Buenos Aires for custom leather luggage/bags?

[jdbob]

I will be down in BA in a few months and Ive heard a lot about the leather goods down there. Does anyone here know if there is any place that can make custom leather luggage/bags?

cheers

 

[ThinkDerm]

can anyone help jdbob out?

 

[jdbob]

Thanks for the bump !

Btw: that intern site is great. I wish I had known about it before I started my intern year last year.

 

[ThinkDerm]

Originally Posted by jdbob

Thanks for the bump !

Btw: that intern site is great. I wish I had known about it before I started my intern year last year.

it's a little old. What are you specializing in, and how are you getting to spend an extended period in BA? I am taking a trip down there myself.

 

[zalb916]

I don't have any information on custom leather goods in BA. However, I've written on this forum previously that leather goods in BA are not that special. Some of the leather goods shops that are considered nicer don't produce very high quality items. That's not to say that one can't find a good custom maker, but based on the other options in the area I wouldn't have my expectations set too high.

 

[txeconomist]

Its has been my experience as well that the leather goods down there arent really all that great. I am going down there over thanksgiving and my dad wants to get me a leather jacket, but im just not that excited about the jacket.

 

[doldrums]

Originally Posted by txeconomist

Its has been my experience as well that the leather goods down there arent really all that great. I am going down there over thanksgiving and my dad wants to get me a leather jacket, but im just not that excited about the jacket.

It depends where you shop. there is excellent quality down there if you're willing to pay for it. Most go with a notion of paying under $200 and come back disappointed. Of course, great leather jackets are easily 5x that in the States, If you are willing to pay around $400-500, you can get something real special and you can get it custom. Try both Lopez stores(Casa Lopez and Lopez Taibo) and whatever you do stay away from tourist rip off Florida st. One more recommendation for Maggio & Rosetto. Again these are not cheap but you get what you pay for.

 

[Happydayz]

Rossi y Carusso is another of the high end leather stores. With the exchange rate being almost 4 pesos per 1 dollar you can get some incredible deals.

A leather jacket from one of the top three leather makers (Lopez Taibo, Casa Lopez, Rossi y Carusso) should set you back, under today's exchange rate, anywhere from $400-700. I say top three as in top three that are chains with multiple storefronts. All three might have between 3-5 storefronts in Buenos Aires I think. There may be some small craftsman leather makers out there but without local knowledge I didn't bother looking.

Two good high end malls to look at are Galleria Pacifico on Florida Avenue near where it intersects with Santa Fe Avenue, and Patrio Bullrich in the Recoletta neighborhood. It's maybe a $3 USD cabride between the two malls. I'd recommend Galleria Pacifico as a first look. The food court is nice, it's easy to get to, and there's a Global Refund there that will help set you up to get the VAT tax back for any purchases made there. Should be around a 15% refund or so, give or take.

As for getting leather custom made - honestly not entirely sure. You can always ask the salespeople at one of the higher end leather stores. Alternatively ask at one of the luxury hotels like Hotel Alvear for what they would recommend.

Also: don't eat too much beef before you arrive. A thick cut of tenderloin steak will set you back all of $8. You can get a steak, salad, a glass of red wine, for maybe $15-20 total at almost any restaurant. Just remember that the default for steak here is well-done, and asking for it rare will get you a medium-rare to medium US equivalent.

 

[jdbob]

Thanks guys for the tips. I can't wait to get down there.

ThinkDerm: I'm currently finishing my second postgraduate year. I'll be commencing a PhD next year and then aiming for orthopaedics. I'm taking time off from the end of this year until march of next year (when my research begins) to travel.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by doldrums

It depends where you shop. there is excellent quality down there if you're willing to pay for it. Most go with a notion of paying under $200 and come back disappointed. Of course, great leather jackets are easily 5x that in the States, If you are willing to pay around $400-500, you can get something real special and you can get it custom. Try both Lopez stores(Casa Lopez and Lopez Taibo) and whatever you do stay away from tourist rip off Florida st. One more recommendation for Maggio & Rosetto. Again these are not cheap but you get what you pay for.

Casa Lopez and Lopez Taibo are exactly what I'm talking about. People think these are good leather goods stores. They are not.

 

[mack11211]

Stateside, there is a branch of the Argentine luxury label Etiqueta Negra (black label) in NYC. You might call them, and ask the manager who he or she would recommend in BA.

 

[Troesma]

For what is worth... Argentine leather is top class, however, the dying and processing is not. In fact, some of the great leather garmets/etc you see in Europe are made from Argentine hides which are processed in Europe, mostly Italy. So, if you go down to Argentina you will have good stuff in terms of raw quality but not quite in terms of finish.

Now, for the price (in U$) you would be probably OK, and would be able to source some nice (although not superlative) stuff from the places reccomended above. But you will have to shop around a bit.

Also note some leather garments sold in Argentina are actually made in neighbouring Uruguay.

Etiqueta Negra = over-priced and over-hyped. Would not bother. A sports jacket or suit would cost you a tad below a Pal Zilleri outfit I could buy here in their Bond Street shop.

Just my 2c.

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by Troesma

For what is worth... Argentine leather is top class, however, the dying and processing is not. In fact, some of the great leather garmets/etc you see in Europe are made from Argentine hides which are processed in Europe, mostly Italy. So, if you go down to Argentina you will have good stuff in terms of raw quality but not quite in terms of finish.

Leather quality and finishing aside, the construction of Argentine leather goods is quite poor. Stores like Casa Lopez reinforce their poor stitching with glue. It's just not too pretty. The goods are not particularly expensive and are probably cheaper than the comparable item in the U.S., so it's not a big deal and can be fun to shop for, if you don't care about quality. However, people shouldn't go to Argentina expecting great deals on quality leather goods.

 

[Troesma]

Originally Posted by zbromer

Leather quality and finishing aside, the construction of Argentine leather goods is quite poor. Stores like Casa Lopez reinforce their poor stitching with glue. It's just not too pretty. The goods are not particularly expensive and are probably cheaper than the comparable item in the U.S., so it's not a big deal and can be fun to shop for, if you don't care about quality. However, people shouldn't go to Argentina expecting great deals on quality leather goods.

Good point as well. Construction from Uruguayan shores is even worse. That's exactly what I was trying to say...

 

[em36]

I would disagree. There is a good shoe shop on the corner of Posadas and Rodriguez Pena in Recoleta. The name eludes, however good workmanship.