I'm a Bal newbie and stalking my first (Anthra City RH) to be acquired as soon as possible, but from reading so much on here and looking at eight zillion photos (which is SO helpful!), it's become clear to me how very widely the leather can vary and how specific people's preferences are. Do you insist on picking out your bags in person?
It seems to me in an ideal world that's what I'd do, but I'm not near many stores that carry Bal, so was planning to probably order from Bal.com or Aloha Rag or Barneys.com or such when the time comes. When you order from Aloha Rag or call the Bal store in person to order, do they help you at least pick from among the stock they have, or try to pick one that matches your description?
One last question! (Sorry, and thanks.) I honestly love ALL the types of leather I've seen on here, both the very veiny/wrinkly and the smoother ones - I think I'd like a "middle of the road" for my first Bal so I can decide which extreme I'd lean towards in the future. How would I even describe that - is there such a thing as an average/normal Bal leather?
It seems to me in an ideal world that's what I'd do, but I'm not near many stores that carry Bal, so was planning to probably order from Bal.com or Aloha Rag or Barneys.com or such when the time comes. When you order from Aloha Rag or call the Bal store in person to order, do they help you at least pick from among the stock they have, or try to pick one that matches your description?
One last question! (Sorry, and thanks.) I honestly love ALL the types of leather I've seen on here, both the very veiny/wrinkly and the smoother ones - I think I'd like a "middle of the road" for my first Bal so I can decide which extreme I'd lean towards in the future. How would I even describe that - is there such a thing as an average/normal Bal leather?