Vintage Coach Photos & Chat

[Syren]

I agree. The quality of my MFF star quilted Jes is just as good as my recent boutique Coach bags.

Those Jes bags are cute! Last time I was in the outlet I inspected one of the Nora kisslock bags in pebbled leather and it was the nicest pebbled leather I felt on an outlet bag in a long long time. I would say I preferred it to the polished pebbled leather on some of the boutique bags. I want one

 

[whateve]

I've only tried auctions three times and won two with nice prices. First was my BT2 casino for $28 but with UK shipping and taxes and second was a lot of three Basics for $62. Everything else I've bought BIN has been much more expensive ranging from $30-120 or so. Cheapest was an absolutely parched Metropolis Zip from Goodwill for $9. Can't wait to rehab that one!


How do you and others manage to apply the right amount of conditioner? I ALWAYS oversaturate and have to redunk to wash off the excess whilst the typically dry areas (corners, stressed areas of piping, straps etc) stay dry!

I don't usually have this problem and I often slather on the CPR. It helps if you start with a freshly dunked bag that isn't completely dry. IMO dunking opens up the pores of the leather so the conditioner can soak in. You can also put your bag in a warm place to help the conditioner melt and soak in. Sometimes I'll sit mine out in the sun for a few hours. If it is too cold in your house, you can use a hairdryer.

 

[Lucyblue13]

I am a bargain shopper but I didn't get into going to thrift stores until around 2014. When I first joined the forum, it was because my teenage daughter had spent her hard earned money buying a purse and a wallet with no discounts from a Coach boutique. I wanted to show her you didn't have to spend that much to get what she wanted so I started looking at contemporary Coach on ebay. I did find some bargains but I also found some fakes, which is how I found the forum, and which led ultimately to me becoming an authenticator. I didn't get interested in vintage until Katev started showing off her rehabs. At first, I wasn't attracted to it because it was vintage or better quality; I just wanted to be able to transform something. It appealed to the crafter in me. Ironically the first vintage bags I bought on ebay were in perfect condition and didn't need any rehabbing.

In 2014, we drove cross country, shopping at thrift stores along the way for something to do. It was a good way to drive around new towns and get a feel for the area. We met interesting people. I shopped for vintage Coach because it was something I knew and liked. Ever since then, whenever we travel, we go to thrift stores. It took me a long time to get over the ick factor with buying thrift. I don't mind vintage Coach because I know I can get them completely clean with dunking. But even clothes that I know I can wash, I still feel funny about those that touch the skin. I love my thrifted down jacket. I can't see myself ever buying used shoes. I bought a used stand mixer. Even though I washed it thoroughly, the first few times I felt kind of icky using it.

Now I know that many people who sell on ebay get their items from thrift stores but when I was first buying, if I was buying used, I imagined I was buying from the original owner, and it didn't seem as icky.

I started thrifting when I was a teenager. I wish I had kept a lot of the stuff I bought back then! Cross country thrifting sounds like the best road trip ever!

If something seems icky to me(clothes anyway) if I happen to have vodka I pour some in the wash and soak a bit. Takes the smell out of clothes easier than anything else I've tried. I can't remember where I learned this but it works lol. Wish I could do this with a couple of bags, but I figure soaking in alcohol isn't a good idea for bags.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

I've only tried auctions three times and won two with nice prices. First was my BT2 casino for $28 but with UK shipping and taxes and second was a lot of three Basics for $62. Everything else I've bought BIN has been much more expensive ranging from $30-120 or so. Cheapest was an absolutely parched Metropolis Zip from Goodwill for $9. Can't wait to rehab that one!


How do you and others manage to apply the right amount of conditioner? I ALWAYS oversaturate and have to redunk to wash off the excess whilst the typically dry areas (corners, stressed areas of piping, straps etc) stay dry!

For auctions it depends. If there’s no interest, I can usually win bags at starting bid or a little over, but when there are multiple bidders & price is being bid up days before auction end, I remove the listing from my watchlist if it goes higher than what I was willing to pay. For my currant willis, I put a ridiculous end bid but won it for less. It was a miracle!!

I gently wipe the excess off with a fluffy microfibre cloth (my favourite is the arm&hammer blue one) before buffing. When I first started using Renapur, I slathered it on & left it overnight. The next day the bag felt like rubber LOL. I didn’t make that mistake again, always buff your bags after conditioning!

ETA: For CPR, I only apply it while the bag is wet, I don’t like using CPR on dry leather

 

[americandreaming]

In 2014, we drove cross country, shopping at thrift stores along the way for something to do. It was a good way to drive around new towns and get a feel for the area. We met interesting people. I shopped for vintage Coach because it was something I knew and liked. Ever since then, whenever we travel, we go to thrift stores.

That sounds amazing! I definitely want to do a US road trip so that and eating out at the nice restaurants sounds like the best way to exploring new places!!!

I don't usually have this problem and I often slather on the CPR. It helps if you start with a freshly dunked bag that isn't completely dry. IMO dunking opens up the pores of the leather so the conditioner can soak in. You can also put your bag in a warm place to help the conditioner melt and soak in. Sometimes I'll sit mine out in the sun for a few hours. If it is too cold in your house, you can use a hairdryer.

Oh, that might be a reason as it's quite cold here. I'll start putting them in the sun, if we get any, or the boiler room for a few hours so it can soak in.

I gently wipe the excess off with a fluffy microfibre cloth (my favourite is the arm&hammer blue one) before buffing. When I first started using Renapur, I slathered it on & left it overnight. The next day the bag felt like rubber LOL. I didn’t make that mistake again, always buff your bags after conditioning!

ETA: For CPR, I only apply it while the bag is wet, I don’t like using CPR on dry leather

Thank you - noted. Why don't you like using CPR on dry leather?

 

[Coachaddict4020]

That sounds amazing! I definitely want to do a US road trip so that and eating out at the nice restaurants sounds like the best way to exploring new places!!!



Oh, that might be a reason as it's quite cold here. I'll start putting them in the sun, if we get any, or the boiler room for a few hours so it can soak in.


Thank you - noted. Why don't you like using CPR on dry leather?

I personally think it absorbs much better on wet leather. I’ve tried it on a dry bag before but I noticed I had to use way more product & the bag felt a bit tacky afterwards.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

I’m very creative and I can sew and embroider but somehow I couldn’t do this to a bag unless it was a total loss with bad stains. I do not care for any of the hand-embroidered bags. They are not done well and designs do look child-like. It might be fun to buy a nightmare bag that is beyond help and play around with it.

I think I’ve figured it out. These colourful words & embroidery are targeting young people, mainly influencers. I can totally see a young influencer flexing these bags as a trend on Instagram. It doesn’t have to be well done embroidery & the words are seemingly random but if there’s one thing I remember about being a teen, it’s the individualism & wanting to be seen as “different”. Look at the embroidered words: “too much”, “off the deep end”, “wild”, “daydreamer”, “tune out” etc... these all seem like things Id expect some young person to put as a caption on social media. Or am I reaching? Lol

 

[fitzopolds]

I think I’ve figured it out. These colourful words & embroidery are targeting young people, mainly influencers. I can totally see a young influencer flexing these bags as a trend on Instagram. It doesn’t have to be well done embroidery & the words are seemingly random but if there’s one thing I remember about being a teen, it’s the individualism & wanting to be seen as “different”. Look at the embroidered words: “too much”, “off the deep end”, “wild”, “daydreamer”, “tune out” etc... these all seem like things Id expect some young person to put as a caption on social media. Or am I reaching? Lol

Like you said, I can see influencers buying them, these remind me of 2013/2014 when studding the vintage bags were “in”. I will never understand revamping a bag and slapping a $500 price tag on them, except that one collection with Barney’s where they put that really cute suede striping on them. I personally would never spend that much money on a purse that’s poorly embroidered with weird sayings, but to each their own! There’s obviously a market out there for it.

 

[Lake Effect]

I haven’t gone through today’s posts. I really hope some here scored this:

Vintage COACH Luggage Tan Brown Leather Crossbody Messenger Bag Purse | eBay

Condition is "Pre-owned". Needs cleaning and leather conditioner. Full leather needs tls to be brought back to life. Sold in AS IS condition. Brass hardware. 2 Drop-in pockes by the knob. Interior open space and one zip pocket.

www.ebay.com

I know it has a rough looking seam, but I think this would clean up great.
K need to get caught up here.

 

[fitzopolds]

In some other news, I got this rust beauty in the mail today! I went on a little bag ban since buying my Pony, but I couldn’t let this pass. I absolutely love my $20 bargain Convertible Clutch because it fits so much compared to my other bags and isn’t so heavy, so I knew I’d use this one plenty.

I’ve only seen a handful of these and most of the styles that came in rust aren’t wearable for me, except for this one. I’m gonna dunk her and then she’s ready for wear!

 

[Lake Effect]

I have mixed feelings on Coach rehabbing bags. On one hand, hey it’s a free market but they’re really taking the fun away from all the beautiful work members of this forum do.

I can’t really explain why this is annoying me lol I guess I just need to get back to my rehab pile. I was thinking of unloading some of my beautiful rehabbed vintage bags but I think I’ll just keep them. My tastes and needs are constantly changing so the bags I feel are too small right now will probably be perfect for me down the road.

There are a lot of people who have no idea what we do or how we do it. It wouldn’t really matter to me but boy is it driving up the price of online listings. I have a kinda nice little stash. But I know not everyone else here or reading does.
Also, Coach is double dipping. Corporate profits from the original sale. Then in order for the person who is restoring the bag to make money I imagine, the bag is being picked up for cheap. Then Coach sells it again for a profit. So you could say that an inexpensive bag, instead of being picked up by one of us, gets pulled back into the Coach profit cycle.
Eta to keep the tone light, maybe our good work here has not gone unnoticed by Coach! We are victims of our success!

 

[whateve]

There are a lot of people who have no idea what we do or how we do it. It wouldn’t really matter to me but boy is it driving up the price of online listings. I have a kinda nice little stash. But I know not everyone else here or reading does.
Also, Coach is double dipping. Corporate profits from the original sale. Then in order for the person who is restoring the bag to make money I imagine, the bag is being picked up for cheap. Then Coach sells it again for a profit. So you could say that an inexpensive bag, instead of being picked up by one of us, gets pulled back into the Coach profit cycle.

I'm sure that is true. I sold a bag to Debi once to be embellished by Coach. At the time she told me she would buy all of that style I had if I kept the price below a certain amount.

 

[Lake Effect]

I've only tried auctions three times and won two with nice prices. First was my BT2 casino for $28 but with UK shipping and taxes and second was a lot of three Basics for $62. Everything else I've bought BIN has been much more expensive ranging from $30-120 or so. Cheapest was an absolutely parched Metropolis Zip from Goodwill for $9. Can't wait to rehab that one!


How do you and others manage to apply the right amount of conditioner? I ALWAYS oversaturate and have to redunk to wash off the excess whilst the typically dry areas (corners, stressed areas of piping, straps etc) stay dry!

I don't usually have this problem and I often slather on the CPR. It helps if you start with a freshly dunked bag that isn't completely dry. IMO dunking opens up the pores of the leather so the conditioner can soak in. You can also put your bag in a warm place to help the conditioner melt and soak in. Sometimes I'll sit mine out in the sun for a few hours. If it is too cold in your house, you can use a hairdryer.

I agree with whateve. I tend to buy bags that need moisture! But I have learned it is better to apply CPR and Renapur with a light touch and more apps. I either buff with fluffy cotton towel or horsehair brush in between. When the bag feels supple and maybe gets a little sheen, it maybe enough.

 

[Lake Effect]

I'm sure that is true. I sold a bag to Debi once to be embellished by Coach. At the time she told me she would buy all of that style I had if I kept the price below a certain amount.

Yes, the newer folk around here don’t realize Coach dabbled in upcycling vintage back around 2015 or 2016. One of the shops was Barney’s.

 

[Coachaddict4020]

In some other news, I got this rust beauty in the mail today! I went on a little bag ban since buying my Pony, but I couldn’t let this pass. I absolutely love my $20 bargain Convertible Clutch because it fits so much compared to my other bags and isn’t so heavy, so I knew I’d use this one plenty.
View attachment 5063076
I’ve only seen a handful of these and most of the styles that came in rust aren’t wearable for me, except for this one. I’m gonna dunk her and then she’s ready for wear!

Speaking of rust, I got my rust A dye today & its an EXACT match to the colour of my BT dinky... like what are the odds! Anyways, it’s not a complete fail yet because I mixed some red acrylic paint into the dye (even though the company said not to mix products) & I got an absolutely BEAUTIFUL shade of deep orange. Now Im hoping it applies well & I didn't just compromise the dye formula...I seem to be getting a little too confident with this experiment lmao.

Fingers crossed it goes well, Im gonna dye it tomorrow afternoon!