Okey dokey guys and dolls. I did my investigative exploring yesterday. Here's the conclusion I've come to:
The 2008 F/W and 2009 S/S bags lined in the pink leather are in fact leather. All the new 2009 F/W with this same pink leather lining appear to be a very well done "pleather" version of the pink leather.
On appearance, they look very close to being leather. The only thing that gives it away is by actually touching the real deal, then one of the newer bags. The real leather feels like silk while the "pleather" has this very, very faint plastic feel. The real leather lining is much thinner than the "pleather" and the best way to tell the difference is to stick your hand into the zippered pocket in the wall of the bags, roll the leather in your fingers.
It's really misleading of Prada to do this and not put something about the lining not being leather in their care cards. I also read several of the care cards in different bags and no where does it indicate you are getting "pleather" instead of the real thing.
The other thing that bothers me is that some of the other bags from S/S 2009 are still on the shelf and do have leather lining. They'll be sitting right next to the "pleather" lined bags. That bugs me, too.
The ONLY thing I'll say positive about this whole thing is that Prada did price the "pleather" lined bags accordingly and it's a very convincing fake leather. The real leather ones will run a good 15% more (or higher) in price.
Is there any reason not to buy one of these "pleather" lined vs. geniune leather? Only if it really bothers you that Prada is IMHO being deceitful about it. It seems as though it will wear about like real leather.
To me it would be like being sold a ring that you believe is a diamond ring, but is in fact, a very well made cubic zirconia ring (and priced as a CZ ring) but the store fails to specify what you are getting. They both may be equally pretty, but *I* want DIAMONDS....
Edit note: This reminds me very much of the "patent" Miu Miu Coffers that were being sold as patent leather when they were, in fact, plastic coated fabric. The difference is that situation was that at least the care cards DID say what you were getting. The problem was that sales associates usually didn't know this, so you'd be sold a patent leather bag that didn't have an inch of "leather" on it.
Second edit note: this whole thing is really distressing to me as someone who authenticates Prada bags on the AT thread. Even if it's fake, you could tell the fake monogram lining from the real deal. Just looking at photos of this "pleather" is going to make it impossible to use that as a hallmark for authenticity. Groan!
The 2008 F/W and 2009 S/S bags lined in the pink leather are in fact leather. All the new 2009 F/W with this same pink leather lining appear to be a very well done "pleather" version of the pink leather.
On appearance, they look very close to being leather. The only thing that gives it away is by actually touching the real deal, then one of the newer bags. The real leather feels like silk while the "pleather" has this very, very faint plastic feel. The real leather lining is much thinner than the "pleather" and the best way to tell the difference is to stick your hand into the zippered pocket in the wall of the bags, roll the leather in your fingers.
It's really misleading of Prada to do this and not put something about the lining not being leather in their care cards. I also read several of the care cards in different bags and no where does it indicate you are getting "pleather" instead of the real thing.
The other thing that bothers me is that some of the other bags from S/S 2009 are still on the shelf and do have leather lining. They'll be sitting right next to the "pleather" lined bags. That bugs me, too.
The ONLY thing I'll say positive about this whole thing is that Prada did price the "pleather" lined bags accordingly and it's a very convincing fake leather. The real leather ones will run a good 15% more (or higher) in price.
Is there any reason not to buy one of these "pleather" lined vs. geniune leather? Only if it really bothers you that Prada is IMHO being deceitful about it. It seems as though it will wear about like real leather.
To me it would be like being sold a ring that you believe is a diamond ring, but is in fact, a very well made cubic zirconia ring (and priced as a CZ ring) but the store fails to specify what you are getting. They both may be equally pretty, but *I* want DIAMONDS....
Edit note: This reminds me very much of the "patent" Miu Miu Coffers that were being sold as patent leather when they were, in fact, plastic coated fabric. The difference is that situation was that at least the care cards DID say what you were getting. The problem was that sales associates usually didn't know this, so you'd be sold a patent leather bag that didn't have an inch of "leather" on it.
Second edit note: this whole thing is really distressing to me as someone who authenticates Prada bags on the AT thread. Even if it's fake, you could tell the fake monogram lining from the real deal. Just looking at photos of this "pleather" is going to make it impossible to use that as a hallmark for authenticity. Groan!
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