Five things to check before you spend on a bag — and three things that don't matter.
A good leather bag is one of those purchases where the right choice rewards you for ten years and the wrong one falls apart in eight months. Here's what we've learned from years of stocking and returning bags.
What matters: full-grain leather (not 'genuine'), stitching that matches the leather color, hardware that's solid not plated, lining that you can see all the way through, and a structure that holds shape when empty.
What doesn't matter: brand. The most expensive bag in our store does not last longer than the mid-range. What it has is provenance.
