Bag Ladies

[msdynamo]

Our previous thread has mysteriously disappeared, so for all us bag addicts out there I'm starting new one.

I hope you all join me

Something tells me this one will soon too be gone. Am off to work now but shall watch with interest

Damn, that's why I couldn't find it! Nice one, MsD.

My bag was sent out from the Shanghai despatch centre on the 15th, nowt since - hoping that's normal...

Hi ladies, good to see you!

Can't do without my bag chat fix!

Stillfrazzled, I had a look at the details of my last delivery, it was actually 8 days from leaving China until it arrived in the UK and then a week in the UK. Check on Parcelforce to see it's confirmed.

Was the bag thread removed deliberately?

I think so. It's all a bit cloak and dagger.

i suspect it was reported and removed!

Are we going to have to go a bit Secret Squirrel? Can we use initials?

BTW, thanks for confirmation MsD. Looks like timings still normal, then.

Hello all, I was lurking on the previous thread and thanks to your knowledge and expertise purchased the Beatrice. It arrived in about 10 days (sadly I do not live in England). I had wanted the coffee colour with the black strap and handles. They did not have this in stock so offered me coffee colour with coffee handles and strap. As I sort of preferred that idea I said yes. Well, the bag itself is great, however the straps look like a far cheaper material - a bit shiny and plastic looking. There was also dried glue on the handles and the colour of the strap is slightly "off" - I think I will keep it though because it is a nice bag and these are probably details only I will notice. I emailed the company (think fashion mag/male monarch) and they immediately responded that the material was in fact "finest calfskin". I am not deterred and am planning my next purchase!

Hmm, good in that you like the bag, shame in that it wasn't perfect. When I moaned to VK about the leather being grainier, they said "oh, do you not love it?", I said, "No I do not love it." They at least offered a refund, in the end I decided to keep it and have been using it ever since. I have also now ordered one from BB, so will do some comparison pics soon.

Re our thread being removed, hopefully we can all hide here for a while and no one will notice as long as we sneak around on tiptoes

oh. Does that mean that this is a thread where you tell each other how to buy knock off handbags that have been sewn together by chinese children in sweatshops being paid 2 pence a week and using their teeth?

is it that kind of thread?

SatinandTat, I was going to say, do consider returning it if you're not happy. Mainegirl's Beatrice was from anther place beginning with Z. (This is getting silly and its only day 1 !) But we have since spotted one on BB which looks pretty good.

lol at pagwatch

Pagwatch, don't want to argue with you as have seen and admired your posts on other topics.

But the sweatshops criticism could apply to most of the High Street and even designer companies mentioned on S&B, couldn't it?

Doesn't make it right, of course. OTOH is it all that different?

Basically, Pagwatch, we work undercover for the top fashion houses and its our job to personally investigate what top quality copies are being made in the far east

I like the counter intelligence arguement

I buy my handbags from decent makers like Mullberry. Of course high street is liable to the regular sweat shop allegations. But most of the decent players check their suppliers.
I think it is different tbh. You will get sweat shop produced goods from fake goods websites. You might if you are unlucky from a reputable store.

But your choice. I know I am lucky to be able to buy brands who have to justifytheir antecedents but I would still prefer someone like M&S who will be trying to get it right even if they fuck up.But personal choice and all that....

Happy handbagging ladies (in a non Margaret Thatcher way)

Hmm, you could be right and maybe buying from them is being naive. Hard to know without visiting in person. Here is a picture of all the factory workers on VK. None of them look like kids. See bottom of the page...

www.vogueking.com/about_us.html

Actually I'd love to go and visit these places. It would be fascinating. If anyone wants to sponsor my trip to Guangzhou province please feel free

Damn. I am normally either not bothered by or inverse-snobby about labels. I like really lovely leather bags, but the ones I have are not 'names'.

I fell in love with this specific bag, haven't found anything remotely as nice in months of looking on the high street, ebay etc. Then realised there was possibility of one that looked like it, made of decent materials and at price I could (just) afford. [Disclaimer: would never ever try to pass it off as the real thing.]

It was going to be my treat to myself because, frankly, 2010 so far has been 'orrible.

And now I don't think I'm going to enjoy this even when it arrives and if it's perfect. Sigh. Suppose it serves me right.

Stillfrazzled, I hope you will enjoy your new Alexa. It will be lovely. I agree with you that the design itself is a classic, which is why it's sold out everywhere. People have responded to its simplicity and practicality. For me there's a whiff of nostalgia about it.

As for the previous comments, they've been made and noted. We don't need to be reminded any more. SO thank you to those of you who have pointed out that our purchases may be of dubious origin. We'll leave it at that for now and if you don't mind we'll get on with the purpose of this thread, which is to enjoy ourselves and chat about our bags, to escape the monotony and minor hardships of everyday life (well that's why I'm on here anyway!)

Thank you and goodnight.

My new bag is on its way to the delivery depot, which means it will arrive in a day or two. That's only 5 days. Not bad. I think last time it took longer because of the volcano.

So maybe stillfrazzled yours will arrive sooner

Mainegirl, are you enjoying your new genuine Jimmy Choo? I had a quick look at the Jimmy Choo site, very expensive indeed! I really like their star studded purses, but at £300 its a bit out of my league!

Anyone else seen any nice purses/ wallets?

ah well, looks like everyone's all depressed and gone home. Just me on my own

If anyone's still reading, I saw a lovely oversized Oak Alexa in the Mulberry store today, the last one.

And while I was there I bought myself a little pink patent leather coin purse, which I love.

I for one have really enjoyed following your threads. As this one's taken a strange turn, I've started another one here in honour of stillfrazzled.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/969279-Secret-squirrel-shopping?rnd=1274420138241

Well, my bag arrived this morning.

At the risk of being completely ethically beyond the pale, I must admit that it's lovely - soft, well made and a gorgeous shade of dark blue.

Can't tell if it's an exact copy (and not too bothered about that side of things TBH) but it's certainly got the little symbols on all the metalwork and so on. The brass plate is a little marked - might come off with polish, I don't know, but I would definitely have done that myself in a week or two! Brass plate and inside tag might also be slightly wonky, is hard to tell and in any case I am hyper-critical of expensive new purchases.

All in all, though, everything I hoped for.

That's great news. I'd love to see a pic of it. I'm glad you like the colour and the quality of the leather. It seems to arrived quite quickly. My new Beubag Alexa arrived today and I'm quite happy with it, except that one of the brass ends has got some marks on it- same as yours! The proportions are good and the bag is a bit lighter, which suits me. The leather is fairly similar to the other but a bit softer and smoother. If I had to say which bag felt the best quality it would be the VK, but in terms of overall lookalikiness, I'd say the BB.

Enjoy your new bag. I know I will enjoy mine. It is a lot of money but then again, it's a great quality bag.

Luckily I sold a load of stuff on ebay last weekend to pay for all this silliness

What's the consensus on beubag versus VK?

They are both very good. VK is quite a lot cheaper and yet the materials and workmanship are high quality. BB have got the details slightly closer to the original if that matters more. Bear in mind both companies regularly switch suppliers so stock varies, check the photos on the sites carefully before ordering.