Care instructions

Care instructions

Each bag in the catalogue arrives with the source house's care booklet — read that first; this page is the consolidated short version. The four habits below cover 90% of long-term condition outcomes for the materials we sell.

The four habits

  1. Store the bag stuffed and upright. Stuff with the original tissue or a clean white pillowcase to hold the silhouette. Store in the dust bag, never in plastic. Plastic traps moisture and discolours leather over years.
  2. Avoid prolonged direct sun and heat. Cars in summer, window shelves, and radiators are the three most common avoidable causes of leather hardening, monogram canvas yellowing, and raffia drying.
  3. Clean before damage sets, not after. Wipe rain water off leather and canvas with a dry, lint-free cloth as soon as you reach a dry surface. A wet bag dried under heat warps; a wet bag patted dry and left to air does not.
  4. Rotate. Carrying the same bag every day for a year ages it 4× faster than rotating two or three. Hardware oxidises slower; corners crease less.

By material

Smooth and grained leather

  • Wipe weekly with a dry microfiber cloth.
  • Condition every 6–12 months with a neutral leather conditioner (Saphir Renovateur or equivalent) — small amount, even coat, buff after 30 minutes.
  • Spot test conditioner on the underside before applying to a visible panel.

Pebbled / vachetta / unfinished leather

  • Vachetta darkens to a honey patina with use — this is intended.
  • Avoid water marks: blot, never rub; even out the moisture across the panel rather than letting it spot.
  • UV-protectant spray (Apple Brand Garde) applied once before the first use slows uneven darkening.

Coated canvas / monogram canvas

  • Wipe with a damp cloth and mild soap; dry immediately.
  • Edges and trim are vachetta on most pieces — care for those separately as above.

Raffia / wicker

  • Brush dust off with a soft natural-bristle brush.
  • Do not wet. If a strand lifts, tuck it back; if it breaks, leave it — pulling unravels.
  • Store in the dust bag in a humidity-stable cupboard. Dry winter air can crack natural fibres.

Suede / nubuck

Rare in the current catalogue. If you own one — use a suede brush, never water, and treat with suede protector before first use.

Hardware

  • Polish gold and palladium hardware with a soft dry cloth — no chemical polishes, they strip the coating.
  • If hardware tarnishes unevenly, contact us for the source-house recommended care service.