New bbag with faded/ worn-out corners - would you accept it? =(

happy.epi

O.G.
Mar 25, 2010
160
0
So I was happily awaiting my mail order of a 2009 dark brown GSH from Bal Cannes but when I received the bag, my happiness turned into disappointment. :cry: The corners, especially the top and bottom of the piping, were obviously worned out and faded (the top fading in the second photo is not as obvious in the photos but more so in person). The rest of the bag looks and feels gorgeous though.

I called Bal Cannes to ask if I can possibly exchange for a better piece but was told that faded corners on some bags are normal due to the different parts of leather used and should not be deemed as a defect or flaw.

For the full price I have paid for this bag, what would you do if you were in my shoes? Should I really just swallow my disappointment and accept this obvious imperfection on a brand new bag? If so, is there anything I can do to improve the looks of the poor pipings?
 

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I have been through the same exact experience so I know how you feel. I bought a brand new Tomate Bal earlier this year from a store in Australia and when it arrived, the corners looked like they were faded and the leather on the handles were very dry. I decided to keep the bag because it was an old colour and hard to come by. The fading disappeared temporarily after I moisturised it with Apple conditioner, but the dry leather bothered me a lot and in the end I sold the bag at a huge loss. I think you must consider whether you really really love the colour and can overlook the fading. After all, you probably will not be able to get this 2009 colour in a "brand new" state from anywhere else.
 
My gut instinct is to tell you to return it because for the money you spent, and on a new bag, it should be in perfect condition. That bottom corner, especially, looks bad IMHO. However, you may be able to nurse it with some Apple conditioner. The bag was probably just knocked around a lot in the store.

I wonder if you really wanted that specific color and combination? I know hunting down your HG can be cumbersome, but it might be best to return and wait it out. There may be another bag of the same color and hardware combo that pops up. If that happens, it will most likely be used. Could you live with that?

Until you make up your mind, call the store and let them know the problem you are having. I'm sure lots of other bbag lovers will chime in with advice soon enough. Good luck.
 
Thanks Yack and Aluxe for your replies! I've already called the store and the SA said my request for an exchange (if there's another better piece in the first place) has been forwarded to the manager. But he did say that their general policy is that they do not accept returns for mail orders, so I'm not having high hopes.

I do love this brown with GSH, although it can't be considered my HG combination. I guess a part of me is kind of relunctant to let go because GH is getting phased out and I much prefer brand new bags. Should I be letting the discontinuation of GH affect my decision?
 
OP, I know how you feel because I had recently the exact same experience with Bal Cannes. I was completely new to Bal and wanted to order from official Bal boutique, so contacted Bal Cannes. I wanted to get Dark Night City but since they didn't have any they offered 2010 Blue Roi City. When it arrived it also looked to me that corners were worn and it had nail scratches on front and back.
But because I was so inexperienced with Bal I didn't know how it is supposed to be :shrugs:
When making a mail order from Bal Cannes they make you fill in the form where they state NO REFUNDS OR RETURNS.
So I let it go... Now after I bought 2 more Bal Cities from different boutique and they appeared to be brand new, crisp, never touched before bags, I am more mad about my Blue Roi city I got from Bal Cannes.
So if I were you, I would return it because for a full price you can get brand new Bbags as I know from my experience.
Overall my experience with Bal Cannes was pretty bad, so I don't think I would buy from them again. There are much better options out there.
 
For what a Bal bag costs, it should be in much better shape, imo. And yours was sold to you as "new" from a Bal boutique.

The corners/piping on Bal bags wears much too quickly--I've had Coach bags (granted, they are from the olden days when all things Coach were made in the USA) and the piping on my duffel lasted YEARS before it wore through, and I was rough on that bag, not like how I am today with all of my bags (so careful, never on the floor, etc.).

Based on the corner/piping wear issues on Bals, I only have 1 City (and it shows wear but I got it used and it's ok enough). The rest are a Day (no piping) and a few Purses (no piping again)--the piping/corners seem to be the pain point on Bals.

If you are not happy with your bag, you should return it and ignore the sales staff. Good luck and please let us know what happens.
 
At first I was thinking, for a pre-owned purse, the corners don't look bad at all, can be easily fixed with LMB Shine Restore. But for a brand new bag at full price, that's unacceptable.
 
This is pretty typical with corners as the piping is not one piece of continuous leather. My DN Velo had this issue (although not as pronounced unless your photos are exxagerating it) and my Barneys s/a was very clear prior to selling it to me via charge send that she wasn't a fan of the corners because it made the bag look used even though it wasn't. I applied leather conditioner to the areas which darkened the fading and no more fading has occured since. I moisturize my bags routinely to help prevent fading.
 
If you really can't return the bag (or decide to keep it), I highly recommend you to use LEATHER HONEY to moisturize the corners! That stuff is pretty amazing. It deep moisturizes the leather AND helps make the color more saturated. It really helps bags that have fading issue I think. Someone posted a b4 and after pic of an old bag that's pretty dry and a bit faded and you can see the real difference. Good luck!
 
At first I was thinking, for a pre-owned purse, the corners don't look bad at all, can be easily fixed with LMB Shine Restore. But for a brand new bag at full price, that's unacceptable.

I agree with this. also, those corners are going to fade even more with time.. unless i'm getting a true oldie or pre-loved bag in a rare color that i've been hunting for, I like my bags in mint condition bc they will wear anyway.

I love my more 'beat up' oldies as well.. after all, it's balenciaga. BUT .. with the newer leather, and also supposedly a brand new unworn bag.. it being tossed around the store does not warrant a full price purchase.

get a different color if you have to. 2009 bags seem to be a major hit or miss with leathers anyway. lots of misses it seems. if i was buying new i would go with 2010, great leathers.
 
I agree with sending it back--it is way too much $$$ to spend on something that you are not totally happy with- even if that is something that can happen from time to time-
Believe me, they can get you another one---it is their livelihood---

Sorry about the disappointment you feel--it will all work out--so don't let it get you down-
 
If it were me, I'd send it back.

Yes, the fading is typical for the corners and it is a 2009 bag that's been sitting idle for quite a while... BUT I don't think it's worth it at full price.
 
For the amount of money you pay for one of these beauties you have to be 100% satisfied, otherwise exchange it for another bag. You dont want to be carrying it around in two minds, you wont enjoy it.
 
I think it looks fine...

I would have to agree. It looks fine, leather corners are naturally "stretched" cause they go around the bends. And what happens to stretched leather? It lightens. Think about color dye and saturation, of course it gets lighter when stretched cause the dye becomes less dense.

I like the other recommendations to add some conditioner, it should do the trick to darken the corners.