Saffiano--what's your general opinion?

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Saffiano and other stamped leather (like LV Epi and Hermes Epsom) are a great for structured bags. They are all very durable from the point of view they look like new for longer but once spoiled not so easily spa'd or refurbished.

It seemed to me Prada Saffiano totes became poplar and so others followed using stamped leather in a criss-cross hash pattern and called it saffiano too, though the resemblance ends with them all being leather, sharing the name and the look of the pattern. That structured look is really popular across the board on at different price points too.

We all have to use our own judgement regards quality and value for money but just like we can't compare a cheaper red bag with more expensive red one by terms of definition so we can't compare totally different leathers/products/brands.

Like everything so much depends on the who and on what, whether it works well or not.

I bet Prada is wishing they'd copyrighted the leather patten or patented 'saffiano' :amuse:
 
I have a beautiful Gucci tote which I believe is saffiano. Not cheap or plasticky looking IMO. As with anything, quality varies as does price points. Such hate for a product with so many many variables.

Was it the Nice or the Brights?

I have 2 stamped leather Horse-bit chain shoulder bags from 2004, the leather's not Saffiano but it's the same principle
 
Vinyl is often made of PVC.


I don't know how exactly lv made their bags but it feels and looks better than the normal pvc bags which feel like plastic.. Lv bags feels almost like leather.. So there is a reason why they are more expensive and more luxourious than other pcv bags f.e mk .. You see the difference in mk and lv .. The same as prada saffiano and mk saffiano .. There is always a difference in quality and therefore also the differenct prices .. So however lv made their bags there are not like plastic bags..
 
Saffiano and other stamped leather (like LV Epi and Hermes Epsom) are a great for structured bags. They are all very durable from the point of view they look like new for longer but once spoiled not so easily spa'd or refurbished.

It seemed to me Prada Saffiano totes became poplar and so others followed using stamped leather in a criss-cross hash pattern and called it saffiano too, though the resemblance ends with them all being leather, sharing the name and the look of the pattern. That structured look is really popular across the board on at different price points too.

We all have to use our own judgement regards quality and value for money but just like we can't compare a cheaper red bag with more expensive red one by terms of definition so we can't compare totally different leathers/products/brands.

Like everything so much depends on the who and on what, whether it works well or not.

I bet Prada is wishing they'd copyrighted the leather patten or patented 'saffiano' :amuse:
I read an article that he had a patent on it and it expired??? The article seemed fluffy v. journalistic so I didn't mention it. But it's a possibility. In any case it would have been nice had he done something to patent / trademark the leather and process. That would have made clear the difference between what Prada does vs. others. Each house / label could have a name for it and we'd be better able to compare Prada's "saffy" from Gucci's "taffy" from Michael Kors' "caffy".

And saffiano in total wouldn't be painted with the negatives of XYZ brands' poor quality knock offs.

To me this is like someone saying they wouldn't like Gucci's exotics (which they do very well) because Fred's exotics peel and lift 5 minutes after you buy them. This would be comparing apples and oranges. The skins could be from different species, harvested differently, stored differently, treated differently, etc.

So lumping all so called saffiano together is ignoring that they may not even all be leather let alone produced in the same fashion. They really can't be compared as a group.
 
No it's not pvc.. That's for the cheaper bags
Lv bags are coated with cotton which is imgregnated in vinyl and they are the only ones who do that this way .. So it's not plastic.. Pvc is plastic and it's cheap..
Sorry to ruin your holiday but PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl
You see, everything is plastic unless it is coated with latex.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber

I have two hair combs that made of 100% pure rubber. They are awesome.
 
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i had a small prada saffiano crossbody bag and sold it after just ca. 3 months of use. i tried to love it but the leather had an awful chemical smell and the craftmanship was not good at all. the stitching on the strap was rough that it ruined a favourite sweater of mine. saffiano just looks plasticky to me. it is missing that luxe factor. i am just not convinced by saffiano at all. i realized that i am not into embossed leather at all with chanel caviar being an exeption and even with chanel, i love lambskin more. i learned that i appreciate smooth leathers more.
I'm so sorry you had that experience. 😕 As I mentioned I'm crazy in love with my Prada saffy's and the quality has been great. I wish yours could have worked out.

And I agree with you on "embossed" leathers in general. I have one Chanel caviar and it will likely be my last (unless I get a black for a workhorse bag down the road). I just like my soft calfskin and lambskin Chanels better. No matter what the bag / brand, to me there is nothing better than a smooth, supple leather with great handfeel. The issue, however, is always durability. The saffy and the caviar (and LV's epi) are pretty durable. So I have a mix in my collection - a few of the more durable leathers for bags that know will get more use all the way to delicate lambs for bags that I can baby a bit more.
 
No it's not pvc.. That's for the cheaper bags
Lv bags are coated with cotton which is imgregnated in vinyl and they are the only ones who do that this way .. So it's not plastic.. Pvc is plastic and it's cheap..
Actually LV coated canvas is cotton canvas coated with PVC which is a plastic derivative. That makes the bags very lightweight and durable. The vachetta trim is leather.
Just because it's canvas and PVC isn't a statement on it being "cheap" or "luxe". It's just factual. And though I'm not an LV canvas fan, I'm thinking it's the durability, craftsmanship (stitching, construction, etc.) look and heritage that causes the brand to have so many happy and loyal fans.
 
Sorry to ruin your holiday but PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyvinyl_chloride
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl
You see, everything is plastic unless it is coated with latex.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_rubber

I have two hair combs that made of 100% pure rubber. They are awesome.


Yes but the material is still cotton and the vinyl is just to cover it as a protection .. And the pvc bags which are made from other materials than cotton feel and look different than the lv bags like for example "guess" is using pvc i think?!? And there are major differences .. Also the mk pvc bags feel and look different .. So there are quality differences and not the 100 %same material and same Manufacturing process
 
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Saffiano or glove leather, its all the matter of preference. I gave my niece a beautiful glove thin leather purse and that purse was done in two years. She carried it to go to school. I have the same bag and it is still in a very good condition after 4 years. Now, this time I learned the lesson and gave her MK saffiano sutton satchel. She is in love with it. She lives in a big city with lots of rain and snow and uses public transportation every day including rush hours, this bag is indestructible like a tank armor.
 
Yes but the material is still cotton and the vinyl is just to cover it as a protection .. And the pvc bags which are made from other materials than cotton feel and look different than the lv bags like for example "guess" is using pvc i think?!? And there are major differences .. Also the mk pvc bags feel and look different .. So there are quality differences and not the 100 %same material and same Manufacturing process
Listen, you seem missing the point. There are many formulas for plastic coatings. I would believe that lv has a hint of natural rubber in their coating( and it cost money) and their bags are more durable. If you read lv forum, couple years ago people were complaining that lv coated canvas purses they bought had a big issue of peeling coating. I may assume that lv had tried to change the formula to a cheaper version and failed. The issue was solved by probably just returning back to the original formula.
 
Listen, you seem missing the point. There are many formulas for plastic coatings. I would believe that lv has a hint of natural rubber in their coating( and it cost money) and their bags are more durable. If you read lv forum, couple years ago people were complaining that lv coated canvas purses they bought had a big issue of peeling coating. I may assume that lv had tried to change the formula to a cheaper version and failed. The issue was solved by probably just returning back to the original formula.


Ok thanks for the info ;)
 
I read an article that he had a patent on it and it expired??? The article seemed fluffy v. journalistic so I didn't mention it. But it's a possibility. In any case it would have been nice had he done something to patent / trademark the leather and process. That would have made clear the difference between what Prada does vs. others. Each house / label could have a name for it and we'd be better able to compare Prada's "saffy" from Gucci's "taffy" from Michael Kors' "caffy".

And saffiano in total wouldn't be painted with the negatives of XYZ brands' poor quality knock offs.

To me this is like someone saying they wouldn't like Gucci's exotics (which they do very well) because Fred's exotics peel and lift 5 minutes after you buy them. This would be comparing apples and oranges. The skins could be from different species, harvested differently, stored differently, treated differently, etc.

So lumping all so called saffiano together is ignoring that they may not even all be leather let alone produced in the same fashion. They really can't be compared as a group.

:laugh:

Gucci's Nice Infinity Flora range is like a finer LV Epi, a perfect leather in off-white because it's easy to keep clean. And the Brights used called diamonte leather in all colours except the Animalier which is different again but also a stamped leather. All stamped leather but never called Saffiano

I knew Mario invented it so obviously before the 1950s but I didn't know how long patents last until I just looked it up (14 years). So yup. apples and pears, to my mind saffiano doesn't mean saffino unless it's Prada.
 
:laugh:

Gucci's Nice Infinity Flora range is like a finer LV Epi, a perfect leather in off-white because it's easy to keep clean. And the Brights used called diamonte leather in all colours except the Animalier which is different again but also a stamped leather. All stamped leather but never called Saffiano

I knew Mario invented it so obviously before the 1950s but I didn't know how long patents last until I just looked it up (14 years). So yup. apples and pears, to my mind saffiano doesn't mean saffino unless it's Prada.
Thanks for the heads up on the Gucci materials! 👍Unfortunately, though, now I have more on my list to hunt. 😂
And I completely agree on saffiano. To me, Prada is the only saffiano.
i´m wondering if epi leather from LV is similiar or the same as saffiano? does anyone know that? I looks to me like saffiano but I haven´t touched it.. Is there a difference?
They actually look quite different. Saffiano has a cross hatch pattern whereas epi has a wavy horizontal pattern. They also feel different to me. But they are similar in that both are water resistant, provide more structure than glove / soft leather and come in beautiful bright colors. I'm planning to buy an LV epi bag for my knock around every day bag because of that beauty and durability.
The leathers are made very differently. I looked up the exact process for making LV Epi leather so I didn't go off memory. From a blog "Epi leather is tanned with plant extracts and then dyed. The dyeing process means the leather comes in many vivid colors and is very shiny. The curing process makes the bags water resistant." I didn't read anything about it having a wax (or other coating.)
Hope this helps. 😊👍
 
actually lv coated canvas is cotton canvas coated with pvc which is a plastic derivative. That makes the bags very lightweight and durable. The vachetta trim is leather.
Just because it's canvas and pvc isn't a statement on it being "cheap" or "luxe". It's just factual. And though i'm not an lv canvas fan, i'm thinking it's the durability, craftsmanship (stitching, construction, etc.) look and heritage that causes the brand to have so many happy and loyal fans.
+1
 
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