I just noticed Marc by Marc Jacobs classic q bags with the usual logo print lining in some sort of artificial, satin-y material when I went the the shop today. All my old ones (Jessica from 2009 perhaps), Natasha from 2010, + small leather goods have a sturdy cotton lining. When did this happen and whyyy och whyyy?!
What on earth happened to the lining of MbMJ bags lately?
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I know - I actually just posted something about this on another thread. (and about the cheap looking new button closures) My Large Ukita in Chianti, Voyage Clutch in Espresso, and Natasha in Berry Haze all have the cheap lining. I hate it. I complained to MJ customer service, lol. I never heard from them, guess they can't take criticism!
The new changes are for the worse, I feel, and they cheapen the experience of buying MBMJ. The leather quality seems to be worsening and the prices keep going up.
The decrease in leather quality made me pass on any more Marc bags, but then yesterday I noticed some nice colours that I hadn't seen before. I looked at a Baby Groovee yesterday that had a lush pebbled leather reminding me of old Marc days, but when I opened the zipper - that new lining. I liked the old lining, it never felt glamourous or anything, but functional, and the functionality of these bags was the reason I got into them in the first place. Another brand down the drain 
yep, noticed the same thing too... a lot of the little intricate details are now missing too. i usually stick with buying older version bags from ebay 
they were better made back then! the cheap lining and the thin flimsy leather makes me stay away from the new ones in stores.
they were better made back then! the cheap lining and the thin flimsy leather makes me stay away from the new ones in stores.
I bought an old MbyMJ key pouch off eBay and fell so in love with the feel of the leather I decided to buy a huge hillier. It is the 2011 model from Toronto. When I took it out of the gift box I Immediately noticed a difference in the lining, the leather and the hardware. The lining is thin and artificial, the leather is not as thick and supple, and the hardware feels flimsy. I also noticed the small hexagonal bolts on the straps are missing the MbyMJ insignia.
Although I still like the bag, I can't help feel somewhat disappointed in the downgraded quality, considering it costs the same, if not more, as previous models
Although I still like the bag, I can't help feel somewhat disappointed in the downgraded quality, considering it costs the same, if not more, as previous models
You guys keep in mind the price of everything has gone up - a lot. The price of cotton is higher. Everything costs more.
This might be the only way they could keep things somewhat in line.
You wouldn't expect them to go down in price, right? If they go up a lot in price, people will complain. I'm sure they struggled making decisions on what to do.
The price of the collection bags has also risen, but personally - me, at least - I do not see any lesser quality.
There is always someone here who wants to argue about things, so I'm sure I will get challenged on saying the quality is the same on the collection bags. I'm not talking about the difference between 5+ yrs ago and today. I am talking about between the last couple of years and today.
This might be the only way they could keep things somewhat in line.
You wouldn't expect them to go down in price, right? If they go up a lot in price, people will complain. I'm sure they struggled making decisions on what to do.
The price of the collection bags has also risen, but personally - me, at least - I do not see any lesser quality.
There is always someone here who wants to argue about things, so I'm sure I will get challenged on saying the quality is the same on the collection bags. I'm not talking about the difference between 5+ yrs ago and today. I am talking about between the last couple of years and today.
I'm not here to argue. I'll just tell you my observations:
Depending on which bag we're looking at, prices have gone up around $30 in the last year, possibly more for some models. A new small Francesca is priced at Nordstrom for $448, and since I don't have a Francesca I'm not positive but I assume that it used to be priced at $398 along with the Hillier Hobo and Little Ukita.
No one is made of money, and I know that one of the reasons I buy MBMJ bags is not only the design/quality, but that they're not at the price-point where I have to sell a bag in order to buy a new one (even though they are pricey for me and for the average consumer). $30-$40 is a substantial difference in price for a $398 bag.
Regarding your comment on quality between a couple years ago and now, I notice a difference in quality between my Shop Girl Tote from late 2010 and my newest bag, Natasha in Berry Haze (which went up $20). The quality of leather is just not the same. The lining of course is different. Now the new bags have what some people perceive as lesser quality leather, along with cheap lining and new run-of-the-mill looking button closures.
I would be willing to pay extra $ (even if not gladly but with full realization that prices of raw materials/shipping are going up) if the quality/materials/design of the bag were the same. Problem for me is that they're not. Just like another poster mentioned, I'll probably be purchasing older bags on eBay when I want a fix, rather than the new ones regardless of new colors.
I have seen the new bags in person and I hate to say it but the quality is no longer a world away from stuff you get at any random department store, and the prices will start to seem really outrageous for what the customer receives.
I seriously wonder who likes the logo lining on the MBMJ bags? I thought it was widely disliked, and yet it is still being produced. I don't think MBMJ gives a stuff that some things are becoming a bit more cheap (lining material, buttons, switching from lambskin to cowhide with some bags) while the prices rise.
Update: And just as soon as I posted this message, I just saw on shopbop that some of the preppy leather bags and wallets are in lambskin. I hope the quality is there!
Update: And just as soon as I posted this message, I just saw on shopbop that some of the preppy leather bags and wallets are in lambskin. I hope the quality is there!
I never thought much about the logo lining, to be honest. I liked the sturdiness of the cotton twill lining and the style/design/quality of the Classic Q line so it was a non-issue. I do have a clutch that has pretty striped multi-jewel tone lining (unfortunately nylon) and it would be neat if they would coordinate linings for each individual color bag (I'm sure they have the creativity to do so) but seeing as how things are going for the line, I'm not sure that would be feasible.I seriously wonder who likes the logo lining on the MBMJ bags? I thought it was widely disliked, and yet it is still being produced. I don't think MBMJ gives a stuff that some things are becoming a bit more cheap (lining material, buttons, switching from lambskin to cowhide with some bags) while the prices rise.
Update: And just as soon as I posted this message, I just saw on shopbop that some of the preppy leather bags and wallets are in lambskin. I hope the quality is there!
The quality might still be in the lambskin, but unfortunately for me the Preppy line is not really my style.
And to Nascar Fan, I can't figure out how to edit my reply to you,
but I reread your post and saw that you were talking about the collection bag quality. I can't speak to that as I don't have any collection bags but the difference is definitely there with the MBMJ line.
Hmmm, I always thought that the reason the leather seems stiffer was that the purse was brand new and not broken in yet... I assumed that the leather will get softer with use...
I also like the nylon lining better, it IS easier to clean the occasional crumbs left behind from my toddler's snacks!
I also like the nylon lining better, it IS easier to clean the occasional crumbs left behind from my toddler's snacks!
For me stiffness isn't an issue as much as overall feeling and quality. For example, the zipper pull loop on my Natasha is quite thin and feels cheap. The best way to explain it would be this: if I were in a store and picked up, say, my afore-mentioned Shop Girl tote, it would feel and look like a $498 bag. The leather is is soft, supple, has a sheen, and the bag has weight. I love my Natasha but if I didn't know the brand MBMJ from Adam and picked it up in a store (I bought it on eBay for the color alone) it would not feel like a $368 bag.
I know a lot of pricing has to do with the brand name, but the quality has to be there. While MBMJ bags are not that expensive (especially in comparison with other brands), it's still a high price tag when you can now get a similar quality bag at TJ Maxx or Marshall's. In fact I bought a $150 Nicole Miller (or Cynthia Rowley, can't remember) bag at Marshall's a couple years ago that was much higher quality than my new Natasha, if I'm going to be honest
I recently bought a PTTM zip clutch in pink and noticed the new nylon lining which doesn't bother me on the SLGs but a handbag lined in this.... Hrmmmm no thanks... I miss the old mbmj fun colorful printed linings... Not really into the scramble logo in any texture but oh well.
I seriously wonder who likes the logo lining on the MBMJ bags? I thought it was widely disliked, and yet it is still being produced. I don't think MBMJ gives a stuff that some things are becoming a bit more cheap (lining material, buttons, switching from lambskin to cowhide with some bags) while the prices rise.
Update: And just as soon as I posted this message, I just saw on shopbop that some of the preppy leather bags and wallets are in lambskin. I hope the quality is there!
Don't get your hopes up about the lambskin. I have a Marc Y Marc Ukita in lambskin and it has worn much faster than any of my other MBMJ bags. Lambskin is just too delicate...or at least the lambskin on that bag is.
