If you've ever considered sending your beloved vintage bag for repair, here's what you need to know when it comes to choosing between in-house and third party services.
In-house or third party?
Why would you opt for third party private handbag repair services when Chanel & Hermès offer their own afterservice repairs?
In-house benefit #1: authenticity
Official services by the luxury house will issue receipts which some may consider to be indications of authenticity.
In-house benefit #2: authorized hardware
Using official in-house repairs will ensure hardware is replaced only with authorized parts. And if it isn’t done properly, those parts will be under warranty from the luxury houses.
What’s the catch? In-house downside #1: costly and slow
Any in-house repairs will take ages: from weeks to months. It will also cost much more than a third-party repair service.
In-house downside #2: vintage parts will be replaced rather than preserved
Whether it is hardware or leather materials, they will not work to preserve your existing parts but make a switch for a ‘brand new’ which could mean your item could be comprised of different eras and could fundamentally change the value of your bag, especially if it is vintage.
In-house downside #3: Chanel 24k hardware will be replaced with modern alloys
The community has told us that if you engage in Chanel’s official repair services, the 24k hardware that is replaced will NOT be returned to you as it is considered part of company property, i.e. not yours!
The alternative: third-party services
Reputable, private repair services can undertake the same services as the official luxury house.
Third party benefit: preserves vintage parts
Beyond the lower cost and faster turnaround time, third party repair services will be able to retain period-specific aspects of hardware and materials. This is especially relevant for vintage bags.
What’s the catch? Third party downside: no authenticity guarantee
No “official” repair papers to indicate authenticity but some reputable ones are very well respected in the industry.
Our Suggestion
For vintage bags, it is perfectly normal for parts to show wear. So long as you can trace your bags provenance and what has been repaired, it is perfectly acceptable to use a reputable third party.