Leather quality - BV vs Hermes

[luv2shophandbag]

If we are talking about the weave bags, then H wins hands down for sure. The weave bags need only a long strip of leather to look good individually, the other imperfections can be thrown away. I have a veneta, and after creasing the leather doesn't look good. But it is very light and comfy. The H bag needs the whole large piece of leather to be perfect in order to make the front and back of the bag which is much more difficult to achieve.

This is something I am really learning to appreciate as I start my own bag business. It is much more expensive to make bags from one large piece, or several large pieces. I am designing one I call the wraparound, where there is one large piece of leather that is the front, bottom, and back, and another large piece bag and same grade of leather as my other styles, it costs about twice as much to make because the construction doesn't allow for any imperfections, and hides without any are much rarer.

The more I learn about bags from the inside out, the more appreciate I appreciate H!

 

[hermes40]

Thanks for all the inputs guys,never cease to surprise me how much one can learn about luxury on this forum.
What about Loewe? It's suppose to be one of the best leather producers in Europe.

BV Ostrich & Croc trim clutch:

Loewe Amazone:

 

[GraceTheGreat]

I love both H and BV, but I'd like to know from those of you who own both: which holds up better? I'd like to buy a bag that will last me a lifetime - literally. I think H is the place to go, but I do love BV as well...

 

[Liberté]

Like cosmetics, leather comes from a select few places, and they're all going to be VERY close in quality if they're not coming from the same tannery to begin with. Hermes' cashmere comes from the same place that supplies much of the higher-end brands around the world, ditto for silk, their jewelry is outsourced...and so on and so forth.

There aren't nearly as many distinct manufacturers as we think. Every year when certain colors are declared to be "in," we think it's all about the designer, but it's really what the mills are producing for that season so options aren't endless unless they go custom, and design houses can rarely afford to do that.

Sometimes I think my fashion and retailing courses were the most valuable I've ever taken.

I only know this from glass manufactury, it's the same thing. That particular furnace only made a certain type of glas (opaque milky white) one month of the year, so if someone wanted glasses in that type they had to wait a year to get them if they wanted that specific colour (of course except huge orders). I assume that's how it works with leathers and dyes as well, anything else makes little sense from a manufacturers point of view. ANd yes, retail, sales and manufacturing is very interesteing.

 

[kipp]

Well, this is an H forum, so you might expect that we all would prefer H over other brands. And I'm probably no exception...

Having said that, I have loved Loewe bags for a very long time---in fact, it was my first handbag obsession after learning of the company on a trip to Madrid 20 years ago. The Amazone bag you pictured is their "iconic" bag and in exotic leathers, absolutely stunning!

I have one 2007/2008 fall/winter limited edition Loewe bag that turns heads wherever I go (last time I carried this bag in New York, I must have been asked 10 times a day about it, with many questions from Sales Associates in Bergdorfs/Barneys/ Chanel/ and yes Hermes!)---Gorgeous leather, gorgeous workmanship, and unusual design! But, just like for H, some of their bags I love, and not necessarily others. However, their quality is very high and many of the leathers are beautiful, especially their napa lambskin. No question, though, Loewe is under the radar more than H and more easily obtainable, if one travels. Moreoever, I'm guessing that most Loewe bags are not hand-sewn (am not sure about the exotics...). And I believe that the Hermes bags I own are more durable than the Loewe bags I have owned---however, this may not be a fair comparison, depending upon the leather, type of bag, etc...

I think that although Loewe has been in business for over 150 years, the quality and mystique about Hermes, from the past, for now, and probably for ever will put H on top of any poll. And especially one you take here LOL!.

 

[doloresmia]

I love both H and BV, but I'd like to know from those of you who own both: which holds up better? I'd like to buy a bag that will last me a lifetime - literally. I think H is the place to go, but I do love BV as well...

I think in general H will last forever - for example, i just adopted a 17 year old HAC and am amazed at how great she looks and expect her to go on 20 more years.... However, BV styles like the cabat seem very durable. I think it is hard to do a direct bag comparison.

My HAC is too heavy to wear all the time whereas my veneta is so light and easy to go with. The leather is soooooo soft, and the look is elegant. Again, they are both classics - in different ways - that IMO you cannot go wrong with either.

 

[GraceTheGreat]

^thanks, very helpful . I think I have to go for both then, since both the Veneta and the HAC are on my whish list - you are such an enabler Doloresmia!

 

[Lyanna Stark]

Chocograce, the creases occurs at the places where you would bend it, normally at the curvy parts and near the zipper and at the bottom corner. It is natural wear and tear but after a while it does not look so good.

This is something I am really learning to appreciate as I start my own bag business. It is much more expensive to make bags from one large piece, or several large pieces. I am designing one I call the wraparound, where there is one large piece of leather that is the front, bottom, and back, and another large piece bag and same grade of leather as my other styles, it costs about twice as much to make because the construction doesn't allow for any imperfections, and hides without any are much rarer.

The more I learn about bags from the inside out, the more appreciate I appreciate H!

Absolutely! I imagine the wastage would be horrendous, especially for H where they are reputed to destroy any piece with imperfections. I can't imagine why they can't cut off the area and use the leather into something smaller, like an accessory?! Anyway good wishes for your bag biz!

I think in general H will last forever - for example, i just adopted a 17 year old HAC and am amazed at how great she looks and expect her to go on 20 more years.... However, BV styles like the cabat seem very durable. I think it is hard to do a direct bag comparison.

My HAC is too heavy to wear all the time whereas my veneta is so light and easy to go with. The leather is soooooo soft, and the look is elegant. Again, they are both classics - in different ways - that IMO you cannot go wrong with either.

*nods* They both have their place, especially when the veneta is 1/6 the price of a birkin. I have absolutely no regrets buying the veneta at all. I think it is worth the price. For the cabat, I don't know.