Sorrento and Penrose Leathers

[lavenderjunkie]

I got caught up in the sales and the lure of some of the small batch 'odds and ends' leathers
that Dooney was selling on both the main site and ILD. I had visions of really high end leather.
My fantasy was not fulfilled. Based on my experience, and comments of others here and on
YT videos I'm going to conclude that each piece of leather could be different, some may be
great and others, not so much. And the styles and construction will also vary.
And, it is possible, that the items sold on the main Dooney site are superior to the ones on ILD.

I had previously bought a Sorrento drawstring. I loved the leather, it was soft but had enough
body so the drawstring handbag looked and felt great. I returned the bag because I didn't
like the construction details. So when I saw a double zip satchel in Sorrento on ILD for a great
price, I decided to give it another try. The bag is well made and the style is great. The leather
however feels like Saffiano leather or coated canvas to me. It's just not my vibe. It's very different
from the Sorrento leather drawstring. Both were ILD purchases within a few weeks of each other.

I also ordered the Penrose 2 satchel from ILD in the Royal Blue. It's a bright navy and looks
really nice. The accent stitching is white and there is dark whip stitching on the handles. But, I'm not
impressed with the leather. The bag I got has a very fine grain leather that isn't soft to the touch.
The satchel style looks fine, the back of the tassels are a lighter blue and look fantastic. The zipper
top folds over into a smile that I hope will deepen with time. And the leather may soften if I use the bag enough.

I haven't decided if I'm keeping this Penrose 2 bag. I think it will be a workhorse bag.... good size and
really scratch and weather resistant leather. But the tactile feel of leather is important to me
and this bag doesn't satisfy that criteria. But then neither do lots of other bags, like the embossed
exotic leather from Dooney and Brahmin. I love those bags for the look. I like this Penrose
in royal blue for the look. No wonder I have so many handbags. 🙄🙄🙄

 

[G.Allyn]

I got caught up in the sales and the lure of some of the small batch 'odds and ends' leathers
that Dooney was selling on both the main site and ILD. I had visions of really high end leather.
My fantasy was not fulfilled. Based on my experience, and comments of others here and on
YT videos I'm going to conclude that each piece of leather could be different, some may be
great and others, not so much. And the styles and construction will also vary.
And, it is possible, that the items sold on the main Dooney site are superior to the ones on ILD.

I had previously bought a Sorrento drawstring. I loved the leather, it was soft but had enough
body so the drawstring handbag looked and felt great. I returned the bag because I didn't
like the construction details. So when I saw a double zip satchel in Sorrento on ILD for a great
price, I decided to give it another try. The bag is well made and the style is great. The leather
however feels like Saffiano leather or coated canvas to me. It's just not my vibe. It's very different
from the Sorrento leather drawstring. Both were ILD purchases within a few weeks of each other.

I also ordered the Penrose 2 satchel from ILD in the Royal Blue. It's a bright navy and looks
really nice. The accent stitching is white and there is dark whip stitching on the handles. But, I'm not
impressed with the leather. The bag I got has a very fine grain leather that isn't soft to the touch.
The satchel style looks fine, the back of the tassels are a lighter blue and look fantastic. The zipper
top folds over into a smile that I hope will deepen with time. And the leather may soften if I use the bag enough.

I haven't decided if I'm keeping this Penrose 2 bag. I think it will be a workhorse bag.... good size and
really scratch and weather resistant leather. But the tactile feel of leather is important to me
and this bag doesn't satisfy that criteria. But then neither do lots of other bags, like the embossed
exotic leather from Dooney and Brahmin. I love those bags for the look. I like this Penrose
in royal blue for the look. No wonder I have so many handbags. 🙄🙄🙄

Yes, you do love your leather! I mean it kindly. It's great you know what you like.

I have made myself try some new styles (for me) and fabrications. ILD sales got me this time and I ordered 3 cosmetic cases in coated cotton. My first in this item and fabric. Two florentine bags, but in shoulder carry. I buy satchels quite a bit. One Alto bag, the Rayna, and you were correct, it is super tiny and the last was today with my first pebble leather (Blair).

I sent three bags back which is unheard of for me. One damaged, one I couldn't get the Gracie straps through the leather loops and an Alto that was a bulky shoulder carry.

If something isn't right with a bag, it is hard to change my opinion and love it.

I put an Alto bag NWT's on eBay, but a potential buyer had a few questions and requested extra pics. She was nice and I understood, so I unpacked the bag (I inspect, photograph, measure, write descriptions, wrap in white tissue and weigh and measure for shipping).

Anyway, it was a $525.00 bag NWT's and asked $125.00. Unwrapped to get the extra pic she wanted and realized it was the perfect shade of grey to go with my new Fay Italian coat. The bag went back in my closet. I guess I can change my mind about a bag.

 

[lavenderjunkie]

Yes, you do love your leather! I mean it kindly. It's great you know what you like.

I have made myself try some new styles (for me) and fabrications. ILD sales got me this time and I ordered 3 cosmetic cases in coated cotton. My first in this item and fabric. Two florentine bags, but in shoulder carry. I buy satchels quite a bit. One Alto bag, the Rayna, and you were correct, it is super tiny and the last was today with my first pebble leather (Blair).

I sent three bags back which is unheard of for me. One damaged, one I couldn't get the Gracie straps through the leather loops and an Alto that was a bulky shoulder carry.

If something isn't right with a bag, it is hard to change my opinion and love it.

I put an Alto bag NWT's on eBay, but a potential buyer had a few questions and requested extra pics. She was nice and I understood, so I unpacked the bag (I inspect, photograph, measure, write descriptions, wrap in white tissue and weigh and measure for shipping).

Anyway, it was a $525.00 bag NWT's and asked $125.00. Unwrapped to get the extra pic she wanted and realized it was the perfect shade of grey to go with my new Fay Italian coat. The bag went back in my closet. I guess I can change my mind about a bag.

Sometimes sleeping on a decision, or just time to reconsider, and you change your mind.
I'm happy you can now 're-claim' your Alto and give it some love. And, the way I
do the handbag math.... it's free. The money was spent a long time ago and now
you won't have to buy another bag to replace that one.

I sometimes package up a return
and let it sit waiting to go back. Making that initial deision and packing the item is an important part of the process for me. Otherwise I just go back and forth debating the
pros and cons of keeping it vs. return. I need to actually find the receipt, find the box,
prepare the label, pack it all, and tape the carton.
If I regret the decision to return the item, I unpack it and keep it.
Usually, I just feel relief that I have made the decision and gotten the item ready to go out
the door. Then I know I'm doing what is right for me.

I'm going to return the Penrose 2. I have so many handbags, and ordered so many
more this month. I just know I won't reach for the Penrose because I don't love
the leather.

I'm taking 4 of the bags I ordered to UPS on Monday.
(I don't know how I'm going to handle 4 cartons)

Going back to ILD are the
Sorrento, the Penrose, a pebble Barrel Satchel that is just too small for me
(but otherwise beautiful), and a black nylon Bailey tote that is almost identical
to a black nylon Dooney tote I bought a few years ago (oops!).
No second thoughts about the returns.

I rarely return handbags.
I know I should return more, but I often don't.
Bottom line, there was nothing wrong with these bags.... no defects
in manufacturing or leather. For various reasons, they just didn't work
out for me. Others may love the Sorrento and Penrose leathers
(many love Saffiano, I don't). Or maybe the particular pieces of leather
I got was just not the best or older and dryer, or just not for me).

And yes, it really annoys me to have to pay return shipping. BUT,
I'm OK with it. ILD is reputable and they will return my money
(less $10 for each return, which is reasonable for shipping fees).
And having the option to return the bags is important to me....
even if I rarely use that option.

 

[G.Allyn]

Sometimes sleeping on a decision, or just time to reconsider, and you change your mind.
I'm happy you can now 're-claim' your Alto and give it some love. And, the way I
do the handbag math.... it's free. The money was spent a long time ago and now
you won't have to buy another bag to replace that one.

I sometimes package up a return
and let it sit waiting to go back. Making that initial deision and packing the item is an important part of the process for me. Otherwise I just go back and forth debating the
pros and cons of keeping it vs. return. I need to actually find the receipt, find the box,
prepare the label, pack it all, and tape the carton.
If I regret the decision to return the item, I unpack it and keep it.
Usually, I just feel relief that I have made the decision and gotten the item ready to go out
the door. Then I know I'm doing what is right for me.

I'm going to return the Penrose 2. I have so many handbags, and ordered so many
more this month. I just know I won't reach for the Penrose because I don't love
the leather.

I'm taking 4 of the bags I ordered to UPS on Monday.
(I don't know how I'm going to handle 4 cartons)

Going back to ILD are the
Sorrento, the Penrose, a pebble Barrel Satchel that is just too small for me
(but otherwise beautiful), and a black nylon Bailey tote that is almost identical
to a black nylon Dooney tote I bought a few years ago (oops!).
No second thoughts about the returns.

I rarely return handbags.
I know I should return more, but I often don't.
Bottom line, there was nothing wrong with these bags.... no defects
in manufacturing or leather. For various reasons, they just didn't work
out for me. Others may love the Sorrento and Penrose leathers
(many love Saffiano, I don't). Or maybe the particular pieces of leather
I got was just not the best or older and dryer, or just not for me).

And yes, it really annoys me to have to pay return shipping. BUT,
I'm OK with it. ILD is reputable and they will return my money
(less $10 for each return, which is reasonable for shipping fees).
And having the option to return the bags is important to me....
even if I rarely use that option.

I love your "handbag math". I'm stealing that phrase. Per my MBA/LSSBB husband, this is a sunk cost, so I guess if I resell it is profit, or something like that.

Any thoughts on my pebble grain Blair purchase? I wanted a pale neutral satchel and grabbed it at $109. I'm not sure about the strap that does not clip off. What do you do? Let it hang or what? This is my first pebble grain and I usually stick to leathers I know and trust. The bone color is me looking foreward to Summer 2025. I like that the Blair bag had a zip closure, but that stationary strap is strange to me.

I thought I was done buying but a small Alto on D&B keeps nagging at me. I'll think about it and maybe it will sell out and save me.

Yes, I used to hardly ever return and I mean really never. This is new to me, but trying to sell items on the secondary market has gotten tough the last 6 months. I justify new purchases, by selling never reached for items that I liked when I purchased, but have too many similar items. NWT items at -80% off don't get much interest. Maybe, I have bad taste.

 

[lavenderjunkie]

I love your "handbag math". I'm stealing that phrase. Per my MBA/LSSBB husband, this is a sunk cost, so I guess if I resell it is profit, or something like that.

Any thoughts on my pebble grain Blair purchase? I wanted a pale neutral satchel and grabbed it at $109. I'm not sure about the strap that does not clip off. What do you do? Let it hang or what? This is my first pebble grain and I usually stick to leathers I know and trust. The bone color is me looking foreward to Summer 2025. I like that the Blair bag had a zip closure, but that stationary strap is strange to me.

I thought I was done buying but a small Alto on D&B keeps nagging at me. I'll think about it and maybe it will sell out and save me.

Yes, I used to hardly ever return and I mean really never. This is new to me, but trying to sell items on the secondary market has gotten tough the last 6 months. I justify new purchases, by selling never reached for items that I liked when I purchased, but have too many similar items. NWT items at -80% off don't get much interest. Maybe, I have bad taste.

No, you have excellent taste. On the resale market everyone wants a steal.
And I'm guessing most people aren't used to paying for better items, unless
they have a luxury label. People often don't know how to assess quality.... and it's
hard when buying online. But most people focus on $ spent. They wouldn't have
bought the item at list price. And of course, on the resale market, you are also
dealing with people who plan to resell. They want to buy for pennies so they can
make a profit when they mark it up and resell.

LSSBB... I'm impressed. I remember Six Sigma from my days in
corporate America for a big corporation.
And your hubby is right.. prior purchases are sunk costs. Unless you can resell,
and then it's a gain to current income. If you sell for more than you originally
paid, then you made a profit. If you give it away (to friend or family) then
you are sharing the wealth and saving the planet from an item going into
a landfill. (That's my approach to overbuying)

And if it just sits in your closet.... maybe you will use it or maybe
it will taunt you (some of my bags do that). For bags that taunt me, I'm
happiest when I find a new home for them so someone can enjoy them
and I don't feel so badly about having bought them in the first place. 🤣
All of my elephant colored Dooney handbags fall into that category.
I got sucked into the color...everyone else supposedly loved it. I bought 3.
I never used mine. I'm so happy I found new homes for them.

I think my Blair will be delivered today. I'll get back to you on the strap.

 

[lavenderjunkie]

G. Allyn: my pebbled leather Blair has arrived and I love it.
It's a little more spacious than I was expecting, but that is a plus.
I love the stitching detail, the structure, and the outside back zip pocket.
And a short handles satchel is my preferred bag style.

To remove the shoulder strap, just unbuckle both buckles and
thread the ends thru the D rings. It's a little tight, but the strap will
go thru. It can be reconnected if you want to use the shoulder strap.
Be sure to re-buckle the strap after you take it off so that you don't
lose the little strap keeper loops that slide along the end of the strap
on both sides.

Now I have to go see if the bone Blair is still at a good price.

 

[G.Allyn]

G. Allyn: my pebbled leather Blair has arrived and I love it.
It's a little more spacious than I was expecting, but that is a plus.
I love the stitching detail, the structure, and the outside back zip pocket.
And a short handles satchel is my preferred bag style.

To remove the shoulder strap, just unbuckle both buckles and
thread the ends thru the D rings. It's a little tight, but the strap will
go thru. It can be reconnected if you want to use the shoulder strap.
Be sure to re-buckle the strap after you take it off so that you don't
lose the little strap keeper loops that slide along the end of the strap
on both sides.

Now I have to go see if the bone Blair is still at a good price.

Yippy! The Blair passed the LJ test. The bone is $107. Make sure you try D&B, ILD and eBay. One has it for $107. I learned to check all three from you. Happy shopping!

 

[lavenderjunkie]

G: Thanks. Just wanted to remind you that you can attach a different long strap to the
Blair, as long as the clasps fit on the D rings. You could use a leather cross body strap or
a chain strap. You could match the color to the bag or the trim or the hardware.
Or even use a print guitar strap, if you plan to load up the bag and want
a thicker strap for comfort.

I'll probably always carry the Blair by the handles. But it's fun to think about
the longer strap possibilities.

Yes, I did order the Blair in bone... to keep my new midnight blue Blair company. 😁
It feels so great when you take a handbag out of the box and know instantly....
YES, this bag is right for me!

 

[mushroomNgrass]

I love your "handbag math". I'm stealing that phrase. Per my MBA/LSSBB husband, this is a sunk cost, so I guess if I resell it is profit, or something like that.

Any thoughts on my pebble grain Blair purchase? I wanted a pale neutral satchel and grabbed it at $109. I'm not sure about the strap that does not clip off. What do you do? Let it hang or what? This is my first pebble grain and I usually stick to leathers I know and trust. The bone color is me looking foreward to Summer 2025. I like that the Blair bag had a zip closure, but that stationary strap is strange to me.

I thought I was done buying but a small Alto on D&B keeps nagging at me. I'll think about it and maybe it will sell out and save me.

Yes, I used to hardly ever return and I mean really never. This is new to me, but trying to sell items on the secondary market has gotten tough the last 6 months. I justify new purchases, by selling never reached for items that I liked when I purchased, but have too many similar items. NWT items at -80% off don't get much interest. Maybe, I have bad taste.

Minaj I don’t think,yits about your taste. Toke me got example, I was an avid shopper on the secondary market. I just haven’t really been looking like I was looking before my stroke. I look at all the nags in my collection now and still late the giddy feelings of when I first got them in the mail. I am a real Florentine snob. If it’s k ot Florentine I’m not checking for it. 99.9 prevent of my collection is Florentine. I know what I like. Florentine I where my heart goes. Guess I was spoiled by my first dooney puchase and of course it was Florentine leather.. my second purchase really nailed the coffin as it felt unreal. I still can’t believe the leather on my lmedium Florentine chestnut satchel that laughs at the rain. So beautiful. My collection grew quickly especially after finding and traveling to the outlet. . Seems like I get 2 bags at a time…

 

[lavenderjunkie]

Minaj I don’t think,yits about your taste. Toke me got example, I was an avid shopper on the secondary market. I just haven’t really been looking like I was looking before my stroke. I look at all the nags in my collection now and still late the giddy feelings of when I first got them in the mail. I am a real Florentine snob. If it’s k ot Florentine I’m not checking for it. 99.9 prevent of my collection is Florentine. I know what I like. Florentine I where my heart goes. Guess I was spoiled by my first dooney puchase and of course it was Florentine leather.. my second purchase really nailed the coffin as it felt unreal. I still can’t believe the leather on my lmedium Florentine chestnut satchel that laughs at the rain. So beautiful. My collection grew quickly especially after finding and traveling to the outlet. . Seems like I get 2 bags at a time…

When you start at the top, it's hard to go back.
Florentine is one of Dooney's best leathers.
You will probably be disappointed if you buy most of the other leathers.

While Alto is also a top leather, and has many of the characteristics of
Florentine, the Alto leather does show scratches. And Alto is very structured,
so the styles and carry are very different than the Florentine ones.
Also, Alto prices are much higher, and the bags don't typically have the
organization that most other Dooney handbags, including Florentine, feature.
We get used to those organizational features. Alot handbags are made in Italy
and the leather itself is probably a slightly higher quality.

In addition to Florentine and Alto, I also love Dooney pebbled leather. Not all
of the Dooney pebbled leather is the same (pebbled leather is a generic term).
But most of the Dooney pebbled leather collections have excellent leather.
The All Weather Leather and the Dillen collection are top of the line. And many
of the others are really good too. A thick, soft pebbled leather is beautiful, has a
great feel, and is very hard wearing and resistant to water spotting.

As with any brand, there are different quality levels. If you buy the better
collections, they are far superior to the entry point options. This is true for
handbags, cars, cosmetics, and most other things in life. Some brands
use their corporate 'umbrella' brand name hoping that customers will believe
the quality carries throughout the brand. Other companies rebrand the
lower end budget offering under a different name so as not to dilute the
quality image of the rest of the brand. Some brands try to maintain the quality
throughout but just cut features on the lower end offerings.

But no matter what it's called, when you get used to higher quality, you
can tell the difference when something doesn't measure up. And after a while
customers realize that all the brands leathers, for example, are not the same.
And this can affect the reputation of the brand. This has been the story for a lot
of designer mid level fashion brands over the years. It's hard to maintain the image
and the quality and keep costs under control and attract more customers.

 

[G.Allyn]

I got caught up in the sales and the lure of some of the small batch 'odds and ends' leathers
that Dooney was selling on both the main site and ILD. I had visions of really high end leather.
My fantasy was not fulfilled. Based on my experience, and comments of others here and on
YT videos I'm going to conclude that each piece of leather could be different, some may be
great and others, not so much. And the styles and construction will also vary.
And, it is possible, that the items sold on the main Dooney site are superior to the ones on ILD.

I had previously bought a Sorrento drawstring. I loved the leather, it was soft but had enough
body so the drawstring handbag looked and felt great. I returned the bag because I didn't
like the construction details. So when I saw a double zip satchel in Sorrento on ILD for a great
price, I decided to give it another try. The bag is well made and the style is great. The leather
however feels like Saffiano leather or coated canvas to me. It's just not my vibe. It's very different
from the Sorrento leather drawstring. Both were ILD purchases within a few weeks of each other.

I also ordered the Penrose 2 satchel from ILD in the Royal Blue. It's a bright navy and looks
really nice. The accent stitching is white and there is dark whip stitching on the handles. But, I'm not
impressed with the leather. The bag I got has a very fine grain leather that isn't soft to the touch.
The satchel style looks fine, the back of the tassels are a lighter blue and look fantastic. The zipper
top folds over into a smile that I hope will deepen with time. And the leather may soften if I use the bag enough.

I haven't decided if I'm keeping this Penrose 2 bag. I think it will be a workhorse bag.... good size and
really scratch and weather resistant leather. But the tactile feel of leather is important to me
and this bag doesn't satisfy that criteria. But then neither do lots of other bags, like the embossed
exotic leather from Dooney and Brahmin. I love those bags for the look. I like this Penrose
in royal blue for the look. No wonder I have so many handbags. 🙄🙄🙄

I didn't order anything yesterday. My D&B buying spree might be over. Yeah, I hope I'm cured!

 

[G.Allyn]

G: Thanks. Just wanted to remind you that you can attach a different long strap to the
Blair, as long as the clasps fit on the D rings. You could use a leather cross body strap or
a chain strap. You could match the color to the bag or the trim or the hardware.
Or even use a print guitar strap, if you plan to load up the bag and want
a thicker strap for comfort.

I'll probably always carry the Blair by the handles. But it's fun to think about
the longer strap possibilities.

Yes, I did order the Blair in bone... to keep my new midnight blue Blair company. 😁
It feels so great when you take a handbag out of the box and know instantly....
YES, this bag is right for me!

Again, thanks for the tip about the strap. I would have stupidly had the strap dangle and carried the bag satchel style.

Sorry about the price mistake on the Blair, I paid $109, not $107.

The dark navy in the Blair was tempting. I love those midnight blues.

 

[lavenderjunkie]

Again, thanks for the tip about the strap. I would have stupidly had the strap dangle and carried the bag satchel style.

Sorry about the price mistake on the Blair, I paid $109, not $107.

The dark navy in the Blair was tempting. I love those midnight blues.

G: I've had quite a few Dooney bags where the longer strap appears to be
permanently attached.... at least there are no clips. Over time I've learned to
try to deconstruct the strap to see if I can get if off without damaging it or the bag.
Sometimes it's sewn into place, so there is no flexibility. If I cut it off, I can
never put it back on.

But often it's connected with post pins that can be opened. Not easy, but they
are designed to allow straps to be shortened/lengthened/removed. Sometimes
I get lucky and it's a simple buckle and the D Ring is big enough to slide the ends
thru. not always, but it worked this time. Because you asked the question about the
strap, I tried to figure it out on the Blair. Sometimes I just tuck the longer strap
into the bag if it doesn't interfere with the closure. But on the Blair, that would not
have worked.

BTW, I was watching a YT video last night and someone was showing a new
H Birken 30. My first reaction was that the Blair has a similar silhouette. Clearly
not a dup, but the shape, handles, 'size, and structure were similar. 😀
If I didn't have so many black handbags (recently purchased) I might have
been tempted buy the black Blair also. The black has black handles.
The blue was the only one on sale when
I bought it and that was before it went down to $109.
I love the blue and I think the bone is even nicer.

And that got me thinking.... I wonder what the various H leathers are like in person!
There are so many different leathers and some are considered very durable and
scratch resistant. Some are embossed. What are these leathers like in person?
Are the Penrose and Sorrento leathers 'similar' to any of these?
Very unlikely I'll ever be able to touch and feel any of the H leathers IRL.
Guess I'll just have to wonder.

 

[LifeIsDucky]

I finally received the Penrose Satchel from Dooney.com and the Penrose Satchel (no pocket) from ILoveDooney.com. Both are Bordeaux but the one from I Love Dooney was larger, had the beloved whip stitched handles and was $100 less than the one at Dooney. As lavenderjunkie pointed our, there was no leather or suede lining the entrance to the inside of the bag and no outside pocket on the ILD bag. I can also say that the leather seemed a bit more plastic like and thinner, and less smooth than the Dooney satchel with the pocket. The leather “straps” that wrap the bag were thinner (width wise, not thickness) and the fabric zipper facing was light tan. But a hundred dollars is a hundred dollars I tried to convince myself. And had I not seen the quality of the satchel with the pocket - with its slightly nicer leather, dark brown zipper facing, the wider straps, and of course the pocket (which I will never use) - I would have returned the more expensive Dooney bag. I ultimately decided to treat myself to the nicer bag and kept the more expensive Dooney satchel. I am going to keep the Royal Blue Penrose satchel from ILD because I do not see this color often and have wished for a bag in this color for a long time. I am not convinced that the Blue of the Dooney Penrose is the same color as the ILD Royal Blue. I ordered the fuchsia from Dooney and it is nearly the same color as the Florentine fuchsia. There are no hints of a purple hue as it shows on the website. I figure given the low price point of the Royal Blue from ILD it will give me permission to use it all summer next year with reckless abandon! I cannot wait to use the Penrose to test the durability of this leather.

 

[DBLover318]

I got caught up in the sales and the lure of some of the small batch 'odds and ends' leathers
that Dooney was selling on both the main site and ILD. I had visions of really high end leather.
My fantasy was not fulfilled. Based on my experience, and comments of others here and on
YT videos I'm going to conclude that each piece of leather could be different, some may be
great and others, not so much. And the styles and construction will also vary.
And, it is possible, that the items sold on the main Dooney site are superior to the ones on ILD.

I had previously bought a Sorrento drawstring. I loved the leather, it was soft but had enough
body so the drawstring handbag looked and felt great. I returned the bag because I didn't
like the construction details. So when I saw a double zip satchel in Sorrento on ILD for a great
price, I decided to give it another try. The bag is well made and the style is great. The leather
however feels like Saffiano leather or coated canvas to me. It's just not my vibe. It's very different
from the Sorrento leather drawstring. Both were ILD purchases within a few weeks of each other.

I also ordered the Penrose 2 satchel from ILD in the Royal Blue. It's a bright navy and looks
really nice. The accent stitching is white and there is dark whip stitching on the handles. But, I'm not
impressed with the leather. The bag I got has a very fine grain leather that isn't soft to the touch.
The satchel style looks fine, the back of the tassels are a lighter blue and look fantastic. The zipper
top folds over into a smile that I hope will deepen with time. And the leather may soften if I use the bag enough.

I haven't decided if I'm keeping this Penrose 2 bag. I think it will be a workhorse bag.... good size and
really scratch and weather resistant leather. But the tactile feel of leather is important to me
and this bag doesn't satisfy that criteria. But then neither do lots of other bags, like the embossed
exotic leather from Dooney and Brahmin. I love those bags for the look. I like this Penrose
in royal blue for the look. No wonder I have so many handbags. 🙄🙄🙄

Thank you for the info! I have the Sorrento satchel in the light pink and taupe colors that I bought early this year and the leather is really soft and supple. I was eyeing the double zip satchel in the dusty rose color but when I zoomed in on the photos it looked like a Saffiano leather to me and I do not like Saffiano leather at all (I previously had a shopper tote in a light grey color and it looked cheap to me and smelled a bit odd). Very strange as I would think Sorrento leather would be the same type of leather no matter what type of item it is?