Since my focus is almost always “how do I fix this?” rather than “authentic or not?” I’m not really the best person to ask. I am certain I’ve worked on fakes I couldn’t possibly spot as fake. There are lots of sites on-line that talk about how to spot fakes and spot the real thing, I’d suggest studying them.
I do know that some of the Coach counterfeits are pretty decent in their own right if they’re made of leather. By that I mean there are some non-Coach purses/bags that have some other logo but do closely resemble a Coach and clearly use them as inspiration that are good bags in and of themselves, and can be just as sturdy and wear just as well - but then, they aren’t trying to really fool anyone that looks at them twice. If I was buying a purse or bag I’d be inclined to get one of those but then I care more about factors other than the brand name.
The Coach website has a page on how to care for their products.
No - they don’t do polish/cleaning/upkeep. They will do repairs.
You could take it to our shoe repair for that, but shoe repair stores vary enormously in quality and competence. I’d suggest having them clean/polish a less expensive/precious leather item for you first and if you like the result then have them work on your expensive designer goods.
One thing about zippers: while researching websites on these sorts of goods I noted a number of people complaining about zipper repairs. Specifically, one woman was furious that Coach wouldn’t replace the zipper on her tote bag, she couldn’t understand why such a “simple” repair was considered impossible.
All I can say is that it’s obvious she never tried to replace a zipper herself.
Certain types of zipper repair we can do, but replacing a zipper is a major undertaking that requires us to partially disassemble the purse, then put it back together. It’s almost as much labor as making a purse from scratch. There is a definite risk of something going wrong, and the result never looking quite the same as it originally did. Particularly for thin fabrics and synthetic leathers, there is no way to do this without leaving signs that some major work has been done.
Please, PLEASE keep your zipper lubricated (we usually use silicon spray, but people have used beeswax, soap, and even lip balm in a pinch. You can even buy specific zipper lubes). The best way to fix a zipper is to prevent damage in the first place, and the best way to do that is to keep it working easily.
Replacing a pull tab is relatively easy. However, we do not stock designer zipper bits. Your busted one will be replaced by what we have that fits/works. It will NOT have a fancy designer logo, it may not be the same shape or color. We do use YKK zipper fobs which are a quality product, but they’re “generic”. If the zipper slide breaks we can usually replace it (no, we don’t fix it, we replace it). The zipper slide is the chunky bit that pulls together or separates the zipper teeth. To do that we will have to open up a seam or three in your Precious Object. We will attempt to re-sew it as best we’re able, but since we don’t have the exact same sewing machines, thread, etc. the original manufacturer uses yes, you will almost certainly be able to discern it was at one time repaired if you look closely (at normal conversational distance probably not noticeable). Pleather has a distressing tendency to tear and/or stretch during such operations, this works best on real leather or fabric. Again, the zipper slide we use for repair will not be the exact same one the design house used, because they don’t sell their purse/whatever parts separately. We will use what works. We will try to find a bit that matches at least somewhat (for Coach, since they use YKK zippers, this might be very close indeed but other designers use stuff that’s uniquely shaped) but we can NOT stock an example of every single zipper slide ever created.
We. Do. Not. Replace. Zippers.
Why? Because we have to charge you at least $50 for the labor involved (our best zipper person could manage only one or two zipper replacements a day. Unfortunately, she suffers from a psychiatric disorder (unrelated to zipper repair, I assure you) and was hospitalized some months ago. We have not been able to replace her, as no one likes to replace zippers, not even genuinely crazy people.). Because we got tired of people bitching that their Precious Object did not look exactly like it originally did. Because too many people are too stupid to understand that even design houses like Coach will NOT replace a zipper because of this sort of unavoidable permanent signs of repair and incomprehension on the part of the idiots who buy these things and can’t understand entropy, damage, and lack of magic in the world - we can’t wave a wand, speak a faux-Latin word, and your zipper is restored to its youth.
In sum, no, a zipper replacement is NOT a “simple” repair. It is laborious, difficult, it sucks, and it’s a 50/50 chance that the results will be less than optimal. We got tired of telling people that, then being threatened with a lawsuit because there are stupid people who don’t want to hear the facts.
Sorry, pet peeve. ::: takes deep, calming breaths :::
Zipper repairs on shoes and boots? All of the above, but more so. We don’t have the special jigs that allow perfection for the original makers. Sometimes, due to the shape of the item, we can’t even get it on the machine and have to finish by hand. Also, the original maker got to put in the zippers at the optimum time in the construction process, often before other things like a sole was installed, or a lining. Since we don’t want to completely disassemble your item (and really, you don’t want us to do that either) yes, if you look inside afterward you will be able to see where we did the sewing. We do everything we can to make the outside look the same, and we’ll be careful to avoid lumps or ridges or anything that can chafe you on the inside, but yeah, we have to sew through the wall of the item.
I saw that! You beat me to it! (yeah, I spend $200 a year just at the thrift store!)