Anonymous wrote:Lesson learned: don’t buy designer handbags

This, I stopped many years ago when some brands outsourced to china. Now I buy cheap crap bags for $18 and toss when when they start breaking apart. Best decision ever.

Lesson learned: don’t buy designer handbags

We paid $766.84 to have my granddaughter’s favorite Gucci bag repaired. We left it at a store in April and have yet to receive the “repaired” bag. Everyone is lovely when we call, but no one follows up. It is now August 19, and we still have not received the bag.
Very disappointing. Poor communication on the part of Gucci.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t speak to the Gucci quality issues. But I have had great experiences having bags and shoes repaired by Rago Brothers via their mail-in service: https://www.ragobrothers.com/

Can vouch for Rago brothers. Ferragamo recommended them to me. That's where they send their shoe repairs.

I’m with you OP. A five year old $2K purse should not have those issues.

I just posted this on the Coach thread, but this is relevant to this discussion, as well. These "Made in Italy" bags are made at Italian sweatshops by imported Chinese laborers for a fraction of what the retailers charge. You're just paying for a label. Next time take your bag to your local repair shop.

https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/dior-armani-italy-supply-chain-labor-36b14a85

An investigation by Milan prosecutors into working conditions at local factories found workshops making handbags and other leather goods for Dior CDI 0.53%increase; green up pointing triangle and Armani used exploited foreign labor to produce the high-end products at a fraction of their retail price.

Dior paid a supplier €53 apiece, roughly $57, to assemble a handbag that it sells in stores for €2,600, or about $2,780, according to documents examined as part of the probe. Armani bags, meanwhile, were sold to a supplier for €93, then resold to Armani for €250, and ultimately priced at around €1,800 in stores, the probe found. The cost prices don’t include leather or other raw materials. The companies separately cover the costs of design, distribution and marketing.

Some of the raided workshops, all of which were in Italy, were also making products for other fashion brands, prosecutors said.

https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202312/29/WS658e25caa31040ac301aa175_5.html

For more than two decades, Chinese fast fashion factories in Prato have been operating, initially to cater to the lower end of the Italian fashion market and provide affordable clothing to the masses across Europe. However, some Chinese factories are now breaking into the high-end market, manufacturing for the houses of Gucci, Armani, and Prada.

Anonymous wrote:I can’t speak to the Gucci quality issues. But I have had great experiences having bags and shoes repaired by Rago Brothers via their mail-in service: https://www.ragobrothers.com/

Yes gucci’s bags hold up TERRIBLY!!!!! I have had so many and i dont think ive had a single one that wasn’t messed up after the two year mark. Often sooner. Unfortunately, you are paying for the name at this point, and they know it

$215 is literally nothing. That is completely reasonable. Please never buy a Rolex or other fine watch. We have to send ours in every 10-15 years for service at the tune of $800+

I can’t speak to the Gucci quality issues. But I have had great experiences having bags and shoes repaired by Rago Brothers via their mail-in service: https://www.ragobrothers.com/

Op here, I went ahead and paid it because the link expires after 24 hours.

It's not that the price is unreasonable it's just that the strap shouldn't have torn so quickly— that's the unreasonable part. I have cheap bags from Marshal’s that have held up much better.

A $2,000 purse shouldn't have issues within two years of purchase. I have a 23-year-old LV bag that's in pristine condition. I've never had any issues w/LV.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly that sounds pretty reasonable?

I agree. That doesn't sound too bad. Try having a Cartier watch serviced!

Honestly that sounds pretty reasonable?

Welcome to the world of luxury goods.

I purchased a hobo-style handbag in 2019 from the website. Around two or so years later, the seam started to tear at the handle. Without realizing that Gucci does repairs, I stopped carrying it, put it in my closet, and let it collect dust. I recently discovered that they do repairs, so I submitted an inquiry. I sent about 15 pictures of the bag to confirm it was real and waited two weeks for a follow-up.

I received a response today, and I am taken aback. Gucci wants $215 to repair and an estimated 10-14 week turnaround to complete the work. I'm annoyed at the price to fix it, considering that it tore relatively soon after purchase and how long it will take.

Also, this is the second bag I've purchased that didn't hold up well, so I may be done with Gucci, but I want to salvage this one since it's salvageable. I purchased the first bag in 2007, and the foil started peeling after 2-3 years, so I gave it to my neighbor's daughter.

Has anyone else had a similar experience, and are there reasonable alternatives to get the repair done elsewhere?