A brand-new bag has its appeal, but there’s nothing better than the warm familiarity of one you’ve broken in and had for years—which is why we design our leather bags to last forever. But like any long-term love affair, a little TLC is required, so we asked our in-house leather experts for advice.
1. Protect your bag.
We like to keep our process as natural as possible, so we avoid topcoats on our leather bags so they will develop a natural patina the more they’re carried. Guard against accidental stains with a leather protectant. You can find them at a shoe repair shop or drugstore.
2. Give it a good cleaning once a year.
It’s not just good wardrobe hygiene—taking your bag to a leather specialist once a year prolongs the bag’s life, cleaning away buildup and germs so the leather’s natural character continues to show through. Most cobblers will care for bags too.
3. Soften the leather by hand.
Our bags become buttery-soft on their own, but you can speed up the process. Lay the bag on a flat surface and, starting from the bottom, roll it up. Reroll starting from a different side of the tote. Then turn it inside out and roll it again.
4. Resist the urge to treat stains.
If you carry your favorite bag like we carry ours—that is, all the time and everywhere—accidents happen, from grass and grease to ink and wine. Thankfully, a leather specialist knows just how to remove stains without ruining the leather, or the patina it’s developing.
5. Let it age gracefully.
We believe bags should be timeless, so we choose leathers that break in beautifully over time. Scratches, creases and darkening are to be expected. How you carry your bag is how it’ll age, making every bag especially personal. (Adding a monogram doesn’t hurt either.)
Read how we created our iconic Transport Tote here and shop our entire assortment of bags here.
