Warning, this is a long story because (unhappily) it has been going on for months and involves 6 different bags!
Some of you may remember the problems I've been having with my gift for my husband's birthday. I've just received the replacement gift and I hope that this one is the final winner!
Several years ago I bought a black FP Delete Transatlantic Commuter Briefcase (bag 1) for him at a good price from the Coach Men's Outlet for Christmas, and he really liked the bag and used it every day, but it was beginning to look tired and worn so I decided to get a new briefcase for his Birthday earlier this year in February.
Always a bargain hunter, I went to the outlet and bought a MFF black and saddle briefcase (bag 2) and it was nice but when I got it home I realized that it just didn't compare to his original FP briefcase so I took it back. Then I found an absolutely gorgeous FP Delete slim dark blue briefcase for a great price so I bought it (bag 3) but after I got it home I realized that it was my style and not his. He likes a large, traditional, black briefcase with multiple compartments, so I took the blue bag back.
His birthday was here and I was contemplating paying $600 for a boutique bag, but I would hesitate to spend that much on a bag for myself and he wouldn't appreciate a pricey bag as much as me IMO; but then I really got lucky (or so I thought at the time). A beautiful FP Delete large, black Bleecker Briefcase with brass hardware showed up on the Factory Online Sale for a mere $137 shipped (retail price = $598) and I got the very last one before it sold out! (Bag 4)
He really liked the new bag a lot and moved into it immediately so I decided to rehab his old briefcase. It came out very well and I gave it away to a friend who loves it and is still using it.
Things were great for about 4 months when suddenly we saw that the leather edging had split on his new Bleecker and the piping had popped out and it looked terrible! It wasn't his fault, he didn't have enough time to abuse this bag and it really should have worn much better, it was very disappointing. You can see the damage in the pictures below.
So I went through my pile of vintage bags that are waiting for rehab and found a black and brass Lexington Brief 5265 from the 1990s that I had picked-up at Goodwill for $10. I did a quick rehab job on it and it came out very nicely (bag 5). It wasn't the size and style that he likes but it was better than nothing until I could get a replacement.
I took the damaged Bleecker to the Coach store and they agreed that it was flawed and offered to sent it back to Coach at no charge. The SA told me that they wouldn't be able to repair it and they would send a refund because the bag was still less than a year after purchase.
So I waited to hear from Coach but it took some weeks before I received an acknowledgement that they had received the bag - apparently it was sent to the wrong department and had to be re-routed. The message said that they will repair the item but I don't want it back, the bag was a disappointment and I don't trust it. I hope that they just send a refund; but I don't know when I will hear the outcome now that the town has been hit by a hurricane!
While I was waiting for coach to respond I went to the outlet and also started watching the Factory Online Sales but nothing showed up comparable to his gone but beloved original briefcase. I was once again ready to pay $600 for a new boutique bag when the fall PCE pre-sale began, and I was able to get a beautiful new bag at a 30% discount (bag 6). I also picked up a little something for myself at the same time because why not take advantage of 30% off when it is available?
I will show pics of bag 6 in the next message. I hope that this is the final chapter in what should have been be an easy gift purchase!
Bleecker Briefcase Damage:
Some of you may remember the problems I've been having with my gift for my husband's birthday. I've just received the replacement gift and I hope that this one is the final winner!
Several years ago I bought a black FP Delete Transatlantic Commuter Briefcase (bag 1) for him at a good price from the Coach Men's Outlet for Christmas, and he really liked the bag and used it every day, but it was beginning to look tired and worn so I decided to get a new briefcase for his Birthday earlier this year in February.
Always a bargain hunter, I went to the outlet and bought a MFF black and saddle briefcase (bag 2) and it was nice but when I got it home I realized that it just didn't compare to his original FP briefcase so I took it back. Then I found an absolutely gorgeous FP Delete slim dark blue briefcase for a great price so I bought it (bag 3) but after I got it home I realized that it was my style and not his. He likes a large, traditional, black briefcase with multiple compartments, so I took the blue bag back.
His birthday was here and I was contemplating paying $600 for a boutique bag, but I would hesitate to spend that much on a bag for myself and he wouldn't appreciate a pricey bag as much as me IMO; but then I really got lucky (or so I thought at the time). A beautiful FP Delete large, black Bleecker Briefcase with brass hardware showed up on the Factory Online Sale for a mere $137 shipped (retail price = $598) and I got the very last one before it sold out! (Bag 4)
He really liked the new bag a lot and moved into it immediately so I decided to rehab his old briefcase. It came out very well and I gave it away to a friend who loves it and is still using it.
Things were great for about 4 months when suddenly we saw that the leather edging had split on his new Bleecker and the piping had popped out and it looked terrible! It wasn't his fault, he didn't have enough time to abuse this bag and it really should have worn much better, it was very disappointing. You can see the damage in the pictures below.
So I went through my pile of vintage bags that are waiting for rehab and found a black and brass Lexington Brief 5265 from the 1990s that I had picked-up at Goodwill for $10. I did a quick rehab job on it and it came out very nicely (bag 5). It wasn't the size and style that he likes but it was better than nothing until I could get a replacement.
I took the damaged Bleecker to the Coach store and they agreed that it was flawed and offered to sent it back to Coach at no charge. The SA told me that they wouldn't be able to repair it and they would send a refund because the bag was still less than a year after purchase.
So I waited to hear from Coach but it took some weeks before I received an acknowledgement that they had received the bag - apparently it was sent to the wrong department and had to be re-routed. The message said that they will repair the item but I don't want it back, the bag was a disappointment and I don't trust it. I hope that they just send a refund; but I don't know when I will hear the outcome now that the town has been hit by a hurricane!
While I was waiting for coach to respond I went to the outlet and also started watching the Factory Online Sales but nothing showed up comparable to his gone but beloved original briefcase. I was once again ready to pay $600 for a new boutique bag when the fall PCE pre-sale began, and I was able to get a beautiful new bag at a 30% discount (bag 6). I also picked up a little something for myself at the same time because why not take advantage of 30% off when it is available?
I will show pics of bag 6 in the next message. I hope that this is the final chapter in what should have been be an easy gift purchase!
Bleecker Briefcase Damage:
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. Fortunately, when it comes to bags I'm on my own; get whatever I want!!