Hello everyone! My first post on TPF, and wanted to add my experience to this thread.
I have one bag from L+V: Le Petit Cartable, which is no longer sold but I believe one of their early products. It was originally promoted via Kickstarter to get backing for its creation/production, but I purchased it once the company had a solid online presence with many small leather goods options as well as bags for both men and women. It is a leather messenger bag with a top handle as well as the option to use clasps to add a shoulder strap and/or backpack straps.
I’ve been using it as a work bag for nearly five years, and it has held up nicely. Like many have mentioned, the leather is high quality and thick. Shipping from France was swift (I think it arrived in three days) and pricey, but before ordering I sent the company an email asking if there were any promo codes for free shipping and they sent me one. Never hurts to ask!
While I am happy with the bag, I was disappointed upon first unwrapping when I saw a few scratches on the leather. Not deep gouges, but certainly noticeable - one on a buckle strap, and another at the top of the bag. I find it impossible to believe that whoever packed the bag to not see these things, but I didn’t want to go through the hassle of sending it back and asking for a different one.
If I were to buy another (I do love many of their handbag styles), I would only purchase in-person so that I could select the bag myself to make sure there were no imperfections/scratches. I have heard from so many others who have ordered L+V bags in the United States and had a similar unwrapping experience that the cynic in me wonders if slightly-damaged bags are almost by default shipped internationally, since most people would be unwilling to deal with the headache of sending it back to another continent and waiting for the replacement. An in-person buyer would have a much easier time pointing out the flaw and going home with a perfect, new bag.
As others have also mentioned, L+V buckles/fasteners get scratched and worn-looking almost immediately. Fortunately, on Le Petit Cartable they are hidden beneath leather so not visible to anyone but me, but it does feel cheaper than the rest of the bag.
I have one bag from L+V: Le Petit Cartable, which is no longer sold but I believe one of their early products. It was originally promoted via Kickstarter to get backing for its creation/production, but I purchased it once the company had a solid online presence with many small leather goods options as well as bags for both men and women. It is a leather messenger bag with a top handle as well as the option to use clasps to add a shoulder strap and/or backpack straps.
I’ve been using it as a work bag for nearly five years, and it has held up nicely. Like many have mentioned, the leather is high quality and thick. Shipping from France was swift (I think it arrived in three days) and pricey, but before ordering I sent the company an email asking if there were any promo codes for free shipping and they sent me one. Never hurts to ask!
While I am happy with the bag, I was disappointed upon first unwrapping when I saw a few scratches on the leather. Not deep gouges, but certainly noticeable - one on a buckle strap, and another at the top of the bag. I find it impossible to believe that whoever packed the bag to not see these things, but I didn’t want to go through the hassle of sending it back and asking for a different one.
If I were to buy another (I do love many of their handbag styles), I would only purchase in-person so that I could select the bag myself to make sure there were no imperfections/scratches. I have heard from so many others who have ordered L+V bags in the United States and had a similar unwrapping experience that the cynic in me wonders if slightly-damaged bags are almost by default shipped internationally, since most people would be unwilling to deal with the headache of sending it back to another continent and waiting for the replacement. An in-person buyer would have a much easier time pointing out the flaw and going home with a perfect, new bag.
As others have also mentioned, L+V buckles/fasteners get scratched and worn-looking almost immediately. Fortunately, on Le Petit Cartable they are hidden beneath leather so not visible to anyone but me, but it does feel cheaper than the rest of the bag.
