I've been using my black/flamma mini bucket for a month and a half now, and there's something I have to say about it... It needs to be babied!!! Well that is if you're not keen on having scratches on them. If you're fine with the scratches then there would be absolutely no problem!
I did try to baby it, but with my lifestyle no way! I travel by bus around 450km every weekend. It's bound to get scratched. Mansur Gavriel knows very well this shortcoming, hence in one of the tags that comes with the bag, they tell you every scratch is a 'memory'. That's a nice way of saying it. I'm just not used to buying a RM ( ringgit Malaysia) 2.4k bag just to get it scratched the minute I use it.
Oh well it's only about 500 USD to many. It's not that precious. I'm getting used to letting it be scratched.
Another major gripe though is how parched the bag is. Once I tie it up the folds of the leather show really dried crackled leather. I really need to go out there and buy a good leather conditioner to moisturise this leather.
And don't get me started about how cumbersome it is to close this bag. And I also have to make sure I put something at the top to cover my valuables. In my case this 'something' is my baby's diaper change mat.
Despite the shortcomings though, there are a few things I like about this bag. It's totally chic! Looks gorgeous form near and afar. It smells of lovely leather. I feel like I'm carrying expensive leather everytime I carry it. Hmm in a way it is expensive leather, to me anyway.
The leather is really stiff! I love a bag that holds it's shape. None of that slouchy leather stuff for me.
But most of all, it's difficult to get. It's a game of fastest finger's first and my husband managed to get it for me as a belated birthday gift! And for that I will treasure it dearly and will definitely give my girl my then vintage Mansur Gavriel when she's older. I just hope she doesn't ask me for a vintage Chanel instead, for I have none!