I'm just going to start by saying that if I don't receive a 'cease and desist' from Louis Vuitton at some point in my career, I'm going to be sorely disappointed. The last blog post focused on a failed fabric experiment by the name of 'Vuittonite'. Today's post is going to lay out the details on a period of faulty edge glazing, including all of the affected styles.
The edge coat, or edge glazing, is a rubberized plastic coating that covers raw edges on handbags and SLGs. You've probably some posts about edge coat on Instagram; it's a very common restoration. As a rule, edge coat is not forever and will need to be replaced after a number of years of use. Typically, you will see small cracks and eventually small pieces of the edge coat may fall away. It's important to get this replaced because it protects the leather and prevents moisture from finding a raw edge. It's also what makes a bag look polished and high-end; a glossy or matte finish to highlight beautiful leather construction.
However, LV experienced a 'bad batch' of edge coat. This flawed material won't crack away after years; instead, it turns gooey and gummy even if it hasn't been used. This melted plastic will ruin any fabric it touches and can dye other leather goods; like your wallet or agenda. It's very easy to tell when an item has this failed glaze because even your thumbnail will cause a dent.
Unfortunately, quite a few bags were affected by this faulty batch of edge product. There is not an official list, so I've assembled what I could find on various message boards and blogs. It appears that almost all Empreinte and Leather items from 2013- early 2016 were affected. There are also some monogram and epi pieces, as well as a few limited edition items included. If you notice something I've missed, please let me know so I can keep this list updated.
2013 - early 2016
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Empreinte Montaigne GM, MM, BB
Empreinte Artsy
Empreinte Fascinante
Empreinte Speedy
Empreinte Bagatelle
Empreinte Saint Germain BB/MM
Empreinte Bastille
Empreinte Lumineuse
Empreinte Cles Pochette
Empreinte Curieuse Wallet
Empreinte Clemence Wallet
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Limited Edition
Sofia Coppola Bon Marche
Christian Louboutin Bag
Cindy Sherman Camera Bag
Ikat Neverfulls — Epi Neverfull
Epi Cluny —
‘Neo’ Neverfull - Introduced Nov 2014 Damier Ebene Mono
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Monogram Montaigne GM, MM, BB
Monogram Dora BB, PM
Monogram Metis Hobo
Monogram Pochette Metis
Monogram Boetie Monogram Papillon NM [2014] — Mono + Leather Estrela
Mono + Leather Retiro
Mono + Leather Pallas
— Leather Milaris
Leather Babylone
Leather L’essential
Leather Capucines
Leather W Tote
Leather Soft Lockit
Leather Bagatelle [Parnassea]
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If you purchased directly from the store, and your name is on file or you have an original receipt, you should be able to work out an exchange. If you purchased from the secondary market, and do not have an original receipt, it is my understanding that they will not offer exchanges or repairs. Please take this with a grain of salt as each store and SA may choose to act differently under the same circumstance. I just want secondary buyers to be aware and factor that into the price when purchasing any of these items through resale. Any reputable dealer should have these items restored before the sale and/or disclose these flaws to you before purchase.
The good news is that this issue can be fixed. We offer edge coat services starting at $100. In the case of these defective LV items, we take special care to remove any of this residue from the bag and interior. We also take extra time to ensure a smooth, well-prepped surface to apply new, professional-grade edge coat products. Here are the two items posted above after restoration.
Have you had experience with any of these flawed items? Let us know in the comments.