Restoring a Vernis French Wallet - Before and After Pics!

[Oni_]

Can you ask him how to clean suede bag

I haven't challenged him with any big suede projects yet but I bought a pair of black suede Celine heels from a consignment shop and he did a great job making them look new again with just a simple suede cleaner from Walmart (one of the cleaners that comes with the gum eraser things and a brush).

 

[thewave1969]

Hi guys! Last week my friend/coworker gifted me a vernis French wallet that she had previously tried to dye red (it was originally white). Hahaha as you can see from the before pics, it didn't turn out so well for her. My fiancé has developed a hobby of fixing up my purses and shoes for me, so decided to take on this wallet as a weekend project. He used acetone, black Fiebings leather dye, Fiebings leather sheen (just on the edges though), and Roots leather conditioner. It turned out so well! The vernis is even shinnier than when she gave it to me and the wallet doesn't feel sticky at all. So happy with the end result!

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Great job!!!

 

[nomdesac]

Yes - perfect quarantine project!! Also don't forget to check online consignment stores. If you're in Canada, I can give you some recommendations for places I've purchased from here. I find the vernis items often cheaper because they seem to get discoloured more easily. I'm keeping my eye out too now for a tote bag. Maybe the Houston.. .

Thanks for this offer! I would love to take you up on those recommendations. I'm actually not in Canada, but my husband travels to Montreal & Quebec City every few months (and to Toronto once in a while too), so I might be able to send him on a mission. (He's a medical researcher, and so, while it's complicated to get in and out of the country from the US because of COVID, it's possible.). And when things are back to normal, I'll be making some trips with him. So, again, I'd LOVE those recommendations. (i've been eyeing some Wilshire totes on Ebay, but I'm thinking: start small.)

 

[stylequake]

Wow! This is a stunning upgrade

 

[travelbliss]

Amazing difference and a great save !! Thanks for sharing.

 

[coastlinekids]

Yes - perfect quarantine project!! Also don't forget to check online consignment stores. If you're in Canada, I can give you some recommendations for places I've purchased from here. I find the vernis items often cheaper because they seem to get discoloured more easily. I'm keeping my eye out too now for a tote bag. Maybe the Houston.. .

Hi! I'm in Canada and would love to hear what places you've purchased from before

By the way, the dye job looks fantastic!! Also on the hunt for a vernis piece that I might be able to re-dye at home lol

 

[Penelopepursula]

Wow - the difference is amazing. Your fiancé is a keeper!

 

[Oni_]

Hi! I'm in Canada and would love to hear what places you've purchased from before

By the way, the dye job looks fantastic!! Also on the hunt for a vernis piece that I might be able to re-dye at home lol

Hey! So sorry for the late reply! I haven't been online in a while. In case you're still interested, my favourite consignment shops in Toronto are FashionablyYours and VSP. Both have really great online sites and I find their their pricing reasonable. They also both have a great selection of items and styles, and have found great fixer-upper projects at both places lol .

 

[mrs.JC]

Just want to say the end result is gorgeous! I have a red vernis zippy wallet that I've considered dyeing but there are faint black color transfer that means I can really only go black, which makes me nervous... how has the black held up? Would you happen to have other photos?

 

[Oni_]

Just want to say the end result is gorgeous! I have a red vernis zippy wallet that I've considered dyeing but there are faint black color transfer that means I can really only go black, which makes me nervous... how has the black held up? Would you happen to have other photos?

Thank you so much! Overall the colour held up well. I don't have any pics at the moment, but I can take some this weekend. I had it wrapped in piece of paper towel inside its box and when I went to take it out of storage about a month after first dying it, I noticed that a small bit of the dye had come off onto the paper towel. Not much though, but I'm glad I had stored it separately. Also, the inside of the wallet looks a tiny bit purple now from the dye soaking into the leather and the red underneath showing through. So overall, the inside needs another coat of dye and the outside needs to be buffed again LOL!

But I would still do it again. I don't think I will ever use this wallet in one of my favourite LVs (after all the work of tracking down a speedy nano I can't imagine getting it dirty LOL!) but I have no problem using it one of my more heavily used/older bags.

I hope that helps! I think if you still like the wallet and don't want to resell it, it's worth a shot! There are also a couple of really helpful YouTube videos showing how to do it that we watched beforehand. Worst case scenario and the project ends up being a disaster, you could take it to a cobbler to fix for you.