A Dive into My Handbag Obsession: The Lush Materials That Make Them Luxe! 💼✨

Hey lovelies! 🌸

It’s Cher, here with another dive into the dazzling world of luxury bags. I mean, who can resist that new bag smell, right?

Today, I want to spill the beans on what's inside these beauties - the materials that make them so utterly irresistible.

Grab your favourite latte and let's get started!

Leather Love 😍

Full-grain leather: This is essentially the top layer of the hide without removing all its natural grain. It is more expensive since the tanning process itself is more difficult and the material itself is harder to work with. That said, full-grain pieces are literally pieces of art; their marks, grooves and differences building that “weathered” look. That the additional “character” is really brought out by that “aged look” helping add a little “oomph” to my style. 🤩 ALSO, the patina really grows on you over time, making it easier and easier over the eyes!

Top-grain leather: With the outermost layer of hide removed, the top grain is vastly more malleable than its full-grain cousin. This is what you'll find in a lot of those buttery-soft luxury bags and within the lining of many luxury bags as well. However, rarely you’ll find a full top-grained leather piece as full-grain is generally of a higher quality and more durable.

Speaking of soft bags, one of the current favourites in my rotation is the Bottega Veneta Intrecciato classic pouch. I got mine in Caramel but I would have taken the fondant ones too in a heartbeat. It's comfortable to carry in hand and tucks so nicely under my arms. Its unstructured look sets it aside from many other clutches, resulting in many friends asking me where I bought my baby from!

Exotic Skins 🐊

Okay, they're a bit of a splurge (and a little controversial) and usually very gimmicky. More often than not, the material does little to elevate the piece, and instead, often comes across rather gaudy (ugh, not a fan). However, there’s no denying the allure of crocodile, alligator, or even ostrich skin especially if the material elevates the piece!

Speaking of which, I recently had the wonderful opportunity of getting my hands on the Hermes Oran ostrich shoes and absolutely loved the feel of the leather. Maybe it's my Hermes bias speaking, but that’s exotic leather piece done right!

Canvas Cravings

Ever notice those iconic monograms on bags from brands like Louis Vuitton? That's durable, fabulous canvas, darlings! Canvas may not be as durable as normal leather but it sure is easy to clean! Especially for all you careless ladies (like myself) out there, canvas is a godsend! I love leather but they absorb stains and oils sooooo much faster than canvas and it's super annoying when you see your piece blemished with that annoying stain.

Moving on, LV is the definitely the choice when it comes to coated canvas, especially with their variety.

1. Classic Monogram: basically the hallmark of LV. ‘nuff said.

2. Damier line: invented by Louis and his son Georges, the pattern was reimagined in 1998 and reintroduced as Damier Ebène. Today, this line stays strong with many pieces patterned in Damier Ebene and Damier Azur canvases

3. Limited edition prints: Occasionally, LV spices their product lines up with a collaboration that will usually include the artist’s take on the classic LV monogram.

My current favourite classic monogram piece has to be the wallet on chain. It feels so dainty and small and yet its still able to fit all my essentials. Plus, it pairs so well with a dress or even casual wear. Also a close second is my recent pick up, the Damier Azur Pochette Félicie! The piece is such a fresh take from the usual standard monogram and yet retains all that is beautiful about LV.

Naturally, LV also has many beautiful leather types other than canvas, like its epi leather and oh so luxurious Empreinte leather. I haven’t gotten my hands on any epi leather pieces or LV's recent release, the Twist but I'll be sure to report back when I do!

Vintage Vibes with Velvet

Velvet isn't just for those royal robes. A velvet clutch has this old-world charm that I just can’t get enough of! ✨One of my guiltiest guilty pleasures is running my hand through my velvet pieces, occasionally rubbing my face on my bag. Absolutely love the feel of the material! That said, velvet bags do not hold the test of time from my personal experience. I mean they’re not exactly cobweb fragile but they’re certainly not durable either. Pass.

Sultry Suede

If bags could be seductive, it's suede that would make them so. But remember, beauties: keep this one far from water! Personally, I'm generally not so hot on suede bags. I find that suede tends to give the patchy patchy look if handled a little and discolourations happen way more often than I would like but to each its own! Keep these lovelies away from your children!

Silk & Satin Swoon

There’s nothing like the sleek touch of silk or satin lining inside your bag or even as its main fabric. It screams luxe and elegance. Haven’t owned a primarily silk or satin bag but definitely still exploring! I must say, the silk lining in a bag really is a nice touch, it just feels luxurious when you’re rummaging through your bag searching for your essentials.

Techie Textiles?

For the modern gal-on-the-go, materials like nylon or neoprene are sleek, stylish, and oh-so-functional. Love love love the durability from these pieces. They may not look as elegant as the traditional pieces but they are still definitely worth a look in my opinion. Helps that they’re not as pricey too!

For starters, I recommend looking at the nylon lines from Prada. These bags provide the best of both worlds; very sturdy and sleek, especially in black. They are super durable too! Been using mine for close to 2 years and it hasn’t let me down once yet! Still looks brand new even though I bring it absolutely everywhere. I consider it one of my best purchases to date.

From the soft caress of suede to the durability of textiles, it’s these materials that elevate our bags from mere accessories to statement pieces. And let’s be honest, in the world of luxury bags, isn’t that what we’re all seeking? Naturally, proper care is paramount. With your loving hands, even an aged and well-loved bag can still look simply divine!!! 🍷

Stay classy ladies, and until next time, keep shining and accessorizing! ✨

Kisses, Cher