Odd leather smell

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

I hope this isn't OT, but it is related to this thread.

I wanted to share the phone conversation that I just had with the SM at H.
I don't have a skunky bag myself but I called to ask about my order, a Blue Saphhire Kelly in Togo...since it's still not here and I am waiting a very, very long time now. More than two years as H. delivered the wrong bag the first time..
The SM told me that all orders has been delayed because of the skunky bags issue...people with skunky bags had priority to those who ordered a bag.
I asked if H. found out what caused the smell, and he confirmed they did. So I asked if the problem was solved now with newer bags and he said yes. According to the SM, the newer bags shouldn't have the smell anymore.
 
^^^my! SO hope this is the truth, **Chanel**!

Hi Katel, I don't recall anyone mentioning issues with P year items (if anyone recalls otherwise, please jump in). I believe affected items noted here have been predominantly Q and R, in Togo and Epsom. When this thread began, I heat tested my P stamped, Togo/Etoupe belt strap, by leaving it in the direct sun. I noticed no unusual odor. I hope that helps! :heart:

thank you so much etoile de mer! I have straps from all three years out, waiting for sun...the Q and R whites and etains have a super strong chemically smell but I'm going to wait for the sun and hope for the best.
 
I have not had the chance to test my orange Kelly in togo that I bought a month ago (R stamp) because it´s been gloomy weather. It had just arrived from Paris so I hope they had managed to find the source of the problem before this bag was made.

My new K wallet also bought 4 weeks ago is in chèvre but I´ve not heard about quality issues with that leather. But as soon as the sun comes out I´ll test all leather items because they are all Q or R stamped. I hope they turn out ok.

Unless it is just random coincidences that makes an item stink. I think the best way to help H pinpoint the problem is to send all affected items back with a description on when the problem occurred (sun, heat etc). Hopefully there is a common feature of all the affected items that can be fixed. Sorry if this was OT but I´m in medical research and can´t help but think scientifically about these things. I know how hard it can to go back and find the cause of what went wrong (changes in material, tanning processes - maybe more environmental friendly due to EU regulations, etc.).
 
My last purchases in epsom and togo leather are fine but i tested them under the sun for 2 hours when it was around 20 °C ( around 68 ºF ) so i am not sure if it was enough hot to get a proper result :confused1:
 
My replacement Togo Kelly is absolutely perfect in every way, I'm thrilled to report! And so was the service I experienced. Still more than happy to purchase Hermès finely-crafted leather items whenever I am able to.

By the way, both original and replacement bags were "R".
 
Update on my stinky 32 gold kelly. I got a call today and my replacement has arrived!!!! I was in shock - couldn't believe how fast she came. I was originally told to expect the delivery around Christmas time. As a reminder, I turned her in on 8/25 and it is now 11/3. I think this might be record time. I'm going to go pick her up on wed. I hope everybody else experiences a speedy replacement too. And sending special good vibes to Caramel pudding.
 
Last edited:
Hi everyone - just saw this thread after googling my problem. I bought a rose lipstick 32 Togo Kelly ghw last August (Q stamp) and kept it in its box unused until this week. It's so beautiful but I noticed a terrible smell (skunk exactly!) and thought it was odd as my other Togo bags smelled so wonderful (we all know that smell!). I contacted my manager at H store and he said that I was one of the unlucky ones and must return the bag immediately. So am doing so this week. He said H was aware of this problem and they will sort it out. Also said the smell would not lessen or go away. Hope we are a few and that H can deal with this in a timely fashion. Good luck to everyone! Kitty x


Hi kittyo,

Just wondering when you returned the bag, did u ultimately get offered an exact replacement bag or a refund? Just wondering if RL is still being produced or rested color already?

As I have the same and also Q year. I brought it out to use today and noticed it possibly had the smell at the back panel different to leather and my other bags. Haven't done the heat test yet tho as cloudy today but will once sunny.

Thanks!
 
Update on my stinky 32 gold kelly. I got a call today and my replacement has arrived!!!! I was in shock - couldn't believe how fast she came. I was originally told to expect the delivery around Christmas time. As a reminder, I turned her in on 8/25 and it is now 11/3. I think this might be record time. I'm going to go pick her up on wed. .


So glad for you. Hope your replacement is a good one.
 
Got the call that my order for a Togo Kelly (R stamp) had arrived at the local Hermes boutique and dashed in today to open the box with my SA. Wish I'd read this thread first. I'd planned to carry it tomorrow and put my things inside to save time in the morning. With the bag out in the open at home, I began to notice an unpleasant odor. I'd heard something about an odor problem with some new Hermes bag, but didn't dream that Hermes was still selling these bags.

I turned to TPF to try to find out more. Sure enough, here was this massively long thread detailing others' experiences. Most importantly, someone posted that items she'd placed inside one of these stinky bags took on the bad odor. I immediately took my things out of the new bag to see if they'd taken on the odor. Fortunately, my items had been inside the bag for only a few minutes and seemed unaffected.

It seems that the best plan of action would be to bring the bag back to the boutique tomorrow morning and request a full refund.
 
I am so disheartened to hear the stores are still selling smelly bags. Millstream - hopefully they will issue you a refund. The typical policy at boutiques is store credit only. But they may make an exception in this case because it's a well known issue. If you really want the bag, I would suggest you ask for a replacement. But fyi - you might be waiting several months - 6 most for one.
 
Top