Herz's le dos mignon is actually my first big girl purse purchase. It costs less than a limited SD and more than a fountain pen. Out of all of the items Herz has to offer, this one sang to me the most. So I kept in my heart of a couple of years and eventually purchased it.
Best Points
- cute square shape
- unique closure
- lock
- size
First Impressions
When I first opened up the box, my heart fluttered. The color is gorgeous in person, and the size and shape was just perfect. I checked it over carefully, and the craftsmenship impressed me from every angle. The stitching was as straight as you could reasonably expect. The inside was also tidy. I noticed they used a neater leather for the front than the back, which is mostly covered by a back pocket. Since it's skin you can't expect it to be completely without blemish, but this was a nice way of using pieces that might be considered unsightly.
The bag was stiff and difficult to open at first. But it was easy after a few tries. It took a bit of an adjustment because I instinctively wanted to pull the flap out of the way, but you can just hold the handle and push the bag open. I love how tactile it feels. I don't really like fiddling with zippers, and an open purse makes me nervous. So this is perfect for me. The front buckle locks with a special prong-shaped key. I didn't see a way to purchase a replacement or backup from the online shop, so... I suppose if I ever find myself in Japan I should try to pick up another.
The buckle and feet were also the only hardware that looked a little marred. This can happen when hammering if protection, such as a towel, isn't placed between the tool and the surface the hardware is being attached too. But if you cover it, you can't always see where you're striking. I think I'd prefer the hardware to take the beating rather than the bag, if that was the trade-off. I'm not particularly bothered by it. It just looks a bit “handled.”
Straps
The straps are fine on their own but I purchased Big肩当て(KO-74) in purple secondhand. I actually did not find the ultrasuede on these to be very pleasant. It made the straps feel very stiff, the texture reminded me of caterpillar skin, and I was worried about it rubbing off on my clothes. So I took out the stitches and swapped it for gabardine in a similar color. It has enough friction to stop the straps from slipping around while giving them a lighter feeling. I rubbed off as much of the glue as I could to make passing the needle less difficult, but my fingers still ended up a little sore by the time I was done. Still, swapping the fabric was easy to do by hand and only took about an afternoon. I didn't care to keep my stitches perfectly straight (which only shows on the underside), and I'm not sure I would have done this if the straps weren't already secondhand as not to feel wasteful, but I'm very satisfied with the outcome. The bag now functions better for me.
Maintenance
Herz bags are made of leather and require some extra care and upkeep to keep them in good condition. They don't come pre-treated, so Herz recommends applying Renapur leather balsam when you first get the bag, and then again every couple of months or as needed. I'm using Otter Wax boot wax instead. Like Renapur, it's beeswax based and only uses a few ingredients, but Otter Wax contains lanolin and does not contain petroleum products. And that has some appeal to me. It's also slightly cheaper per container (though slightly more expensive by volume). Like any conditioner it did darken the leather just a bit, and while I haven't been caught in the rain yet, it seems to perform well against water. I applied about 3 coats, letting the wax soak in between each.
Other than that, I don't think it needs anything special.
Three Months Later
The murasaki leather ages noticeably quick and the dye comes up very easily when conditioning. I don't think it will take very long for it to become brown. It's a lovely color but not one that will last. Oh well! Speaking of strap covers, I ultimately think they're what I like least about the bag. I love how they look but they slip up and down the straps, it's very annoying to readjust everytime I put the bag on.
The bag itself has been through rain, a few drops from a decent height, and an airport. It's held up well through all of these but the characteristics of leather have begun to show. Well, in other words, I'm beginning to see the time I've spent with this bag! So I'm not unhappy about it. I'm doing my best to take care of it well, so all of the changes are very subtle.
I've made a liner for it because I wanted pockets for my flippy and my lippy, and to protect the bottom from any potential spills if I wanted to carry a bottle in it in the future. I think this improved it a lot!
