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- Mar 14, 2006
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Azzuraa is a new SF Affiliate who provides custom leather goods and shoes at affordable prices. They offered me a test drive and I'm happy to report my findings. I admit it's a fairly lengthy/involved read, but I think it's important for anybody considering bespoke (whether with this brand or any other) to know what it all involves and how to go about enjoying the process.
Affiliate Thread:
http://www.styleforum.net/t/459017/...-official-affiliate-thread/0_100#post_7818162
Executive Summary: Decent quality, fast turnaround time, fully customizable options, and affordable prices. Assuming they can tweak the website/ordering process and work out a few logistical hiccups, I think Azzuraa has a bright future.
Intro: “Bespoke” is one of those buzz words everybody on the forum loves to use. We see bespoke suits, bespoke shirts, bespoke shoes, and even bespoke fragrances. Generally it’s only reserved for those with a lot of disposable income; it’s hard to get much of anything bespoke for less than $1000. Even for those who can afford it, however, it requires a level of knowledge and commitment you can’t have with RTW: you have to KNOW what you want. If you are new to the field, sometimes all those options can be overwhelming.
Enter Azzuraa, a leather brand out of India offering fully bespoke/custom leather goods. For my test drive, I indulged the imagination on a bag I’ve been wanting for a long time: a colorful nubuck “tall” weekender.
I went through the steps on the website, sent off my order, and about 2.5 weeks later was told my bag was ready. During the interim, customer service was very receptive to my discussions, email pictures, and tweaks, and several follow-up contacts helped give me confidence that my ideas had been translated well to the factory.
What I like: No logos, sturdy, decent leathers, thick hardware, and a nice fabric lining. Stitching looks pretty solid. Of course what is best is that you can design it however you want. Sturdy removable strap; the rolled handles have a nice feel to them. Clasps/buckles/handle attachments are sturdy as well.
PRICE is another big win; $419 plus shipping, so about $450 total. Since it was a weekender, it was their most expensive bag. The messengers and briefcases range from the $200’s-300’s. Everything on the site I saw was less than $500 total.
What needs work: Two things to report, but luckily neither of them have to do with the final product. They are (1) the website and (2) a hiccup in the logistics/shipping process.
1) Website: Needs some work and doesn’t do the brand justice. I don’t like the ad copy or overall “feel” of the website. It’s hard to navigate from point to point. I’m also not thrilled with the pictures available. When ordering a bag, one can only see rough drawn mock-ups with small leather swatches that are hard to tell color/texture.
NOTE: Better pictures were then sent by email after a contact. As well, customer service is pretty receptive to edits/changes and are working on the website (see the affiliate thread for a discussion). Overall, the brand is a small start-up just getting going; with any start-up there will be some necessary tweaks.
2) I also have to mention a logistical/shipping hiccup. The bags come out of their Indian factory, and for some reason customs seized my shipment for “special handling/check” and it sat for nearly two weeks at JFK. It appears to have been a random check, not something necessarily Azzuraa’s fault… but potential members must realize that the shipments will be international and may be subject to custom’s delays, duties, etc. It’s a minor headache… yes… but one I think I have to report.
Overall Assessment: In total truth, I wasn't expecting a lot. I dragged my feet on committing to do the review at first; I honestly didn't see how you could get something decent, fully custom, and "worth its salt" at that price. HOWEVER, the bag I received surprised the hell out of me, in a good way. As such, two questions:
1)Would I consider them for another bag? Absolutely. In fact, I’m thinking of one already....
And a reality check:
2) Are they a competition for other bespoke services, like April in Paris? Well, of course not. Then again, they aren't intended to be; at 1/10 the price obviously they aren't going to be in the same league. You get what you pay for, at the end of the day. I like my bag for $419, especially seeing as how it is custom. Would I like it for $1000.... well, that's another story...
NEVERTHELESS, keep in mind that bespoke at ANY level is not for every customer. If you don’t know what you want, or WHY, you might end up with an $$$ bag that isn’t really as great as one you can get off a shelf somewhere. This is the CUSTOMER'S fault, not the maker's (after all, they are simply doing what you paid/asked them to do).
SO, inform and educate yourself, do some soul searching, and see if bespoke is right for you. Do you have a "fun" bag you've always wanted but can't find/afford elsewhere? Do you have specific needs in a bag you can't get in RTW? If YES, and you don’t want to mortgage your house to do it elsewhere, I think Azzuraa is a great choice.
Here are a few pics of my bag. Keep in mind it’s a bespoke item, so it’s more MY style than Azzuraa’s, or yours. SO, you may not like that it’s red and blue. You may not like the strap. I don’t care; that’s why it was designed for me.
Affiliate Thread:
http://www.styleforum.net/t/459017/...-official-affiliate-thread/0_100#post_7818162
Executive Summary: Decent quality, fast turnaround time, fully customizable options, and affordable prices. Assuming they can tweak the website/ordering process and work out a few logistical hiccups, I think Azzuraa has a bright future.
Intro: “Bespoke” is one of those buzz words everybody on the forum loves to use. We see bespoke suits, bespoke shirts, bespoke shoes, and even bespoke fragrances. Generally it’s only reserved for those with a lot of disposable income; it’s hard to get much of anything bespoke for less than $1000. Even for those who can afford it, however, it requires a level of knowledge and commitment you can’t have with RTW: you have to KNOW what you want. If you are new to the field, sometimes all those options can be overwhelming.
Enter Azzuraa, a leather brand out of India offering fully bespoke/custom leather goods. For my test drive, I indulged the imagination on a bag I’ve been wanting for a long time: a colorful nubuck “tall” weekender.
I went through the steps on the website, sent off my order, and about 2.5 weeks later was told my bag was ready. During the interim, customer service was very receptive to my discussions, email pictures, and tweaks, and several follow-up contacts helped give me confidence that my ideas had been translated well to the factory.
What I like: No logos, sturdy, decent leathers, thick hardware, and a nice fabric lining. Stitching looks pretty solid. Of course what is best is that you can design it however you want. Sturdy removable strap; the rolled handles have a nice feel to them. Clasps/buckles/handle attachments are sturdy as well.
PRICE is another big win; $419 plus shipping, so about $450 total. Since it was a weekender, it was their most expensive bag. The messengers and briefcases range from the $200’s-300’s. Everything on the site I saw was less than $500 total.
What needs work: Two things to report, but luckily neither of them have to do with the final product. They are (1) the website and (2) a hiccup in the logistics/shipping process.
1) Website: Needs some work and doesn’t do the brand justice. I don’t like the ad copy or overall “feel” of the website. It’s hard to navigate from point to point. I’m also not thrilled with the pictures available. When ordering a bag, one can only see rough drawn mock-ups with small leather swatches that are hard to tell color/texture.
NOTE: Better pictures were then sent by email after a contact. As well, customer service is pretty receptive to edits/changes and are working on the website (see the affiliate thread for a discussion). Overall, the brand is a small start-up just getting going; with any start-up there will be some necessary tweaks.
2) I also have to mention a logistical/shipping hiccup. The bags come out of their Indian factory, and for some reason customs seized my shipment for “special handling/check” and it sat for nearly two weeks at JFK. It appears to have been a random check, not something necessarily Azzuraa’s fault… but potential members must realize that the shipments will be international and may be subject to custom’s delays, duties, etc. It’s a minor headache… yes… but one I think I have to report.
Overall Assessment: In total truth, I wasn't expecting a lot. I dragged my feet on committing to do the review at first; I honestly didn't see how you could get something decent, fully custom, and "worth its salt" at that price. HOWEVER, the bag I received surprised the hell out of me, in a good way. As such, two questions:
1)Would I consider them for another bag? Absolutely. In fact, I’m thinking of one already....
And a reality check:
2) Are they a competition for other bespoke services, like April in Paris? Well, of course not. Then again, they aren't intended to be; at 1/10 the price obviously they aren't going to be in the same league. You get what you pay for, at the end of the day. I like my bag for $419, especially seeing as how it is custom. Would I like it for $1000.... well, that's another story...
NEVERTHELESS, keep in mind that bespoke at ANY level is not for every customer. If you don’t know what you want, or WHY, you might end up with an $$$ bag that isn’t really as great as one you can get off a shelf somewhere. This is the CUSTOMER'S fault, not the maker's (after all, they are simply doing what you paid/asked them to do).
SO, inform and educate yourself, do some soul searching, and see if bespoke is right for you. Do you have a "fun" bag you've always wanted but can't find/afford elsewhere? Do you have specific needs in a bag you can't get in RTW? If YES, and you don’t want to mortgage your house to do it elsewhere, I think Azzuraa is a great choice.
Here are a few pics of my bag. Keep in mind it’s a bespoke item, so it’s more MY style than Azzuraa’s, or yours. SO, you may not like that it’s red and blue. You may not like the strap. I don’t care; that’s why it was designed for me.
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