I only have one metallic bag but it’s a favorite, my copper Zoe 12669. I have read posts by other TPFers about peeling, rubbing, and various problems with metallic leathers (including the copper Zoe) but I was very happy that I never had any wear issues with my beloved bag – until this year!
I only wear Zoe during the fall, but life has recently gotten harder on my bags (and on me!) and my sweet Zoe was damaged! My bags are spending a lot more time on my shoulder and rubbing against my clothes – instead of sitting next to me in the car – because I am now walking back and forth to commuter train stations to go to and from work.
As a result, areas of metallic leather on the back side of my Zoe rubbed off and really looked terrible! I finally decided to try over-painting the damaged areas. I usually only use acrylic paints to touch up the strap edges on rehabbed vintage bags. I’ve never had much luck over-painting areas on the body of a bag. It is very hard to match colors exactly and even harder to match the (matt or glossy) finish of the bag.
I now think that metallic paints may be a good option for damaged metallic bags because of the natural color variations in metallics and the fact that both the bags and the paints have a glossy finish.
I took Zoe’s hangtag with me to JoAnn’s and found a small bottle of metallic acrylic paint that was a very close color match. Then I just painted it on and hoped for the best! My goal was to minimize the damage and make it less noticeable and I am satisfied that I’ve accomplished that.
I don’t think that I will ever use Zoe as an everyday work bag again, but I will take her out for special occasions next fall and I am glad that she is not lost forever!
Below are some before pics and I will post after photos with the next message. It’s hard to photograph the true colors of metallic bags, so these are the best pics I could get.
Please don’t praise my rehab skills because I didn’t have to use much skill, just nerve! This was more of an act of desperation! I just bought a small bottle of paint and slathered it on with an artist’s paint brush and let it dry.
I am only posting this info because I know that others have had issues with metallic bags and this may help someone else.
Before, poor Zoe!
I only wear Zoe during the fall, but life has recently gotten harder on my bags (and on me!) and my sweet Zoe was damaged! My bags are spending a lot more time on my shoulder and rubbing against my clothes – instead of sitting next to me in the car – because I am now walking back and forth to commuter train stations to go to and from work.
As a result, areas of metallic leather on the back side of my Zoe rubbed off and really looked terrible! I finally decided to try over-painting the damaged areas. I usually only use acrylic paints to touch up the strap edges on rehabbed vintage bags. I’ve never had much luck over-painting areas on the body of a bag. It is very hard to match colors exactly and even harder to match the (matt or glossy) finish of the bag.
I now think that metallic paints may be a good option for damaged metallic bags because of the natural color variations in metallics and the fact that both the bags and the paints have a glossy finish.
I took Zoe’s hangtag with me to JoAnn’s and found a small bottle of metallic acrylic paint that was a very close color match. Then I just painted it on and hoped for the best! My goal was to minimize the damage and make it less noticeable and I am satisfied that I’ve accomplished that.
I don’t think that I will ever use Zoe as an everyday work bag again, but I will take her out for special occasions next fall and I am glad that she is not lost forever!
Below are some before pics and I will post after photos with the next message. It’s hard to photograph the true colors of metallic bags, so these are the best pics I could get.
Please don’t praise my rehab skills because I didn’t have to use much skill, just nerve! This was more of an act of desperation! I just bought a small bottle of paint and slathered it on with an artist’s paint brush and let it dry.
I am only posting this info because I know that others have had issues with metallic bags and this may help someone else.
Before, poor Zoe!
