Insider Feature
Insider - Refurbished
A little while ago, I was approached by the team at Insider to feature one of my handbag restorations for their "Refurbished" series. Naturally, I said yes and was thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase my skills. I sent them a selection of handbags to choose from, including Louis Vuitton bags for mould cleaning and Givenchy bags for colour changes. Ultimately, we decided on a well-loved Chanel vanity case, and so the restoration journey began.
Insider arranged for a videographer to visit my studio in Bondi, Sydney, where they spent the week filming the restoration process. As someone who usually works solo, having someone watch me work was quite nerve-racking!
The Bag: Chanel Vanity Case Restoration
This Chanel vanity case was originally purchased 10 years ago for $1,500. Today, it is valued between $4,000 and $5,000. Over time, the interior of the case had started to disintegrate, which is a common issue with linings from that period. Chanel, along with other brands, used a coated PVC-style fabric for the interiors instead of leather, which, when exposed to humidity and regular wear, begins to crumble. This left the owner with two options: full replacement or restoration. We chose restoration to preserve the original lining and logo, maintaining the bag’s authenticity.
The bag also needed a full clean, colour touch-up, and metal polish. Here's how it all came together:
Chanel Vanity Case - Interior Before
Chanel Vanity Case - Corner Restoration Before
Day 1.
Step 1: Cleaning the Exterior
I began by removing the leather strap and cleaning the exterior of the bag using my Luxe Foam Cleaner. This deep cleaner is perfect for caviar leather as it penetrates the grain to lift dirt. I applied it with a soft horsehair brush and removed any excess with a Handbag Cleaning Cloth.
Unthreading the Chanel chain strap
Cleaning the exterior with Luxe Foam Cleaner
Step 2: Cleaning the Interior
For the interior, I used a gentler cleaner to carefully remove debris without causing further damage. Luxe Leather Cleaner was ideal for this delicate process.
Step 3: Repairing the Interior Lining
Once the bag was fully dry, I applied a leather filler to the damaged areas of the lining. This helped seal the surface, prevent further crumbling, and protect it from future wear. The filler was left to dry for 24 hours.
Repairing the lining using leather filler
Day 2.
Step 4: Smoothing the Surface
After the filler had cured, I gently sanded the surface, removing any texture and ensuring it was smooth. I then cleaned the area with an alcohol cleaner, which further softened the filler to mimic the original interior feel. This step may need to be repeated several times to achieve the perfect result.
Fine sanding to the interior
Step 5: Colour Matching and Restoration
Next, I mixed a custom colour by eye, combining Caramel, Gold Yellow, and Citron to match the Chanel vanity case. I then loaded the pigment into an airbrush and, after masking off the metal hardware, applied three light coats to the exterior, focusing on the worn areas. Once dry, I applied a custom-mixed clear sealant to match the original satin-gloss sheen.
Custom colour mixed Chanel pigment
Step 6: Interior Colour Restoration
For the interior, I applied the first coat of colour by hand, then carefully built it up using the airbrush, taking care to preserve the Chanel logo. Once the colour was applied, I allowed the bag to cure overnight.
Final Touches
On the final day of filming, I focused on the metalwork. I removed the masking tape and polished the hardware with a metal polish, using cotton buds and cloths to remove tarnish and restore the shine. Once complete, I reattached the logo and rethreaded the leather strap through the chain links. After stitching it back together using a fine-point needle and matching thread, I finished the process by applying Luxe Leather Protector to safeguard the bag from dye transfer, UV damage, and stains.
Metal polishing the hardware
Hand sewing the strap
Before and After Chanel Refurbishment
Watch My Insider - Refurbished Video
My Insider - Refurbished video has been viewed over 800,000 times on YouTube and over 300,000 times on Facebook. Watch the full video below:
Interested in having your bag restored by Freya at Bagsamoré? Fill out our enquiry form below.