is Good leather..if treated properly, handbags, saddles, harness, boots, gloves and bleeding leather stockings can be safely used as they are intended... regardless of weather.

RE> Good Leather refers to non-second rate hides and / or hides that have not been subject to inferior tanning processes (urine/urease,fish scale tanning etc...)

 

[BlueParrot]

In a downpour, Box leather will blister but the other leathers, particularly the "puckered" ones like VL, will be ok.

 

[nightshade]

I've had no problems with Togo and Epsom being caught in torrential downpours so far (phew), and as far as I know, my friend's Vache liegee birkin wasn't damaged either!

 

[Katel]

Originally Posted by Ranag
Fjord. It is adult bull and is virtually waterproof

I second this. My Fjord bags have been caught in deluges and snow storms and never show any water damage.

I third this....my one fjord bag, a 31 indigo Bolide, has been a workhorse in our very wet and rainy climate. Also love swift, clemence, VL, chevre, epsom and gulliver for the rain...I understand ostrich and lizard are rain-resistant....but I haven't tried them yet (but I bet if I was out with those bags, and it began to rain, a few raindrops wouldn't spoil them). Also hear togo is great; I don't have a togo bag so I can't say but I imagine it's a lot like a stiffer clemence with a different grain (in other words, great for rain).

You really only need to be super careful (read for me: paranoid) when it comes to boxcalf, chamonix, and croc...I think that's it.... (chime in pls if I left out a vulnerable skin).

I've been told barenia shows rain but dries beautifully....I was cleaning a spot on a the toile of a barenia/toile bucket bag (which came right out, btw...amazing!) and got waterdrops on the barenia.....it dried without stains.

You can tell that I have given this topic a lot of thought...I want to protect my investment but I don't want to baby my bag, either. I love boxcalf, but only take it out to play if there is not a hint of rain....and each rain-vulnerable bag has a rolled up plastic bag in the bottom, plus a nice soft little shammy to remove any errant drops, should they come my way.

Have fun, english3222 - like an Hermes scarf, these bags are a lot tougher than we might think.

 

[India]

There is rain and there is rain. There is walking to the car in a parking lot, and there is being on foot for multiple blocks in a major city. These are NOT the same things!

If I lived where it rains a LOT and I have to walk a LOT in that rain, I would most likely go with a signature canvas bag from Vuitton - they can take ANYTHING. If it's a matter of getting to the car, then most of the leathers other than box/croc will be okay. I carry a small microfiber cloth in my bag and wipe it off when I get in the store or the car. My bag is chevre de coromandel.

 

[english3222]

There is rain and there is rain. There is walking to the car in a parking lot, and there is being on foot for multiple blocks in a major city. These are NOT the same things!

If I lived where it rains a LOT and I have to walk a LOT in that rain, I would most likely go with a signature canvas bag from Vuitton - they can take ANYTHING. If it's a matter of getting to the car, then most of the leathers other than box/croc will be okay. I carry a small microfiber cloth in my bag and wipe it off when I get in the store or the car. My bag is chevre de coromandel.

Thanks for the tip India. I had considered the LV canvas, but my husband hates it. That is why we were looking at the Epi, but he wasn't very happy with it either. He thought it felt like plastic! I have read each and every reply carefully and have decided that I will not be happy with anything other than Hermes. My husband hates the price, but if I tell him I will gladly give up the Tiffany pavee etoile ring he wants to buy me, maybe its a go. For some reason he does not have such an issue with buying jewelry! So now...........the age old dilemma, what model, leather and colour???????Hmmmmm. What to do, what to do? (It's a fun adventure trying to figure it all out!)

 

[clearstatic]

There is rain and there is rain. There is walking to the car in a parking lot, and there is being on foot for multiple blocks in a major city. These are NOT the same things!

If I lived where it rains a LOT and I have to walk a LOT in that rain, I would most likely go with a signature canvas bag from Vuitton - they can take ANYTHING. If it's a matter of getting to the car, then most of the leathers other than box/croc will be okay. I carry a small microfiber cloth in my bag and wipe it off when I get in the store or the car. My bag is chevre de coromandel.

WHY WOULD CROC BE SENSITIVE IN THE RAIN? i had never thought about that? and i see lizard is rain resistant? wouldnt the scales lift?

Hm I don't know if anyone ever had this idea, but I bought a longchamp pliage tote for my expensive bags and keep it folded up in my normal leather bag -- if it starts raining or if I'm out late at night, I just take out the pliage and carefully put my bag inside, so (a) it doesn't look like i'm carrying an expensive handbag and (b) it's protected from the elements!

I have read about this in the forum and it seems to work wonderfully!

Thanks for the tip India. I had considered the LV canvas, but my husband hates it. That is why we were looking at the Epi, but he wasn't very happy with it either. He thought it felt like plastic! I have read each and every reply carefully and have decided that I will not be happy with anything other than Hermes. My husband hates the price, but if I tell him I will gladly give up the Tiffany pavee etoile ring he wants to buy me, maybe its a go. For some reason he does not have such an issue with buying jewelry! So now...........the age old dilemma, what model, leather and colour???????Hmmmmm. What to do, what to do? (It's a fun adventure trying to figure it all out!)

Other than a monogram canvas, i would recommend a Damier canvas bag. Anything with Vachetta will get water spots if not sprayed/treated with products like apple Guard or shining monkey. After a while the water spots can go away, as the vachetta is developing a patina.

As per the EPI leather, well you have not to worry, its not plastic, ITS ALL LEATHER. It is also one of my favorites. The reason being personal experience: I dropped my epi leather wallet in a puddle over-night. It was completely submerged under water until i found it about 1pm. When i found it, it was puffier than a marshmellow. I put it out to drive in the sun for a couple of hours, probably about 2 hours. Still after all that sun, it looked like a marshmellow so i went ahead and slammed several encyclopedias on it and left it overnight. The next morning, it looked like the day i bought it at the boutique!! AND NO SMELLS EITHER!:okay:

 

[DiamondS]

My fjord and vache liegee bags take rain really well- though I don't try to soak them with water or anything! Epsom should be ok as well, my epsom wallet has been in snow and rain without any marks of it.

I had big trouble last weekend with my barenia / toile Birkin. Terrible rain got me and I had no umbrella.. So I tried to hold my dear bag close to me.. Not a wise move! Barenia leather survived well, it had quite a few huge drops of water on it but I wiped it and next they it looked as good as ever. However my dark blue jeans colored a spot in to the toile! What I learned was that I'll do no more (rainy) outings with natural toile - indigo denim - no umbrella....!

 

[PurpleD]

Like the other ladies who've posted here, I also live in the UK where it rains ALL the time. I have H bags in epsom, box, togo, and swift and they all hold up just fine in the rain. But I have to admit, out of all four of my bags, the epsom and togo are more sturdy leathers and can withstand more of the elements than box and swift. If the handbag gets wet, just wipe it with a tissue when you're on dry land and it should turn out just fine.

 

[english3222]

As per the EPI leather, well you have not to worry, its not plastic, ITS ALL LEATHER. It is also one of my favorites. The reason being personal experience: I dropped my epi leather wallet in a puddle over-night. It was completely submerged under water until i found it about 1pm. When i found it, it was puffier than a marshmellow. I put it out to drive in the sun for a couple of hours, probably about 2 hours. Still after all that sun, it looked like a marshmellow so i went ahead and slammed several encyclopedias on it and left it overnight. The next morning, it looked like the day i bought it at the boutique!! AND NO SMELLS EITHER!:okay:

Wow!! that is amazing. I would have freaked out over a marshmallow bag. So glad it recovered so well.

 

[birkincurious]

I have a Chamomix birkin and I am quite careful with it.

I also have an LV Alma in Epi leather in red that I use quite a bit. It wears very well. I was not an LV fan until a saw someone with a red epi bag on a NY-London flight. I also love the Alma bag, it is a classic and a good alternative to Hermes.