Leather craftsman destroys designer bags to show if worth the money

A leather-based craftsman is lifting the lid on which designer luggage are definitely worth the value by chopping them aside to examine the standard of the supplies and building. Volkan Yilmaz (pictured), 36, is called ‘Tanner Leatherstein’ on TikTok, the place he has greater than 360,00 followers because of his eye-opening movies about leather-based purses and equipment.

The Turkey native, who’s now primarily based in Texas, has spent hundreds of {dollars} on leather-based items that he has ended up destroying within the identify of training, however he sees it as an funding in his personal leather-based model, Pegai. ‘It looks like some folks profit from [these videos], and in flip, they store at my model, Pegai,’ he defined in a current clip. ‘So, it is my advertising and marketing expense in a way, and it is less expensive than my Google adverts that I used to spend [money] on.’

It is solely been six months since Yilmaz launched his TikTok web page final spring, however he has already taken on plenty of well-known designer manufacturers, together with Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, and Bottega Veneta. Right here, FEMAIL breaks down Yilmaz’s hottest bag opinions – revealing which high-priced purses get his stamp of approval, and which designs he believes aren’t good worth for the cash. 

Yilmaz went viral after chopping aside Bottega Veneta’s Micro Arco tote bag, which retails for a whopping $2,500. ‘First impression, I actually love the sensation of the leather-based,’ he stated of the lambskin. 

Yilmaz carried out plenty of assessments on the leather-based, together with rubbing acetone on it to interrupt down the lilac purple coating. He guessed that roughly 18 toes of lambskin was used to assemble the bag due to its double-sided woven design.

‘It has an insane quantity of leather-based — quadruple of a bag of this dimension,’ he stated. The leather-based knowledgeable estimated that the leather-based value as much as $130, and he tacked on one other $120 for labor and equipment. 

In line with Yilmaz, the bag retails for 10 instances greater than what it prices to make, however that does not imply it is a unhealthy deal. ‘Out of all my opinions, I’ve by no means seen such intricate design in all the main points, inside [and] out,’ he defined. ‘You are undoubtedly paying a premium, however you are getting top-of-the-line leather-based and craftsmanship. You resolve if it is price it or not.’ 

Yilmaz made it clear that he thinks Louis Vuitton’s Porte-Paperwork Voyage PM is a rip-off as a result of a lot of the bag is made out of coated canvas — not leather-based. The enterprise bag retails for $1,830 on the label’s web site, although he stated he paid barely much less for the designer piece. ‘You assume this Louis Vuitton bag is price $1,700?’ he requested in a current video. ‘Let me let you know why it’s trash for the cash I spent.’ 

The French label clearly states that its LV monogram luggage are primarily made out of canvas, however Yilmaz identified that there nonetheless may very well be some confusion. ‘Louis Vuitton is related to leather-based and luxurious,’ he famous. 

The leather-based knowledgeable stated he was ready in line to purchase the bag when a gross sales rep advised him that the most typical materials used is coated canvas. ‘What’s that? I noticed it is a glorified plastic,’ he stated. ‘No matter little leather-based use for the accents and the deal with is mediocre at finest.’

Yilmaz defined that the leather-based accents are product of prime grain cowhide with a corrective end on prime, which is nothing particular. ‘You may make this leather-based utilizing a lot of the cowhides accessible in the marketplace as a result of you’ve gotten the flexibleness of overlaying the imperfections,’ he stated. 

Yilmaz famous that the canvas was sturdy, however on the finish of the day, it is not leather-based. ‘As a leather-based craftsman, after taking this again to my workshop, I knew I did not get what my $1,700 is price,’ he stated. 

Coach followers might be completely satisfied to know that its luggage obtained Yilmaz’s stamp of approval. The leather-based craftsman purchased the model’s $450 Theo Tote whereas purchasing within the retailer, and he did not waste any time tearing it aside. 

He famous that he ‘loves the leather-based’ and ‘insanely good brass equipment,’ however he wished the story patch inside was additionally product of actual leather-based and never polyurethane.

Yilmaz additionally took concern with the salesperson incorrectly telling him that the within was lined with suede when it was clearly material. 

He estimated that the bag value roughly $130 to make, together with $30 for the leather-based and $70 for the labor. ‘Does not sound like a foul deal,’ he stated of the $320 markup. 

The primary bag that was ever donated by a viewer for Yilmaz to examine was a lightweight pink Kate Spade satchel bag that the proprietor purchased for $80. The precise design would not look like accessible presently, however an analogous model of the bag is promoting for $119 on the model’s web site. 

‘The viewer who donated this bag stated this was very stiff and “plasticky” — and I completely agree together with her,’ Yilmaz stated. After scraping off the bag’s pink coloring, he deduced that it’s made out of buffalo leather-based with a ‘very heavy end’. 

‘It is a fairly frequent apply to supply loads of coloration choices,’ he defined. ‘They select a reasonably impartial base tone and closely end it on prime to supply 20 totally different colours utilizing the identical base leather-based.’ 

Yilmaz estimated that the overall quantity of buffalo leather-based value $12 and the opposite supplies such because the {hardware} have been an extra $10. ‘The $80 that she paid for this looks like a very reasonable deal given it is made out of leather-based,’ he stated. ‘It is buffalo leather-based, not the best one, however nonetheless, it is completely leather-based.’ 

The leather-based knowledgeable additionally recommended the development, saying it gave the impression to be ‘very sturdy’ and ‘effectively made.’ ‘If I have been to make this bag with my leathers that I like, it will value me about $75 to $80, and my value level can be round $200,’ he added. 

Viewers insisted within the feedback that the satchel will need to have been purchased at a Kate Spade outlet as a result of the model’s purses sometimes promote for a pair hundred {dollars} or extra.

Yilmaz defined in one other video {that a} pal gave him his briefcase bag from Brooks Brothers to examine after complaining that it was falling aside after only a 12 months. The bag in query will not be at present on the model’s web site, however it’s accessible on Amazon for $299. 

The leather-based craftsman known as the model ‘crooks’ after chopping into the briefcase and realizing the one leather-based half is the principle physique of the bag. ‘The bag is labeled as “real leather-based,” however that does not imply it is good leather-based,’ Yilmaz identified. 

In line with the knowledgeable, the bag was made out of scraps that have been lined with a plastic layer and embossed with a sample. ‘It’s principally the most affordable materials you will discover, and you may nonetheless name it leather-based,’ he defined. ‘The accent components they use right here and the underside [are] not even leather-based. It is what they name PU [polyurethane] leather-based. In different phrases, it is faux leather-based.’ 

Yilmaz additionally famous that ‘they did not even use the nice sort of froth as filler,’ saying it was the kind used for transport. 

He concluded his video by noting that anybody who pays the premium value for the Brooks Brothers bag is paying for the model’s standing and never nice leather-based. ‘There are loads of native and small craftsmen that work with that genuine leather-based you may be searching for — and also you would possibly save some huge cash,’ he stated. ‘Alternative is yours.’ 

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