Melie or Not ?

Jules626

Member
Feb 20, 2016
211
651
Hi Melie Lovers,
Continuing this discussion from previous threads with the intention of garnering some useful advice... please !!

https://forum.purseblog.com/threads/for-the-love-of-empreinte.635848/page-603#post-32126125
(my original post about this)

(@princessmin & @nightguard) :smile:

________________________________________________________________________

So after a 40+ minute call with my client advisor last Thursday, I decided to have her send me a * brand new * straight from the warehouse Melie in Empreinte Noir (same bag). Yes, I have two charges sitting on my Amex right now for roughly $2900, as well as two identical bags in my posession. I know if I decide to keep one of the bags, I will only be charged once, obviously, upon the time I send one back to the mothership.

When the second bag arrived today, I was floored to notice that the newer one has the same exact serial number. Both were made in the same place at the same time: USA & tenth week of 2018. The bags are very very similar. Which I feel puts me at a disadvantage because an apple from the same branch on the same tree is most likely going to have been handcrafted in the exact same way, so that it's hard to compare the two. I was hoping for a bag from at least a different plant, if not more so a different country. I didn't have my hopes up for MIF though, since I know they're so hard to come by.

I am posting some photos here for comparison. I don't think its necessary to post all the places near the hardware that there is glazing over the raw edges since both bags are virtually almost identical and those areas seem as fine quality as they can be. The photos are just eye candy for whatever it's worth because you can't see any real differences if there even are any.

The glazed edges around the top lip of the bag are pretty similar as well. That was the area I was really worried about. I saw on another thread someone's same style Melie that had cracked around the top lip -- she returned it to the store for repairs and it was deemed defective which turned into a store credit and forfeit of the bag. (here's that post: The Magnificent Melie Hobo ). Which if I decide to keep the bag, I'd like to have it forever and not have to swap out and go through that project down the road. This is a big factor. My heart truly melts for this bag (haven't gotten it out of my head since the first time I laid eyes on her last year in a boutique) but having to potentially return in the future makes my heart break just thinking about having to part with her.

So my question really is: do I keep one ? Do I return both ? If I return both I can possibly explain to the SA that it's important for me to get a MIF and really get what I want all around. BUT THEN even if I get a MIF, what if the QC is not up to speed ?! And what if this style goes MIA like so many other beautiful items lately. Then I can only get secondhand !!!
So many factors to consider.
Can you tell my head is spinning ???
:panic:

This second bag straight from the warehouse really only satisfied my need to get one that hasn't been handled by anyone outside of the company. Meaning it never went to a store. And it does not appear to have any really really jagged pieces of glaze sticking out, like the original bag did. So if I keep one, it'll be the newer one. Other than that, I can't see anything defective or wrong with either of them !

My
other question is - I absolutely LOVE all of the LV bags I already own. And they all happen to be canvas. Granted, they are from 2013 and earlier and I know their QC is on point. I read through the thread about LV intentionally (or not) scaling back on canvas items in order to promote leather items, to elevate the brand and "weed out" entry level buyers. (here: Out of stock of everything!) So I am fully aware of how newer canvas LV mostly does not hold up against 2013 and earlier. But I was thinking of maybe even returning both leather Melies for a mono canvas Melie. The bag is beautiful any way you paint her. The plus is that the canvas is more durable, less fragile than the leather, less money ($2140 including NJ tax) so I'd be saving roughly $750+, and I could always bump up in the future to the leather version. Even if I have to buy secondhand at that point. The thing is I really really wanted my next LV to be a leather. 30 is a big year, I've accomplished tons in the past five years (when I was 25 I treated myself to the Alma PM Multicolore (thread to view my collection: The elusive purse peace). So my next "big" bag I wanted another statement piece. Milestone birthdays are all about those special pieces, right ?!

As you can see, I need some serious serious advice here. I believe I have until Tuesday, 3/27 to make a return on the first Melie purchased in store. The other one I can keep for two weeks from today.

What would you do ?
What do you think I should do ??


* It should be noted that I totally hate returning items to the store, especially big ticket items. So none of this is taken lightly for me. The return is going to be a hassle on my mind and I won't really be less stressed about this until that all goes down.

Thanks in advance for all of your help. :smile: :heart:

xo Jules

The one with the detached luggage tag is the newer one that came today. Not that it matters if you're not here in person inspecting them lol but just thought I'd include that info.

IMG_1485.jpg IMG_1475.jpg IMG_1479.jpg IMG_1477.jpg IMG_1476.jpg
 
I say keep the new one you just got since you know it has never been touched and looks pretty perfect. It’s such a beautiful bag! I was the same, I kept going back to the Melie after seeing it for the first time. If you love the design, just keep it cuz you never know when it might get discontinued. Don’t let potential glazing problems make you give up a bag. Any bag could have some kind of problem someday, you never know. I like the canvas Melie too, it’s a different look than the empreinte so it’s all about what style you’re going for. You can’t lose, both canvas and empreinte are beautiful. I wish I could have both!
 
I say keep the new one you just got since you know it has never been touched and looks pretty perfect. It’s such a beautiful bag! I was the same, I kept going back to the Melie after seeing it for the first time. If you love the design, just keep it cuz you never know when it might get discontinued. Don’t let potential glazing problems make you give up a bag. Any bag could have some kind of problem someday, you never know. I like the canvas Melie too, it’s a different look than the empreinte so it’s all about what style you’re going for. You can’t lose, both canvas and empreinte are beautiful. I wish I could have both!

Thank you for your valuable opinion ! Very much appreciated. I still have both identical bags, I’m waiting to hear back from my advisor in order to ship one back to her. I can’t get it out of my head, and always always come back to it. So it’s meant to be. I’m probably going to be a lot more critical and critically careful with this bag since the price tag is quite up there and I’ve only ever spent this much when I bought my multicolore Alma five years ago. Cliche but you only live once !! xo