One of my favorite things by far to thrift are vintage Coach bags, especially the all leather ones. Furthermore, one of my favorite things to watch is Coach bag restoration videos on TikTok.
A few months ago, I decided to try to restore a bag myself. The bag was a Coach Patricia Legacy messenger bag. I found the bag on Poshmark for $40. However, the bag was in rough shape. It was scratched and dry. It makes sense, though. The bag was from the 90s after all.
I took my knowledge obtained from those videos, and decided to restore it for myself by using Chamberlain’s Leather Balm, Leather CPR, a horse hair brush, and of course, made sure that I used old plastic to restore the bag back to its original shape. I did this twice, and although the bag was not perfect, she looked like she was nearly brand new.
Since then, I also restored a few other Coach bags that I had thrifted, and the results had left me speechless. They did not look perfect, but they looked like they were ready to live a second life, something that I think is absolutely incredible.
Therefore, I wanted to share my process of restoring these bags as well as tips and tricks in the event you come across a gem like a vintage Coach, or even another kind of vintage bag. With the right amount of TLC, these bags are classic staples that will reside in your closet for the next few decades if treated right. I note that I am very much a beginner in doing so, and I do plan to eventually add saddle soap to my leather cleaning routine as well.
- Use Chamberlain Leather Balm: Chamberlain Leather Balm is my trusted BFF for these types of situations. What I like to do is use this to get to the dry corners, as well as the other stress and dry points of the bag. One thing I would like to note is that you need to make sure that all of the product is removed before proceeding to the next step. This helps heal some of the issues with the leather, such as dryness. I do use this for the entirety for the bag, which I think gives it extra moisture.
- Leather CPR: Leather CPR is my golden savior. I love it because it both cleanses and moisturizes the leather. What I like to do is put the product on and rub it into the leather, giving it a nice massage. I also use the applicator sponge that was provided by the leather balm, which does wonders. Using Leather CPR is when I see the most noticeable difference in the bag, and is a true savior. It can be purchased on both Amazon, and various hardware stores.
- Brush, Rinse and Repeat: I use a horsehair brush that I purchased on Amazon to brush out any additional product off of the bag, and then I like to let the bag sit for a few days in the effort to let everything I did soak into the bag and allow it to rest. This is the time I will stuff the bag to help it regain its natural shape. I then will repeat this process one more time, usually, just to make sure that I can fully restore the bag to its full potential.
Would you restore a vintage bag? Or, do you have any tips on bag restoration? Let me know in the comments below.
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