The curse of the Pochette Métis

[Sonmi999]

Oh no not you as well . We both going back to the store today too. I'm sending you good vibes too. Hope you get a nice SA. Ugh...you know I put up with a fair few impfections and flaws on my bag. I thought i was winning my battle against it as they were more cosmetic than on the defective side. A 6 months ago me would have rejected my bag because of them. Now with my canvas slightly cracking I'm like thinking , my limits are being severely tested here in trying to keep level headed and calm about it. I can see why ladies here get soooo darn frustrated with this bag that's for sure.
Good luck from over the pond
Missy x

I totally understand you. I used to be a lot pickier with my items, but since some time ago I started trying to stop nitpicking so much and just enjoy my things. It's been a good processe overall.
Thank you very much for the good vibes I also hope it goes very smoothly for you and you're able to get a perfect item!

Such a bummer for the PM owners who have issues! I am thankful that everyone shares their issues though because it really puts a hold on my lust for this bag.
I hope the boutique helps you out - please let us know what they say!

Thank you, doll! I've already sent pictures to my SA and she told me that, for now, it wasn't necessary for me to go to the store. She said she's going to forward my pictures to the quality control department. I'll update everyone as soon as she gets back to me

that's really bad luck op! Hope you get this resolved smoothly. Let us know how you go

Thanks a lot! I will

Ahh i feel so sorry for you!
I've had the regular mono pochette metis, but sold it after i got the reverse one, and never had a single issue with either..

It's such a beautiful and functional bag, but things seem to be hit-or-miss with it... I'm glad to know yours is holding up perfectly!

I'm so sorry for you! Sending you good vibes for such a phenomenal bag replacement that you forget all your current frustration with the PM.

You're so sweet! Thank you

I'm sorry. You seem to have exceptionally bad luck with LV - I think I would have given up on the brand completely!

Sometimes I ask myself why I haven't. I think it's because I absolutely love the brand and their CS hasn't let me down so far. I also believe I'm the odd one here, because you're right -- I do seem to have exceptionally bad luck with my items. Some people on tPF must think I'm nuts or that I make things up, but that's really not the case. I wish!
I hope this time isn't any different and they can help me out.

Sonmi999, I am very sorry for your misfortune. I hope this gets resolved. $2K is quite a bit to spend and have a product that has stitching issues so bad that it renders 1/3 the bag useless. You cannot put anything in that pocket, the canvas will tear,... not to mention it does look bad.

As for the quote-
I reeeeeeeeeeally like handbags! In my dream home, I'd have one of those walk-in closets with walls of handbags behind glass.
But, I must admit, the quality stories, potential design flaws I notice in the newer bags and seeing the quantity of bags in some members' arsenals have opened my eyes.
I don't want to worry about sealant and glaze issues. I don't want to wonder if my bag is going to age prematurely. I don't need 20 bags.
I have taken a break from buying and live vicariously through tpf shoppers.
I find the latest seasons' bag designs aesthetically pleasing, but I have given up on LV.
At first, it was difficult to put myself on "Ban Island" (not for overbuying). I have to say, the extra thousands in the bank/stock market has made it worth it!

Wishing you the best!

Thank you very much for your input! It did get me thinking. I don't own a huge luxury collection, I believe I own 10 LV bags, if I'm not mistaken. To me, it's a lot already, I can't even imagine how I would be able to rotate them if there were 20+ bags. What keeps me going back to them is their CS, that has never let me down, despite the fact I've had quality issues with 5 of their items since december -- now that I come to think of it, I find it truly appalling! After this issue is dealt with, I do think I'll go on a ban for a while, I need to rethink this. You're right, we're paying such high prices, we shouldn't have to inspect our bags and remain alert for possible issues. Some of my bags never had any issues and I do love them, so maybe I should just enjoy these and forget about other styles for a while.

To You!
I realize members can be passionate, and like to provide opinions and give advice, but I must admit some comments on your post were very harsh and I feel, uncalled-for.
I appreciate your call for humanity and empathy! That seems to be lacking in this technological day and age.
Bravo!

@LVorDie is great! I felt very bad for some of the comments she got on that thread. Some were totally harsh and even kind of mean.

I truly wouldn't let TPF experiences put you off of LV.

I've been with the brand since around 2004 - I own many pieces, and have only had 2 small issues, both of which were resolved (one was a MC cosmetic case that arrived with the screenprint incomplete, the other was my DE Neverfull interior that 'bled').

I think the expectation of cost = quality is a bit misguided. These are mass-produced items, for the most part, and quality is reflected as such. While I think cost should equal quality, I'm realistic and know that your LV dollars are going more towards marketing than your actual product materials. I don't think anyone should keep anything they're unhappy with, but for anyone to have 90% of their bags with 'major flaws,' well, I think that's highly unusual. Some items, like the Infrarouge PM, seemed doomed from TPF posts, but my store hasn't seen a single complaint about them. I think you're much more likely to hear from the unhappy folks than the ones who buy their bags and move on.
(These are all just my opinions and I know not all will agree )

]
While I feel I'm kind of a defect magnet, quite to my distaste and frustration, I do think quality seems to be downhill -- probably not only with LV. Maybe they find it cheaper to mass product items without such a tight quality control, so they can meet demand, and deal with the issues that come up. This is frustrating to say the least. All the issues I've come across will probably not make me stop buying LV altogether, but they will slow me down for sure. Thank God I can't say 90% of my items have had flaws, not even close to this, but a percentage much higher than I expected did, not to mention little imperfections on my items that I've just embraced. It's very funny, because I know that, compared to a lot of tPF members, I'm VERY laid-back and easygoing about flaws and imperfections. My boyfriend laughs about this sometimes. Maybe that's what frustrates me the most when it comes to the defects I've come across: I know I'm not the pickiest person on Earth, so the things that make me go back to the store are real issues.

I hope they come to a resolution for you about this bag. It appears that you have had many problems with different versions. That is disappointing to hear.

My friend has the mono version and I think she's had it now for about 6 months. I inspected her's up close and I did not see any flaws yet. She also got the Empreinte PM but it's too soon to tell yet if she has any problems with that bag. I have been interested in purchasing the mono version too, but am a little bit worried about the quality issues.

It's true, for the money that we spend on these bags they should not start falling apart within weeks or months of owning it. That's just poor craftsmanship. I think we stay loyal to LV because we love the brand and hope that these quality issues will dissipate. And obviously, we all love handbags on this forum and it's disheartening to have to return time and time again to LV for quality issues. GL and I hope that you do not have to endure the curse of the PM any longer!

Thanks a lot, doll! I doubt I'll ever add a PM to my collection again, so I'm breaking the curse for me I hope your friend's bags remain perfect for many years to come!

 

[Sonmi999]

I honestly dont think you were being picky. I would have probably been even more scrutinizing, given the price point and the reputation of the brand. The lock thing would have bothered me too. Those imperfections could bother a ton in the long run and defects obviously ruin the bag.

My sa is supposed to locate a reverse for me this wk and im hoping it does not have a curse as well!!

I'm sending good vibes to you and hope your SA finds a perfect bag!

I agree that you did receive some harsh criticism. I think we all forget the actual price we pay for the bags and I think it is ok to want perfection in something at that price point.

The popularity of the PM might be too much for LV to handle as we all can see by the constant quality concerns. My husband has had the same LV wallet for about 20 years and the canvas is still in perfect condition. Yes the interior is pretty beat up after constant use. But it does shock me when I read about the current generation of bags with cracking or peeling canvas. Additionally, I have read that others also had crooked or off-center s-locks with the PM (just like yours). I believe it has been beneficial to bring forth these concerns to LV to reduce these flaws that keep occurring over and over. I know these experiences haven't been pleasant for you or Sonmi999, but maybe something will start improving with production quality going forth.

I believe they are rushing production to meet demand, even if it means poor quality control. I guess it's cheaper for them to do this and deal with the issues that eventually come up, because not the majority of the bags are flawed, I guess, not to mention people who have defective items and don't notice it. I take my sister, for example: if my mono Pochette Métis was hers, she would have NEVER seen the canvas cracking around the stitches until the cracks were huge, and maybe then it would be too late for her to do anything about it.
I really hope the people who return to the store to report the issues are making LV more aware of this, and this leads to an improvement in quality. My bag is so new that there's not even a hairline scratch on the S-lock. It's ridiculous.

 

[Mousy]

I truly wouldn't let TPF experiences put you off of LV.

I've been with the brand since around 2004 - I own many pieces, and have only had 2 small issues, both of which were resolved (one was a MC cosmetic case that arrived with the screenprint incomplete, the other was my DE Neverfull interior that 'bled').

I think the expectation of cost = quality is a bit misguided. These are mass-produced items, for the most part, and quality is reflected as such. While I think cost should equal quality, I'm realistic and know that your LV dollars are going more towards marketing than your actual product materials. I don't think anyone should keep anything they're unhappy with, but for anyone to have 90% of their bags with 'major flaws,' well, I think that's highly unusual. Some items, like the Infrarouge PM, seemed doomed from TPF posts, but my store hasn't seen a single complaint about them. I think you're much more likely to hear from the unhappy folks than the ones who buy their bags and move on.
(These are all just my opinions and I know not all will agree )

Thank you for your response.

Yes, other members' experiences have made me pause and think, "Do I really need that bag?" But, that's a good thing. The good and bad experiences I've read have inspired me to stop, take a breath and assess my, ahem... cough... cough... NEED for that new bag. I also have developed a discerning eye for potential quality issues.

I have had my share of LV issues- thank goodness just a few. I've had two bad CS experiences that have kept me on my toes. One was before all the glazing issues surfaced. Back in 2012, I bought an LV bag for nearly $3K. I wore the bag three times when I noticed an area where the glazing was done incorrectly. I brought the bag in about three weeks into owning it. The manager (who I had purchased six bags from over the previous years) said he had never seen anything like the glazing issue before and Empreinte leather cannot be re-glazed. He informed me I wore it so it's my bag and my problem. I was floored! About a year later, gobs of glazing and sealant issues came to LV clients' attention.
I've bought three LV bags since from another LV store in my city, but none at that price point.
Well, now I only have a few bags. One (pochette w/ crossbody strap) LV my daughter will get as part of her 16th birthday present, one Hermes (I'm selling because of lack of use), an REI nylon bag (in case of stormy weather) and a couple of Chanel bags (my favorites).
I'm good. Got plenty.

Enjoy the day!

 

[my_my969]

Thank you for your response.

Yes, other members' experiences have made me pause and think, "Do I really need that bag?" But, that's a good thing. The good and bad experiences I've read have inspired me to stop, take a breath and assess my, ahem... cough... cough... NEED for that new bag. I also have developed a discerning eye for potential quality issues.

I have had my share of LV issues- thank goodness just a few. I've had two bad CS experiences that have kept me on my toes. One was before all the glazing issues surfaced. Back in 2012, I bought an LV bag for nearly $3K. I wore the bag three times when I noticed an area where the glazing was done incorrectly. I brought the bag in about three weeks into owning it. The manager (who I had purchased six bags from over the previous years) said he had never seen anything like the glazing issue before and Empreinte leather cannot be re-glazed. He informed me I wore it so it's my bag and my problem. I was floored! About a year later, gobs of glazing and sealant issues came to LV clients' attention.
I've bought three LV bags since from another LV store in my city, but none at that price point.
Well, now I only have a few bags. One (pochette w/ crossbody strap) LV my daughter will get as part of her 16th birthday present, one Hermes (I'm selling because of lack of use), an REI nylon bag (in case of stormy weather) and a couple of Chanel bags (my favorites).
I'm good. Got plenty.

Enjoy the day!

Is it true that " empreinte leather cannot be reglaze"? I`m scared , I just bought an empreinte Pm

 

[Sonmi999]

Quick and happy update: my SA texted me a while back and wrote that they authorized me to exchange my bag. She's the best Thank goodness once again their CS didn't let me down.

 

[Mousy]

Is it true that " empreinte leather cannot be reglaze"? I`m scared , I just bought an empreinte Pm

Don't be scared. Empreinte has improved over the years and certain pieces (like the straps and handles) can easily be replaced.
No worries!

 

[Sonmi999]

Is it true that " empreinte leather cannot be reglaze"? I`m scared , I just bought an empreinte Pm

I think the problems regarding the glazing of empreinte items have in general been solved. Relax

 

[LadyNik]

I am very sorry about the trouble you have had. But one thing I have learned over my years of purchasing any luxury bag is. . .inspect inspect inspect. I know we shouldn't have to but unfortunately it's necessary with any of these designers Louis Vuitton, Chanel and so on. And yes some things are not detected right away but some things are. I'm not saying look for perfection or take a magnifying glass to your bag but definitely look for things that will be a potential problem. Perfection does not exist and unrealistic no matter how much we are spending. I'm saying look for things that could be a potential problem down the line. I wish you luck with the next bag.

 

[LVorDie]

Quick and happy update: my SA texted me a while back and wrote that they authorized me to exchange my bag. She's the best Thank goodness once again their CS didn't let me down.

Yay! So glad Louis Vuitton is once again standing behind their product!

 

[my_my969]

Don't be scared. Empreinte has improved over the years and certain pieces (like the straps and handles) can easily be replaced.
No worries!

I think the problems regarding the glazing of empreinte items have in general been solved. Relax

yes , thank you. But I think the weakness of the Pm lies on both sides. Where the metal of the straps rubs agains the sides of the flap. So on the long run, maybe the glazing can wear of? I thought they could reglaze it like the mono

 

[reginaPhalange]

Quick and happy update: my SA texted me a while back and wrote that they authorized me to exchange my bag. She's the best Thank goodness once again their CS didn't let me down.

Glad to hear things worked out for you girl! Which bag are you planning to get in exchange?

 

[Sonmi999]

I am very sorry about the trouble you have had. But one thing I have learned over my years of purchasing any luxury bag is. . .inspect inspect inspect. I know we shouldn't have to but unfortunately it's necessary with any of these designers Louis Vuitton, Chanel and so on. And yes some things are not detected right away but some things are. I'm not saying look for perfection or take a magnifying glass to your bag but definitely look for things that will be a potential problem. Perfection does not exist and unrealistic no matter how much we are spending. I'm saying look for things that could be a potential problem down the line. I wish you luck with the next bag.

You're totally right! I inspect the bags as much as possible while I'm still inside the store. Unfortunately some things need time or better lighting to detect :/
Thank you! ^_^

Yay! So glad Louis Vuitton is once again standing behind their product!

Yessss! That's probably the main reason why I keep going back there!

yes , thank you. But I think the weakness of the Pm lies on both sides. Where the metal of the straps rubs agains the sides of the flap. So on the long run, maybe the glazing can wear of? I thought they could reglaze it like the mono

That's true, I didn't think about this. That's another reason for me to wait until there are enough wear and tear videos for me to check out But I believe that maybe because it's leather, it will be softer and there won't be these issues with the clasp rubbing against the glazing. The canvas is hard, so I believe there's more rubbing.

Glad to hear things worked out for you girl! Which bag are you planning to get in exchange?

Thank you! ❤ I sincerely still don't know! I'm thinking about checking out the Tuileries Besace (again), the Iena in damier ebene (but I think my local store still hasn't received it), the Delightful PM in damier ebene... I'd also like to see some Mahina bags. I don't own any. I really don't know yet But I'll try to post a reveal later on!

 

[reginaPhalange]

Thank you! [emoji173] I sincerely still don't know! I'm thinking about checking out the Tuileries Besace (again), the Iena in damier ebene (but I think my local store still hasn't received it), the Delightful PM in damier ebene... I'd also like to see some Mahina bags. I don't own any. I really don't know yet But I'll try to post a reveal later on!

The Iena in DE sounds lovely, hopefully your local LV has a decent selection for you to choose from, looking forward to see your reveal[emoji5]

 

[mrs_so_loves]

Hi Ladies


I'm new to the forum and have only read a few things here and there but never posted anything. After a bit of a saga to get hands on my Pochette Metis (long story) I have finally received the bag 2 weeks ago. I'm originally from Germany and live in Australia now, and as it was very hard to get my hands on the bag in Australia I've ordered it through my Mum in Germany and she sent it to me.


I was over the moon to finally own this bag and could not see any flaws whatsoever.

On day three of using the bag I noticed two things: the red glazing on the handle seems to be cracking and exposed the leather and something like residue glue peels off the canvas.


In the same week I took the bag into the store in Melbourne and spoke to the SA that is responsible for the repairs. She rectified the peeling issue in the store and offered me to get the handle exchanged. As I wasn't happy with this suggestion I've left the store and sent an eMail to the German Customer Service. Unfortunately they could not help me via email and she directed me back to the Melbourne SA who rang me the next day.


It was quite a heated phone call as she insisted that it is not a quality issue but 'wear and tear' and as the handle started peeling/cracking at a stress point this will happen again and it’s normal and okay that this happens.

I was really hoping that LV would take responsibility for their products and exchange the bag instead of repairing it, especially as I have only been using it for 3 days when this happened. She insisted that I will not get a replacement bag as the bag is still usable and she doesn’t deem it defect and on a site note she told me that Australia has rarely any PM stocked anyways so she could not exchange it, even if she wanted to. (?!)

She promised me to speed the repair up and I could get a loan bag in the meantime.


After a lot of consideration and research I decided to get it repaired as I’ve read about so many stories where people got a replacement bag and had the same or other issues.


Long story short, I’ve dropped off my bag to get it repaired on Sunday, turns out the repair will still take 6 weeks and the loan bags she offered me where bags that were obviously defect and just lying around (I picked the best one which is a new Neverfull MM Monogram – with hot stamping though..)


I left the store with this weird feeling in my gut that I’ve made a mistake.

The next morning I’ve received an uplifting eMail from the German Customer Service that they are happy to hear that everything had been handled to my satisfaction and that they are glad that I got offered “the premium service of giving me a loan bag”.

I’ve sent them a very lengthy email last night to express how disappointed and angry I am - I feel ripped off and am disappointed the way this got handled. Curious what the response will be…


Thanks for reading my story.

 

[JazzyMac]

Hi Ladies


I'm new to the forum and have only read a few things here and there but never posted anything. After a bit of a saga to get hands on my Pochette Metis (long story) I have finally received the bag 2 weeks ago. I'm originally from Germany and live in Australia now, and as it was very hard to get my hands on the bag in Australia I've ordered it through my Mum in Germany and she sent it to me.


I was over the moon to finally own this bag and could not see any flaws whatsoever.

On day three of using the bag I noticed two things: the red glazing on the handle seems to be cracking and exposed the leather and something like residue glue peels off the canvas.


In the same week I took the bag into the store in Melbourne and spoke to the SA that is responsible for the repairs. She rectified the peeling issue in the store and offered me to get the handle exchanged. As I wasn't happy with this suggestion I've left the store and sent an eMail to the German Customer Service. Unfortunately they could not help me via email and she directed me back to the Melbourne SA who rang me the next day.


It was quite a heated phone call as she insisted that it is not a quality issue but 'wear and tear' and as the handle started peeling/cracking at a stress point this will happen again and it’s normal and okay that this happens.

I was really hoping that LV would take responsibility for their products and exchange the bag instead of repairing it, especially as I have only been using it for 3 days when this happened. She insisted that I will not get a replacement bag as the bag is still usable and she doesn’t deem it defect and on a site note she told me that Australia has rarely any PM stocked anyways so she could not exchange it, even if she wanted to. (?!)

She promised me to speed the repair up and I could get a loan bag in the meantime.


After a lot of consideration and research I decided to get it repaired as I’ve read about so many stories where people got a replacement bag and had the same or other issues.


Long story short, I’ve dropped off my bag to get it repaired on Sunday, turns out the repair will still take 6 weeks and the loan bags she offered me where bags that were obviously defect and just lying around (I picked the best one which is a new Neverfull MM Monogram – with hot stamping though..)


I left the store with this weird feeling in my gut that I’ve made a mistake.

The next morning I’ve received an uplifting eMail from the German Customer Service that they are happy to hear that everything had been handled to my satisfaction and that they are glad that I got offered “the premium service of giving me a loan bag”.

I’ve sent them a very lengthy email last night to express how disappointed and angry I am - I feel ripped off and am disappointed the way this got handled. Curious what the response will be…


Thanks for reading my story. View attachment 3640806 View attachment 3640807 View attachment 3640808 View attachment 3640806 View attachment 3640807 View attachment 3640808

"Wear and tear" after only three days???? Much less a week????

That's why I'm super-duper-duper careful when I purchase in Europe and Asia. They will never, ever own up to their bad quality products. I'm sorry you're going through this and I hope it's rectified. Welcome to the forums!