Leather quality-- Which bags have the best & which are worst?

[designerdiva87]

I am new to Coach. I am a lover of Marc Jacobs bags, but am willing to venture out based on some of Coach's styles that I like, namely medium crossbodys with handles.

Quality leather is important to me. My bag is typically my workhorse.

So...which have the best leather quality & which are subpar, in your opinion?

 

[CoachMaven]

If you are looking for a workhorse style, my suggestion would be the pebbled leathers. They are less prone to scratches and tend to be a thicker leather. I've been using a Rhyder 33 satchel for over a month and it has proven to be quite the workhorse, even with the thinner pebbled leather.

 

[StarBrown]

Vintage Coach might be the way to go. I have a few MBMJ pieces and I love the slouchy, but durable quality. It reminds me of the old sonoma bags. The newer COACH bags seem to be a little on the stiff side or on the thin side. But...I could be biased--I love vintage bags.

 

[whateve]

I have some vintage and early 2000s pieces that have wonderful leather. Some of my favorites are:
1. 2010 Poppy. This is surprising because it was Coach's budget priced line. This is my sapphire Poppy Spotlight which has the softest, smoothest, slightly sparkly leather.
2. 2009 Parker. This leather was called gelato leather is super squishy and soft.
3. 2007 Bleecker. I absolutely love this collection. The leather is burnished and has a smooth sheen.
4. 2006 Legacy. The leather on these almost glows. This is a favorite among Coach collectors.
5. 2004 Tortilla bags. These are made of lambskin and you can't get any softer than that.
6. 2013 Madison pebbled leather. My Isabelles are soft and squishy, and have the most wonderful leather smell.
7. 1999 Rambler's Legacy. With older bags, the location of manufacture makes a difference. US, Costa Rica, Hungary, Turkey and Italy are some of the best. Anything made in the mid to late 90s through 2002 in those places is probably going to have nice leather.
8. 2006 Sonoma Natural grain. Very soft thick, pebbled leather.
9. 2013 Legacy pebbled drawstrings. Very thick pebbled leather.

The worst leathers I've seen are some of the classics produced in the last few years, the made for factory Zoes made in 2012-2013 (but my 2009 MFF Zoe is wonderful), anything with cross-grain leather... The 2012 Legacy duffles looked and felt nice but didn't hold up, but I still love them. I'm not thrilled with the leather on my 2013 archival Rambler, but I love the leather on my 2012 Legacy bucket bag.

 

[momtok]

The worst leathers I've seen are some of the classics produced in the last few years, the made for factory Zoes made in 2012-2013 (but my 2009 MFF Zoe is wonderful), .

I agree with this, but just wanted to emphasize that this is only in the MFF Zoes.

The boutique Zoes have wonderfully thick leather. My brown (color was "chocolate"?) has leather that later seemed to be renamed as their "pinnacle leather". Even my crinkle-patent boutique Zoes have wonderfully thick leather. These, of course, are the Zoes with the buckles on the sides.

While the Zoes were still in the boutiques, they started making MFF Zoes (with F at the beginning of the style number) that were *identical* to the boutique Zoes, and had just as nice of leather. I once stood in an outlet, comparing a boutique delete Zoe and it's MFF version, and they were identical. Same thick, aromatic leather. Same hardware. Same everything, except for the F after-the-dash on the creed.

Once the Zoes were no longer offered in boutique lines, then that's when they re-did a new, different style of MFF Zoe. It lost the buckles on the sides. It gained a crossbody strap. And I think the shoulder strap was no longer detachable on one side (iirc). *That* is when the leather on those "new style" MFF Zoes really went south.

But the boutique Zoes (and the *first* version of identical MFF Zoes) are wonderful leather. I have multiple medium, multiple pochette size, and I'm actually in the market for another one or two. Daughter even requested one (had to get it in excellent condition from ebay) just because we liked the leather so much, and she was after that particular color.

Anyway, I just wanted to emphasize the difference in those Zoes. Original Zoes ... amazing. Later-style MFF Zoes ... that's where it tanked.

..... editing to add .... And the leather on the new Shadow bags is pretty darn nice too. I have one winging it's way to me at the moment, and I shall be fondling it muchly once it arrives.

 

[CoachMaven]

I agree with this, but just wanted to emphasize that this is only in the MFF Zoes.

The boutique Zoes have wonderfully thick leather. My brown (color was "chocolate"?) has leather that later seemed to be renamed as their "pinnacle leather". Even my crinkle-patent boutique Zoes have wonderfully thick leather. These, of course, are the Zoes with the buckles on the sides.

While the Zoes were still in the boutiques, they started making MFF Zoes (with F at the beginning of the style number) that were *identical* to the boutique Zoes, and had just as nice of leather. I once stood in an outlet, comparing a boutique delete Zoe and it's MFF version, and they were identical. Same thick, aromatic leather. Same hardware. Same everything, except for the F after-the-dash on the creed.

Once the Zoes were no longer offered in boutique lines, then that's when they re-did a new, different style of MFF Zoe. It lost the buckles on the sides. It gained a crossbody strap. And I think the shoulder strap was no longer detachable on one side (iirc). *That* is when the leather on those "new style" MFF Zoes really went south.

But the boutique Zoes (and the *first* version of identical MFF Zoes) are wonderful leather. I have multiple medium, multiple pochette size, and I'm actually in the market for another one or two. Daughter even requested one (had to get it in excellent condition from ebay) just because we liked the leather so much, and she was after that particular color.

Anyway, I just wanted to emphasize the difference in those Zoes. Original Zoes ... amazing. Later-style MFF Zoes ... that's where it tanked.

..... editing to add .... And the leather on the new Shadow bags is pretty darn nice too. I have one winging it's way to me at the moment, and I shall be fondling it muchly once it arrives.

I love my Zoe. I have a crinkle patent boutique one in Petrol from 2009 and I could never part with it. It is a thicker leather for sure! I actually had to buy edge kote for it, because of all the many bags I have/owned, it is the only one to crack at the edging! So I am hoping this does the trick.

 

[ilikesunshine]

i have some vintage and early 2000s pieces that have wonderful leather. Some of my favorites are:
1. 2010 poppy. This is surprising because it was coach's budget priced line. This is my sapphire poppy spotlight which has the softest, smoothest, slightly sparkly leather.
2. 2009 parker. This leather was called gelato leather is super squishy and soft.
3. 2007 bleecker. I absolutely love this collection. The leather is burnished and has a smooth sheen.
4. 2006 legacy. The leather on these almost glows. This is a favorite among coach collectors.
5. 2004 tortilla bags. These are made of lambskin and you can't get any softer than that.
6. 2013 madison pebbled leather. My isabelles are soft and squishy, and have the most wonderful leather smell.
7. 1999 rambler's legacy. With older bags, the location of manufacture makes a difference. Us, costa rica, hungary, turkey and italy are some of the best. Anything made in the mid to late 90s through 2002 in those places is probably going to have nice leather.
8. 2006 sonoma natural grain. Very soft thick, pebbled leather.
9. 2013 legacy pebbled drawstrings. Very thick pebbled leather.

The worst leathers i've seen are some of the classics produced in the last few years, the made for factory zoes made in 2012-2013 (but my 2009 mff zoe is wonderful), anything with cross-grain leather... The 2012 legacy duffles looked and felt nice but didn't hold up, but i still love them. I'm not thrilled with the leather on my 2013 archival rambler, but i love the leather on my 2012 legacy bucket bag.

i love all 9!!!!

 

[whateve]

i love all 9!!!!

Thank you! Me too!

 

[carinas]

I have some vintage and early 2000s pieces that have wonderful leather. Some of my favorites are:
1. 2010 Poppy. This is surprising because it was Coach's budget priced line. This is my sapphire Poppy Spotlight which has the softest, smoothest, slightly sparkly leather.
2. 2009 Parker. This leather was called gelato leather is super squishy and soft.
3. 2007 Bleecker. I absolutely love this collection. The leather is burnished and has a smooth sheen.
4. 2006 Legacy. The leather on these almost glows. This is a favorite among Coach collectors.
5. 2004 Tortilla bags. These are made of lambskin and you can't get any softer than that.
6. 2013 Madison pebbled leather. My Isabelles are soft and squishy, and have the most wonderful leather smell.
7. 1999 Rambler's Legacy. With older bags, the location of manufacture makes a difference. US, Costa Rica, Hungary, Turkey and Italy are some of the best. Anything made in the mid to late 90s through 2002 in those places is probably going to have nice leather.
8. 2006 Sonoma Natural grain. Very soft thick, pebbled leather.
9. 2013 Legacy pebbled drawstrings. Very thick pebbled leather.

The worst leathers I've seen are some of the classics produced in the last few years, the made for factory Zoes made in 2012-2013 (but my 2009 MFF Zoe is wonderful), anything with cross-grain leather... The 2012 Legacy duffles looked and felt nice but didn't hold up, but I still love them. I'm not thrilled with the leather on my 2013 archival Rambler, but I love the leather on my 2012 Legacy bucket bag.

Wonderful wonderful bags! Good for you that I don't know where you live

 

[Mariquel]

I have some vintage and early 2000s pieces that have wonderful leather. Some of my favorites are:
1. 2010 Poppy. This is surprising because it was Coach's budget priced line. This is my sapphire Poppy Spotlight which has the softest, smoothest, slightly sparkly leather.
2. 2009 Parker. This leather was called gelato leather is super squishy and soft.
3. 2007 Bleecker. I absolutely love this collection. The leather is burnished and has a smooth sheen.
4. 2006 Legacy. The leather on these almost glows. This is a favorite among Coach collectors.
5. 2004 Tortilla bags. These are made of lambskin and you can't get any softer than that.
6. 2013 Madison pebbled leather. My Isabelles are soft and squishy, and have the most wonderful leather smell.
7. 1999 Rambler's Legacy. With older bags, the location of manufacture makes a difference. US, Costa Rica, Hungary, Turkey and Italy are some of the best. Anything made in the mid to late 90s through 2002 in those places is probably going to have nice leather.
8. 2006 Sonoma Natural grain. Very soft thick, pebbled leather.
9. 2013 Legacy pebbled drawstrings. Very thick pebbled leather.

The worst leathers I've seen are some of the classics produced in the last few years, the made for factory Zoes made in 2012-2013 (but my 2009 MFF Zoe is wonderful), anything with cross-grain leather... The 2012 Legacy duffles looked and felt nice but didn't hold up, but I still love them. I'm not thrilled with the leather on my 2013 archival Rambler, but I love the leather on my 2012 Legacy bucket bag.

Great info! I wish there were some kind of way to Pinterest your post!

 

[whateve]

Wonderful wonderful bags! Good for you that I don't know where you live

Thanks! Here's a hint; it is very far away from JAX!

Great info! I wish there were some kind of way to Pinterest your post!

Thank you!

 

[ZSP]

I've been loving Whateve's bag collection for all the years I've been here on tpf...and...I don't live so far away. So watch out Whateve.

 

[carinas]

Thanks! Here's a hint; it is very far away from JAX!

Thank you!

We want more photos of your amazing collection. You are just teasing us with these 9 pics!

 

[Mariquel]

I've been loving Whateve's bag collection for all the years I've been here on tpf...and...I don't live so far away. So watch out Whateve.

I don't think I'm very far away either. I'm pretty sure she and I are in the same state.

 

[Mariquel]

we want more photos of your amazing collection. You are just teasing us with these 9 pics!

+1