My experience with Vintage Restore

I have a pretty healthy bag obsession. I appreciate designer bags, but I don’t feel the need to blow our entire savings on them. It usually takes me a couple of weeks to decide on a purchase, taking into account how much I really need it, its function, design, longevity, price, and how in love I am with it (if I am still thinking about it after a few weeks then it’s a bag I should consider buying). I spend weeks researching about it which I have to admit, can be time-consuming. I think the only time I buy on impulse is when I find a really good deal and it would be insane for me not to buy it. So much effort for a bag, right? Well, the reason behind all this is because I want to use the bag as much as I can so that its function makes up for its price (I divide its price by the number of times I use the bag, and I consider the result to be the real price of the bag).

I use all my bags to the point where they break or start looking worn out, which is a good thing since I follow my function-price rule. However, some of my oldest bags end up in the back of my closet, unused for months and even years, waiting to see sunlight again. This is sad, because I really want to use them again, but they look so beat up. I know, I should make an effort to take care of my bags, but when you use them everyday you don’t realize how dirty, scratched up and scuffed they get. They look so kawawa when I use them, so I end up using my newer bags instead. Oh and selling them would be a waste too since they don’t look good anymore. I would need to sell them at a super cheap price, which isn’t worth it and I keep thinking no one would want them anyway.

I never thought my oldest bags would have a chance at a second life, until I visited Vintage Restore. Honestly, I was so skeptical about the whole process of bag restoration. I didn’t believe my bags would look as good as new, because to me they looked old and worn beyond repair. They weren’t broken, but they looked terribly discolored, dirty and scratched up. I had to see to believe, and boy, do I now believe–I am now using these bags again! What a miracle! I thought they would continue to collect more dust for a few more years until I throw them out or give them away. I am so happy these bags were resurrected and are now being used again.

This Marc Jacobs bag was purchased in Hong Kong back in 2006. It was the first designer bag I ever owned, and I remember being so excited about it. I loved its buttery soft leather, brass studs and easy-to-reach compartments. I used this bag A LOT, and I loved that it just went with everything I owned. I got it in this beige color without thinking that it might get dirty in the future. I thought, it would probably look better in time since leather sometimes did that when it started to age. But nope, it didn’t look better with age as it just looked old and dated. I remember accidentally grazing the bag with a black ball pen, leaving a long mark right on one of its front flaps. I tried to clean it with a leather cleaning solution, which hardened the leather and made the problem worse. And that dark patch in the back was from my jeans rubbing on the leather. I didn’t know jeans could stain leather, and I only noticed it after a few weeks when it was already very obvious. I tried using another cleaning solution and again, it hardened the leather and left that part looking dirty and worn.

When I got it from its dust bag from the back of my closet it smelled old and musty. I didn’t hadn’t used it for years and I really just wanted to get rid of it. At the same time I couldn’t let go of it because it was my first designer bag and we had a lot of good memories together. I’m glad I brought it to Vintage Restore–I thought, this would look good in black.

Ta-daaaaah! Here it is now!!! Vintage Restore dyed the leather to this beautiful black color and now it looks as good as new. The brass studs even look great against the black leather! I am so happy with the way this turned out–the leather is shiny and soft and it just looks new again. I never thought this could happen! I love my NEW Marc Jacobs purse!!!

I bought this Louis Vuitton Damier Azur Speedy 30 back in 2007. I remember wanting a Louis Vuitton bag more than anything in the world so I purchased it in Hong Kong when I went there on vacation. It was immediately my favorite bag. I used it everywhere! I loved how looked, but hated that the leather handles discolored quickly. I tried my best to take care of it, but the handles were bound to get dirty. Overall the bag was in good shape, except for the leather, which showed signs of wear.

I stopped using this bag a couple of years ago, mainly because of the handle issue. I didn’t want to be so finicky with my everyday bag, so I used it less and less. I also found this at the back of my closet and it had a musty smell to it as well. It needed to see sunlight again, so I brought it to Vintage Restore along with my Marc Jacobs bag. I didn’t really know what to do with the leather, but I was open to suggestions.

Vintage Restore suggested we dye the handles to its old color. I couldn’t believe they got the exact shade–it now looks brand new! They also fixed the minor leather scuffs at the bottom of the bag, which now looks great. I am happy this bag is back in rotation, and I don’t need to take care of it since I can just have the leather dyed back to its old color when it get discolored again. Welcome back, LV Damier Speedy 30!

Overall, I am very happy I decided to go to Vintage Restore. These bags are now good as new, and I still can’t believe it. It feels like I’ve rekindled an old flame and these bags are now put to good use again. So lesson learned: you don’t need to throw out your favorite bags because they are old and beat up. They can get a new lease on life with a little restoration!

VINTAGE RESTORE has three branches located at:

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Unit 24-25 Lower ground
The Podium Mall
12 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Avenue, Mandaluyong city
telephone 6316177 / 09154004105

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2/fl Bellitudo lifestyle Bldg
79b Katipunan Avenue
White plains Quezon City
telephone 4382863/09165288165

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2/fl Dona Condolacion Bldg
122 Jupiter st belair makati
telephone 8904326/09166262967

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They’re open daily in their Podium branch, from 11am-9pm // Monday to Saturday in Jupiter and White Plains, from 11am-8pm.

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http://www.vintagerestoremanila.com