Is Kate Spade purses/bag made with real leather??

[babibarbie]

I have to say... No way. Generally they are not leather....

I have friends who work at leather shoe and handbag manufacturers. I showed them Saffiano "leather" KS tote. All my friends said categorically its NOT genuine leather. Its a high quality fake leather. I agree. I've used the bag (and other KS bags) for years and they never soften the way my high end leather bags do. In fact, on one bag the handles are stating to crack - not as leather cracks but how man made materials crack.

And let's be real - there is NO WAY any brand can retail a genuine leather bag for $300. If it retails for $300 the manufacturing cost must be well under $30 (you'd be shocked at the manufacturing cost of most thing!). You can't make a leather bag for $30.... Maybe a T-I-N-Y spot on the bag is genuine (like a zip pull tab) so they can get away with saying "genuine".

Also, Tagniello (spelling?) bags are plastic - not leather. I was disposing of a bag then decided to cut it up to see for myself- in the cross section you can see its a coated foam-type material - NOT leather.

Off topic - FYI: LV monogram canvas bags cost around $125 to make. $75 of that is for the hardware...so 50 bucks for the canvas and leather straps.

Thank you! That makes sense! I have a small jet Michael kors tote saffiano and is still in greag shape but you can see i cant wear it on daily basis or it will fall apart

Also, what brands would you consider made with real leather? Frye brand? They are not crazy expensive but like you said, for $300 purse... and they look real country leather!

 

[vink]

Some of the earlier bags are made out of boar skin. I read that somewhere and it wear like iron.

 

[contributor]

Thank you! That makes sense! I have a small jet Michael kors tote saffiano and is still in greag shape but you can see i cant wear it on daily basis or it will fall apart

Also, what brands would you consider made with real leather? Frye brand? They are not crazy expensive but like you said, for $300 purse... and they look real country leather!

I'll look around and try to get advice from my friends. Will post if I find anything. Always happy to share information!!!

 

[Holyshih_tzu]

I have to say... No way. Generally they are not leather....

I have friends who work at leather shoe and handbag manufacturers. I showed them Saffiano "leather" KS tote. All my friends said categorically its NOT genuine leather. Its a high quality fake leather. I agree. I've used the bag (and other KS bags) for years and they never soften the way my high end leather bags do. In fact, on one bag the handles are stating to crack - not as leather cracks but how man made materials crack.

And let's be real - there is NO WAY any brand can retail a genuine leather bag for $300. If it retails for $300 the manufacturing cost must be well under $30 (you'd be shocked at the manufacturing cost of most thing!). You can't make a leather bag for $30.... Maybe a T-I-N-Y spot on the bag is genuine (like a zip pull tab) so they can get away with saying "genuine".

Also, Tagniello (spelling?) bags are plastic - not leather. I was disposing of a bag then decided to cut it up to see for myself- in the cross section you can see its a coated foam-type material - NOT leather.

Off topic - FYI: LV monogram canvas bags cost around $125 to make. $75 of that is for the hardware...so 50 bucks for the canvas and leather straps.

I’m trying to figure out how this would apply to coach products. They’re normally at around the same cost as ks, but their leather is historically good cow leather. I’m just trying to understand how they can make production cost vs retail profit work.

 

[Holyshih_tzu]

The Kate Spade bags that I have purchased directly from high end department stores (for example, Nordstrom) or regular-priced from the official website have all been real leather (and felt like it!). I'm not as sure about the bags from the outlets. . . To me, the outlet bag leather feels stiffer and more plastic-like.

This is helpful. I’m in a Poshmark debate that a ks wallet is not real because it feels lightweight and plastic..ish. I don’t buy almost ever from outlets. It never said anything about outlet on the listing. Hmm.

 

[contributor]

I’m trying to figure out how this would apply to coach products. They’re normally at around the same cost as ks, but their leather is historically good cow leather. I’m just trying to understand how they can make production cost vs retail profit work.

I think it depends on what kind of leather and where you bought the bag. I’m suspicious of ANYTHING sold at outlets!!
Coach is slightly higher priced than ks.