Care study: A new lease on colour for a well worn Bottega Veneta

Maker: Tessa A  | Item: Bottega Veneta crossbody bag | Service: Leather restoration

This navy Bottega Veneta crossbody bag arrived to The Seam with heavy fading, and piping cord emerging from the bag’s corners. We matched the customer with Maker Tessa A, an East London-based leather restoration specialist. 

Piping repairs are a common sign of damage we see on leather handbags, and customers often initially believe that this repair can only be achieved by taking apart and re-trimming the bag. Instead, our Makers provide a durable spot-repair, trimming away excess cord, filling the gaps, sanding them down to shape, and painting and treating them along with the rest of the leather to be restored. 

Bottega Veneta’s signature Intrecciato weave can unevenly discolour with wear, as the raised panels of the weave rub against clothing and surfaces. To correct for this, this bag also had an allover colour restoration. Maker Tessa colour-matches pigment to the original finish of the bag, and applies pigment over the woven surface, carefully reaching all of the surface area of the 3-dimensional woven texture. 

All leather restorations we work on are completed with a coat of finisher, which prevents the pigment from transferring onto other surfaces, and protects the restoration over time. 

Now, this bag is looking new again, and ready to withstand many more seasons of wear. Have a well-worn bag that needs some love? Click here to begin your leather restoration booking and get a quote from our Makers in 48 hours. 

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