SPRINGing Overboard on CROSSGRAIN!

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Nymeria1

Nymeria1

Member
May 17, 2014
653
53
#1
Does anyone else besides me think that Coach is really going overboard this season with SO MANY bags in the Crossgrain leather? While I do love my floral Taxi Tote in Crossgrain,
seeing so many Crosbys, Carryalls, and even the new Prince St. Satchels in Crossgrain is just too much! Whatever happened to beautiful SMOOTH leather? IMO, the Crosby bag of last Fall was a much more beautiful bag, and the Crossgrain leather this Spring just doesn't do it justice. When I went into my FP boutique recently, even my favorite SA's seemed disappointed with the new arrivals, and said to me, "Everything's in Crossgrain!!" While this leather is great in the Taxi Totes, it shouldn't be on the Majority of bags. There is other gorgeous leather, Coach. Time to move on!! :thinkin:
 
#2
Cross-grain is easier to make in cheaper leather; the pattern helps to mask any imperfections. I agree it's the reason I'm sitting out this time around. The pebbled leather isn't bad, but it'd be nice if they'd bring back more smooth leathers. I feel like they've diminished tremendously after phasing out the borough. Can only wait and see!
 
#3
I agree with you 100 percent, Nymeria1! I love my taxi tote - the red current color is gorgeous in this leather and the bag will be easy to keep clean - but I'm with you, especially about the Crosby bags. I LOVED the smooth leather of the Fall 2014 Crosbys and would have loved to see the pink version in the exact same leather.
In fact, I'm close with my S.A. as well, and she also expressed disappointment with the lack of variety in leather treatments. She told me that the "average customer" (those not on tpf - lol!) who doesn't quite know how to articulate what she doesn't like about the crossgrain leaves the store quickly and politely, when she admits that the client must be thinking that it has an almost plastic-ky, lower quality feel to it.
That said, I really DO like the crossgrain...but like you, I feel that it's way too much all at once. Coach has always been known among regulars for its variety of leathers. I hope Vevers recognizes that - and quickly.
 
#4
I completely agree! I believe it is done to save money, not as a style choice. I bought one of the few new smooth leather pieces but it isn't as nice as smooth leather from the past. I get the feeling it has been processed some way too.
 
#5
I don't deny it's a cost saver but many of the competitors(Michael Kors comes to mind lol) are using it so i guess they think they will too.

I think they should mix it up for sure, their getting in a rut. :p
 
#6
HesitantShopper said:
I don't deny it's a cost saver but many of the competitors(Michael Kors comes to mind lol) are using it so i guess they think they will too.

I think they should mix it up for sure, their getting in a rut. :p
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lol if they do the same thing everyone else does...wonder how it'll distinguish the brand? And didn't Coach want to pull away from MK and move to a higher sphere? Having their approach so blatantly similar to a contemporary rival is surely not good for their aim...
 
#7
lovingmybags said:
lol if they do the same thing everyone else does...wonder how it'll distinguish the brand? And didn't Coach want to pull away from MK and move to a higher sphere? Having their approach so blatantly similar to a contemporary rival is surely not good for their aim...
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As of late it's the old we say differently than we do.. i agree, they won't stand out if they just follow the herd, but who knows what their objective truly is these days, they seem somewhat confused.
 
#8
HesitantShopper said:
I don't deny it's a cost saver but many of the competitors(Michael Kors comes to mind lol) are using it so i guess they think they will too.

I think they should mix it up for sure, their getting in a rut. :p
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And even if it saves costs at the onset, if they don't sell well, the crossgrain bags will end up flooding the outlet at reduced prices.
 
#10
I'm not a fan of either crossgrain or saffiano. To each his own, but to me it looks cheap and feels cheap no matter the brand. That said, I admit I do own quite a few bags in Saffiano leather and a few crossgrain or other similar types of textured leather, but I will only buy them if I love the bag/color combo and have no choice. I look at it like patent in that these leathers are easy to care for, and sometimes I just want a fun and easy bag to take care of that I don't have to worry about. Unless it's a limited edition I have to have, though, I certainly won't drop a lot of money on them. I agree with the poster who said that these bags will end up in mass at the outlets. However, as I say that, I noticed some people in the stores were going ape over the new Prince Street bags, and all I was thinking was OH NO, not more crossgrain, lol! Definitely overload at this point!
 
#12
gr8onteej said:
One of the SAs told me the cross grain is being used because of all of the complaints about how easily the other leather scratched (we were looking at Crosby bags).
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That makes sense the average person wants a durable, easy care bag not one that requires precautions or special considerations. It'll be interesting to see how long term this works out.
 
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