Longchamp Le Pliage

My very kind sister who's working in Paris bought me a Le Pliage from Longchamp. These handbags are kinda like the "in" thing that the ladies in my country like to hang around their arms these days (opps, guys, you're out!). There have been tons of spin-offs lately, where hawkers at the make-shift markets hang the Longchamp fakies and the Agnes B distorted twin out in broad day light. And yes, they are as common as your plastic bags.

Right, I would definitely vouch for my sister that my pastel green Le Pliage is stone-cast authentic. I saw the labels as well as the product tag that came along. I am enjoying the bag and I can't help but be delighted that it is a whole lot cheaper than its duplicates in Singapore. For a mere $70 - $80 sgd, you can get a decent Le Pliage like these:

Do get the smaller Le Pliage as it is extremely handy and useful. Whether it is a short trip out or just heading for work, the blue Le Pliage works just fine if you're not an extreme hoarder. Even if you do stuff the bag to its max, it retains its shape pretty well. $70 odd bucks for a roomier Le Pliage doesn't sound bad either. You can usually sling the bag around your shoulders.

Right, so much about getting cheaper Le Pliage directly from Paris; the main purpose of this post is to caution every Le Pliage owners that your light and trusty handbags do not enjoy water. They will bleed.... continuously....

My pastel green bag held up pretty well for its 1st wash. Nothing came off, a-OK. That kinda tricked me into giving it its 2nd wash and that was when it bled pretty bad. Some brownish particle was coming off from the leather I suspect and that kinda stained the fabric when it dried.

Well, all's not lost. In the event that your trusty holder needs a bath, wash the nylon fabric as per norm, with water and detergent. Do have plenty of soft dry towels and a clean toothbrush with you. Immediately after the wash, wrap the leather handles and flap in the towels so as none will touch the fabric of your bag. Pat and squeeze the water from the handles and flap. It will be inevitable that some staining will occur at the zip area. If this happens, place the bag on a clean area, ensure that the leather handles and flap remain wrapped/covered or it's just going to be a very frustrating and long process for you. Dip the toothbrush in water and gently brush the stain off the fabric. The fabric is of quality and removing the brownish particles is relatively easy. You will not be able to brush the stain off without water.

Do a thorough check to make sure that no other areas are stained. With the agility of a 12 year-old, grab your salon-grade hairdryer, turn up to the max and blast hot air at the handle and flap. You need to be quick as it seems like the fabric has some weird osmosis or anti-gravity moving capillary action that will suck up the brownish particles or so it seems.

So yes, do be vigilant. Always check, check, check to make sure no other areas are stained. Otherwise, it's just gonna make you grit your teeth and tear your hair out.