The Definitive MANBAG Thread, Part II: 2014~

[Master-Classter]

I totally respect the kind of work you do and the clients you do it for. That's what it should be, really. I pretty much own almost nothing that's branded in any way. Most of my closet is Uniqlo, Club Monaco, etc, sort of mall level brands, and I add in a few more expensive items here and there like jackets, shoes, and accessories. I'm not suggesting you should change anything about what you do and who you target. When you pick at mainstream brands for not working the way you do, the explanation is that they aren't targeting the same kind of buyer you are. Horses for courses as they say.

 

[FromToronto]

Anyone have experience with Troubadour bags? Looking at the one below in brown:
http://www.troubadourgoods.com/products/briefcase

Also, am look at this Bally bag, hoping it will go on sale:
http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524446744981

Also looked at this Opperman bag, love the design but given mixed review I'm hesitant go go forward with it. Any recommendations on a similar styled bag?
https://www.oppermann-london.com/products/palissy-briefcase-chocolate-grey

I know these may be more 'designer' bags, but at the right (sale) price, I think it should be ok?

If not, I think I'll with with Glaser.

 

[Sartolane]

I think that there is one important point missing in discussion.

I believe people buy brands, even if the quality is not worth the price, not only because they desire the brand or the design itself. I wouldn't call it stupidity or ignorance. People just don't have time to explore full and complete information about every single producer, product, and material. There is no possibility to become a specialist in every product you buy everyday. This is why we take shortcuts. The most popular is "This brand is well known and they have their shop in a very crowded shopping mall for years. I see a lot of people are buying from them. So does my friends. And when I saw John wearing their product he looked great! I would look great too."

However, today most brands are spending more money on marketing to persuade people their products are worth their price, than on producing ones as good as they should be. Tendency to cut costs by lowering quality is so conspicuous to customers, that regardless of marketing effort people are looking for something better. This is why more and more brands offering great products for adequate price are growing. Everlane or Suitsupply are great examples.

I hope more brands like them will appear.

 

[beyondmars2020]



Can you let us know what you think of the Oppermann?
That bag looks awesome.

I received my Oppermann Palissy 25 in navy.

It looks great. Build is solid. Leather is decent but not as thick as some of the luxury bags I've touched. The bag is roomy enough to fit my laptop and gym gear. Service was excellent.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. We'll see how it holds up. Most comparable bags cost 2-3x.

FromToronto - What mixed reviews?

 

[ParkerPierpont]

I totally respect the kind of work you do and the clients you do it for. That's what it should be, really. I pretty much own almost nothing that's branded in any way. Most of my closet is Uniqlo, Club Monaco, etc, sort of mall level brands, and I add in a few more expensive items here and there like jackets, shoes, and accessories. I'm not suggesting you should change anything about what you do and who you target. When you pick at mainstream brands for not working the way you do, the explanation is that they aren't targeting the same kind of buyer you are. Horses for courses as they say.

Thanks, Master-Classter!

Where they fall short in x or y, others fall short in a or b. If my system was (anywhere close to) perfect, I wouldn't be so interested in the opinions and insights on here

 

[FromToronto]



I received my Oppermann Palissy 25 in navy.

It looks great. Build is solid. Leather is decent but not as thick as some of the luxury bags I've touched. The bag is roomy enough to fit my laptop and gym gear. Service was excellent.

Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase. We'll see how it holds up. Most comparable bags cost 2-3x.

FromToronto - What mixed reviews?

It was mostly from reading feedback from this thread. Someone mentioned that they received an Opperman (although they bought from a 3rd party website) that the bag was all scrunched up in a box when it was shopped and the leather as a result never 'recovered'.

Another person said the leather didn't look too good in quality, referencing the guide here: http://www.styleforum.net/t/354137/leather-quality-and-properties.

But those were the only 2 'indirect' reviews (as in it wasn't bought from Opperman). Good to hear you've had a good experience.

 

[KeyserSoze]

It was mostly from reading feedback from this thread. Someone mentioned that they received an Opperman (although they bought from a 3rd party website) that the bag was all scrunched up in a box when it was shopped and the leather as a result never 'recovered'.

Another person said the leather didn't look too good in quality, referencing the guide here: http://www.styleforum.net/t/354137/leather-quality-and-properties.

But those were the only 2 'indirect' reviews (as in it wasn't bought from Opperman). Good to hear you've had a good experience.

I saw some of Oppermann bags earlier.
The reason why reviewed bags were so wrinkled is the leather they sew 25-hour bags from. It's Vachetta from Artigiano tannery. It is durable and decent leather, however too inelastic. The easiest way to explain it, is to compare it to a piece of paper. When you squeeze it, there is no way to make it smooth again. Crease will stay no matter how hard you try.

There is no reason to worry about briefcase itself, i.e. construction, hardware, and overall durability. However, if they haven't changed anything about the leather, noticeable creases will inevitably appear after some time.

I assume wrinkles were so conspicuous for reviewers you wrote about, because bag wasn't properly packaged during shipment, i.e. without sufficient amount of fillers, foam, or bubble wrap. Nevertheless in the long term some wrinkles would appear anyway - it's the nature of the leather they sew bags from.

 

[nepats81]

How are Alexander wang bags? Considering keeping the Wallie backpack I ordered or the Berkeley duffle

 

[FromToronto]

If you had to choose between these which one would you choose? Torn between them although the Troubadour costs twice as much.

Opperman Bolton
http://www.yankodesign.com/images/d...ain-the-best/oppermann_surfacecollection8.jpg



Troubadour Briefcase in brown

http://www.troubadourgoods.com/products/briefcase

 

[ParkerPierpont]

If you had to choose between these which one would you choose? Torn between them although the Troubadour costs twice as much.

I actually like the way that the Opperman looks classically, price aside.

The Troubadour doesn't look super refined, but it has piping along the edges. Also, the way that the shoulder strap weaves through the body of the bag is interesting.

Opperman is more formal. Also, stitches, on average, are stronger than rivets. Random fact that applies only to the troubadour.

How are Alexander wang bags? Considering keeping the Wallie backpack I ordered or the Berkeley duffle

The Wallie is awesome looking. The Berkeley looks a bit generic, no?

 

[circumspice]

The strap design on the Troubadour looks fiddly. I am of the mind that if you need a briefcase then you ought to be going classic. That strap design is visual clutter

 

[ParkerPierpont]

Agree.

 

[nepats81]

I actually like the way that the Opperman looks classically, price aside.

The Troubadour doesn't look super refined, but it has piping along the edges. Also, the way that the shoulder strap weaves through the body of the bag is interesting.

Opperman is more formal. Also, stitches, on average, are stronger than rivets. Random fact that applies only to the troubadour.



The Wallie is awesome looking. The Berkeley looks a bit generic, no?

I ended up agreeing with you! Sent back the Berkeley. Nice quality and great size for me, but I just felt the wallie looked so unique and special.

 

[FromToronto]

Thanks guys, good point about the clutter from the design of the strap, I haven't thought or considered that. Just thought it was interesting in design.

The Opperman it is, and saves me about 900cad!

 

[ultravisitor]

Re-reading your earlier post, maybe we're approaching this from different viewpoints. You seem very concerned with technical and practical aspects, like placement and sizing of pockets and such. I suspect though that to the majority of brand customers the question of whether the iPhone 12 will fit into the pockets of a bag purchased today is at best secondary. That's simply not why people are loyal to a given brand. And it doesn't even apply only to mainstream brands like Gucci or Balenciaga, but to smaller labels also, some of which are held in high esteem on SF. The faded "scamosciato" look of Ann Demeulemeester leather goods can only be had from that label and nobody else, so if that's what catches your fancy, that's what you buy. Same for Bottega Veneta's signature "intrecciato" technique and so many others. It's moot to keep saying that a local artisan or a smaller company ("that doesn't spend millions of advertising blah blah") may deliver the same or even higher material quality for half the price.

This is exactly the way I feel. (Sorry to be late to the discussion.)

I have a ridiculous love for Prada's nylon bags. It's not about the branding; I actually wish they'd tone it down a bit a be a bit more like they were in the 80s or 90s. I just really love the way they look--the shapes and what they're made of--and they work with everything I wear. But I've owned Prada stuff in the past, and it hasn't been of the highest quality (my 20-year-old backpack has lasted, though). People say the brand is in decline. The bags are ridiculously expensive.

Still, at the end of the day, I cannot find any bags from anyone that are exactly like the ones I love from Prada. The closest I've come is Tomas Maier, but I'm not really crazy about the shape of the bag and I can't handle one in person. So I'm stuck. I can either choose to buy another bag that is not as expensive and perhaps of higher quality, but I'll always have my eye on one of the Pradas that I like or I'll always look around for something else that I might like more, which will just lead to more buying. Or I can choose to spend a ton of money on a bag that I love and stop worrying about what else is out there.