Handbag rescue videos are one of TikTok’s most wholesome, soothing trends. And as a professional handbag repairer confirms, the results are achievable at home too
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An hour into researching this piece I found myself on the resale platform Depop looking for vintage Coach bags. It’s not the first time writing about fashion has brought me close to buying something, but in this instance my desire came from a new place.
I didn’t just want a bag, I wanted a beat-up leather bag from the 1980s (when Coach was still made in New York) so I could try and restore it following the instructions of the videos I’d seen on TikTok. Watching someone thoroughly clean and condition an old leather bag till it’s plump and smooth, while they calmly explain what they’re doing, is so incredibly satisfying I wanted to experience it myself.
