Please share your experience with Barenia
- Thread starter janetaz
- Start date
Hi PF! I've just received this gem from AFF! Could not be happier as it's my holy grail bag. What are people's experiences with smooth Barenia maintenance? Understanding this leather will patina and scratch overtime, best way to store? Any special treatment of the leather? Is is really ok to get this wet (not that I would try but read it's not allergic) 
Would love feedback from experienced Barenia owners 
Would love feedback from experienced Barenia owners Attachments
This leather will scratch, but when it patinas, the scratches will 'melt' into the leather. I store my barenia birkin the same way as I do all my other bags - in a dustbag inside a closed closet. It's no problem if you get it wet (I got caught in a summer storm once 
), but you MUST let it dry by itself - don't try to wipe or soak up the water, this will mark the leather. Barenia is my favourite leather, and I would love to add a constance or retourne kelly too, if I ever get the chance.
), but you MUST let it dry by itself - don't try to wipe or soak up the water, this will mark the leather. Barenia is my favourite leather, and I would love to add a constance or retourne kelly too, if I ever get the chance.
Thank you for the great advice! Nice to know about the rain. When it does begin to scratch Ive read you can rub them in with just the oils from your fingers. Is that the best way or just let them blend naturally?This leather will scratch, but when it patinas, the scratches will 'melt' into the leather. I store my barenia birkin the same way as I do all my other bags - in a dustbag inside a closed closet. It's no problem if you get it wet (I got caught in a summer storm once
Congrats on this stunner! Barenia really is great in the rain and scratches can be blended in with your finger gently. I hope you love it as much as I love mine.Hi PF! I've just received this gem from AFF! Could not be happier as it's my holy grail bag. What are people's experiences with smooth Barenia maintenance? Understanding this leather will patina and scratch overtime, best way to store? Any special treatment of the leather? Is is really ok to get this wet (not that I would try but read it's not allergic)
Barenia is the BEST Hermès leather ( well, for me also Boxcalf, but that's another story) I special ordered my 35 Birkin I think it was back in 2007, or there abouts, and bought my 32 HAC pre owned. I love them to bits. As others have said Barenia is pretty indestructible... I have sent my Birkin several times to H spa, every couple of years or so, for no specific problems just for moisturizing the leather, as I wasn't brave enough to do it myself. After I bought the HAC though I also bought the Hermès Baume and had a go at treating it myself. It was so successful that since then I have never sent either to spa but treat them myself a couple of times a year.
The only drawback of my 35 Barenia Birkin is it's weight, it's definately my heaviest bag.
The only drawback of my 35 Barenia Birkin is it's weight, it's definately my heaviest bag.
I just rub gently with my fingers and if the scratch doesn't blend in I rub harder
As I mentioned earlier in the thread I had a bike hit my Birkin and there is NO visible mark now (after I jumped in a cab and rubbed it away). I also rub the bag all over with clean dry hands occasionally and if it gets a film I blow-dry it.You CAN wipe Barenia if you actually spill something on it. Someone in my household
dropped a big blob of honey on my Barenia Bastia while it was on the kitchen island. When I saw it hours later, I used a damp cloth to take the honey off and it is fine. Obviously I can't guarantee this will always work but so far for me, it does for spills on Barenia. If it's just rain or water droplets you can just let them dry naturally.
Thanks for this. The honey....I would have freaked outI just rub gently with my fingers and if the scratch doesn't blend in I rub harder
You CAN wipe Barenia if you actually spill something on it. Someone in my household
If it's just rain or water droplets you can just let them dry naturally.
Great feedback on Barenia experience
Your bag is beyond beautiful. With a sellier Kelly I would be more careful than I am with my Birkin, but in general Barenia is very hardy. If you don't mind it getting patina'ed, it will survive most things. OIL is usually bad, though. That's how Barenia gets spots.Thanks for this. The honey....I would have freaked out
If anything spills on my Barenia I wipe it off with water stat because I know water won't hurt it, but other things might.
I was surprised the honey came off so well after sitting a while!
Thank you! I am so overjoyed to have her
Completely agree with being more careful with a Kelly. I'll keep the water in mind if I ever have an spill. Thanks for all the tips!
Here's my Barenia Birkin. And here's the back of it, which has experienced the normal rubbing against clothing, occasionally sitting against my feet if I'm a passenger in our car, AND was literally smashed into by a bike messenger going full tilt outside of the bike lane. There are marks from the bike crash but you can only see them in straight on full sun, like this.
I have splashed water on it, just for fun, for my Instagram. As a saddle leather, it is fine with water, which disappears within minutes if not seconds.
Note that my bag hasn't really patina'ed yet ('ugly duckling" stage). I could hurry it along but I like the way it looks and enjoy watching it happen slowly. This bag is about 2 1/2 years old. It is JUST starting to soften.
I have splashed water on it, just for fun, for my Instagram. As a saddle leather, it is fine with water, which disappears within minutes if not seconds.
Note that my bag hasn't really patina'ed yet ('ugly duckling" stage). I could hurry it along but I like the way it looks and enjoy watching it happen slowly. This bag is about 2 1/2 years old. It is JUST starting to soften.
Yeah, I wasn't happy about the bike. But I know to relax around Barenia, especially in this bag - most things just make it better!Gorgeous Birkin! Looks great. The bike messenger