Are you cleaning your home during lockdown? Are you trying to take the Marie Kondo lessons seriously?

Is it finally time to look through the wardrobe and find where to put those bags…?

Here is some help with how to store your precious handbags.

Where to store your bag

  1. The first thing to do is make sure your chosen storage area is clean, dry and has no persistent smells. Avoid areas which smell strongly, such as rooms where people smoke, or places close to a kitchen. The leather will absorb the smell of tobacco.
  2. Moisture in the air is needed, but only to a certain extent. Heavy air conditioning will dry the leather of your bag, so if you have to keep it in an extremely dry environment, make sure you condition the leather frequently: once every two months should be enough. Central heating will also dry the leather, so again, if your bag is near a radiator, make sure you condition it frequently.
  3. If you live in a humid environment, you might want to consider a dehumidifier, even if it’s just on an occasional basis. Important advice: do NOT leave your bag at the bottom and back of a wardrobe and forget about it for months on end. The leather will become misshapen and where it is bending, it will crack. We have people come in regularly to Lilac Blue London with bags that have been ignored and unloved. It takes us months sometimes to completely remove smells and recondition leathers. And sometimes it is just not possible to reshape bags once the leather has been forcibly reshaped while badly stored.
  4. So do avoid letting the leather on your bag sag. Stuff it with a cushion if possible, or ideally with a bag pillow – available here: Lilac Blue Bag Bolsters.
  5. Do not store your bag upright as it will encourage sagging. Try to store it in the original Hermes box, lying down with the handles supported by the paper cushion it came with, or by another bag pillow.

How to clean a Hermès bag?

Top Tips from the largest Hermès bag reseller in London.

  1. Don’t be frightened of cleaning your Hermès calf leather bag. It is made from one of the best and strongest leathers available, so is more resilient than you might think.
  2. Always wipe off any dust or surface dirt, using a clean soft cloth, before applying a polish.
  3. Use a leather cleaning cream, or gel.
  4. If you have a leather which is pebbled (just as togo or taurillon clemence) and you use a cream, beware that the cream can get in-between the grooves of the leather and takes a lot of buffing to remove. So use a light cream or gel if you can. Top Tip: try using a soft brush toothbrush can work to get into the grooved texture of the leather.
  5. Work the cream into the leather with a soft cloth, in a circular motion, until all the product is absorbed.
  6. Take another soft cloth and polish the area that has been cleaned.
  7. Use a protective leather care spray to finish.
  8. If the leather is heavily worn Hermès will clean it in the Hermès Spa. They will also replace the handles, the metal wear at the front. And if you really want, they will replace the leather belt. Beware, it can take up to 6 months. Top Tip: try taking your bag to the Hermès Spa in January or September when waiting lists are at their shortest.
  9. Remember: prevention is better than cure! Protect your bag with a leather protector, and wipe it clean regularly, before any stains can set in. For crocodile or lizard, use a specialist cleaning such as Reptile Beauty Milk by Saphir. You can buy it here: Saphir Reptan Cleaning Cream

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