Top tips from ZALORA Luxury’s personal stylist Andrew Chan.
by: Julia Benito
Welcome to Style Files, a monthly column by ZALORA Luxury’s personal stylist Andrew Chan. In each edition of Style Files, Andrew will be focusing on his current designer fashion obsessions — and you’re invited to the party.
This month, he will focus on a crucial aspect of owning a luxury bag: how to care for them properly. A luxury bag is a significant investment. Proper care will ensure that it remains impeccable in quality for a long time and gives you a greater resale value later.
As someone with extensive experience and knowledge in the luxury fashion industry, Andrew has amassed a wealth of knowledge on caring for luxury bags. He will share that knowledge with you in this edition of Style Files.
Use With Care
The first and most important way to care for your luxury bag is to use it with care. Never dump or throw your bags around. While bags are meant to be used, bad handling will eventually show on their exterior. If you’re gentle with your bags, they will age gracefully. Leather bags, in particular, tend to look better with time. Specific leather bag finishes will take on a subtle patina and glow after several years, giving it a unique look.
Beware of dye transfer
Do you love your indigo-dyed denim? Then you’ll need to be extra careful when wearing them with your luxury bag. New clothes or darker-colored clothes such as denim may transfer their color onto the surface of your luxury bags if you rub the two against each other, especially if your bag is in a lighter color. To avoid this from happening, take note of your new clothes when you first launder them. Does the color run in the wash? If it does, it will likely transfer onto your light-colored bags too.
Keep it stuffed
When unused, you should always stuff your luxury bags. Never leave your bags without stuffing them for an extended period because they will lose their shape. This will also eventually lead to unwanted folds and wrinkles on your expensive luxury bag, which will damage your bag in the long run.
Storage methods
Never store your bag covered in plastic, dust bag, or inside the box you bought it in. This is because the boxes or plastic bags may trap humidity, eventually damaging the bag. When storing, keep your bags out of direct or intense light exposure, as it will discolor the bag and dry out the leather.
The best place to store your bag is an area that is dry and has good airflow. Humidity is one of the most significant factors causing mold to grow on your bag. Investing in a good air humidifier will be ideal, as it maintains the proper moisture level to store your bags in.
However, if you have limited storage space at home and are unable to do the above, you can keep your luxury bags inside the dust bag they came in. All you have to do is remove the bag at least once a month to let it “breathe” a little before storing it back in the dust bag.
Don’t get it wet
Have you ever laughed at people shielding their luxury bags from the rain rather than themselves? They may be on to something. You should avoid getting water on your luxury bag at all costs. If it does accidentally get wet, do not attempt to dry it with a hair dryer or any way that involves using heat. Instead, gently wipe your bag dry and leave it in a well-ventilated area to dry naturally.
Clean it the right way
Smooth leather bags should be cleaned with a microfibre cloth. If you’d like, leather moisturizers can also be applied to your leather bags to keep them supple. As for suede, the best way to maintain the leather is to give it a gentle brush, preferably with a horse hair brush. However, we suggest reaching out to the brands themselves to find out the best way to care for the bag.
Now that you’re an expert at caring for your luxury bags, it’s time to add more to your collection. Shop more designer bags here at ZALORA LUXURY.