Leather From Your Favorite Brands Explained

Photo: The Shoe Lady of the classic Doc Martens 1460 boots in Smooth Leather

Consumer choice is fabulous, isn't it? You get to choose and personalize what to buy to fit your budget, likes and needs.

Have you ever shopped at a famous retailer only to be confused by the many types of leather offered? I created a cheat sheet of 4 popular brands for you, using the leather terms as used by each one below. My cheat sheet doesn't include every textile the 4 merchants sell, but lists the most common types of leather skins/treatments in their collections. So without further ado:

Coach bags

1) Glovetanned💎 - It's the same type of leather used to make baseball gloves. The leather is rich and substantial and can take lots of abuse. It softens and acquires a worn-in charm with wear.

2) Crossgrain💎 - is leather embossed of imperfections at very high heat, it is structured, or stiff, sturdy and lightweight. Both scratch and water resistant and very easy to wipe clean.

3) Pebble💎 - Also strong and substantial, but pebble leather is supple and gets softer with use. It has a raised, refined bumpy texture from the tanning and doesn't show scratches easily.

4) Suede - Dressy and elegant, it is a brushed, more delicate leather. You must take care of it.

👜👜👜👜👜

Hermès bags

Although I have examined and touched the bags often, I don't own one, so can't offer any personal anecdotes. The leathers include:

1) Clemence - Comes from the hide of a baby bull, the leather is grainy, flat, matted and scratch resistant. While durable, it is not water-resistant and will blister over time if exposed to water. Said to be a great every day leather, not withstanding rain.

2) Epsom💎 - Finer grains of leather than Clemence, it's extremely light and scratch resistant and water-resistant. An easy to clean leather.

3) Varanus/Lizard - Comes in matte (smooth) and lisse (shinny), the material can dry out. Falls under Hermès exotic leather category.

4) Togo💎 - Tanned from baby calf hide, it's a thicker, heavier leather with a soft pebbled finish that softens and tends to slouch more than the structured Epsom leather.

5) Ostrich - The leather has noticeable pores that run evenly throughout the surface. It's the most durable of Hermès exotic leathers.

6) Alligator and Crocodile - Available in matte (smooth) or lisse (shinier). The alligator is farmed in Florida, the crocodile comes from the Nile region of Zimbabwe. Both are considered delicate leathers, especially Alligator and are more expensive. Oddly enough after being turned into bags, they need to avoid water!

7) Rarer calf leathers include: Bernie Natural; Box Calf; and Chamonix. (Go here for detailed information on all of Hermès leathers.) Often those leathers come up for sell as vintage Hermès bags.

Buffalo Skipper Leather

8) Buffalo Skipper💎 - Made from water buffalo. The leather is water resistant.

9) Vache Liegee💎 - Cowhide, stiff, structured and lasting, it's Hermès thickest leather.

10) Fjord💎 - Flat-grained, matte cowhide that is soft yet heavy and durable, also scratch resistant and water resistant. You can see lines or veins in the leather.

11) 2 Goat leathers💎 - They are called Chevre de Coromandel and Chevre Mysore.

12) Doblis Suede - a soft, brushed, delicate leather.

 

Interesting fact: Suede and nubuck look similar but are different: Suede "is crafted by sanding or rubbing the inside layer of the leather hide. Nubuck is crafted from the sanded outside layer of the leather hide. The outside layer of the leather hide tends to be much thicker, sturdier, and durable," according to theshoelady website which I linked above. Wow, this sure explains why my "suede" all-weather mocs are weatherproof!😉

👜👜👜👜👜

Classic Chanel bags

With Chanel, I'm assuming you are a beginner. If you own the classics, you aren't splitting hairs anymore and don't need a cheat sheet. I own an inspired Chanel 2.55 flap (not an illegal replica) jumbo bag in lambskin, and I wish I had bought a medium -- a size more suitable for gala events. The Chanel SAs always think it's a real Chanel bag when I enter their shops, so it gets me offers of bottled water and cups of tea. I take the water, not the tea. I think accepting the tea is dishonest. Every-thirsty-body deserves water. :)

1) Caviar💎 - is calf leather, scratch resistant, and more durable.

2) Lambskin - is a softer, delicate leather that is rich and buttery but scratches easily so it must be handled with more care than caviar leather.

🥾👢🥾👢🥾

Doc Martens Boots

1) Smooth Leather💎 - Famously stiff and must be broken in, Smooth Leather is the classic choice that forms to your feet. Once broken in, the boots are comfortable and durable.

2) Patent Lamper💎 - A fine grain leather coated with a high glossy finish, it is a tad stiffer than the smooth leather.

3) Nappa and Virginia - Supple leathers with a pliable feel and matte appearance. The leathers are comfortable to wear straight out of the box.

4) Arcadia - A smooth and glossy leather designed to tarnish with wear. "Over time, it’s two-tone 'rub-off' surface reveals a lighter contrast color underneath," especially "in the toe and heel areas."

From this list of 4 brands we have a rule of thumb to extend to the leather goods of other retailers. Leathers that come from the hides of cows and goats are stronger than lambskin or reptile leathers. Smooth cow leather tends to be stiffer and more durable than Nappa, or suede leather (unless specially treated). Suede or Nappa leather tends to be a dressier (buttery), yet more delicate leather. Patent leather is another dressy, stiff -- yet durable leather. 

For value shoppers, I put a diamond💎 by the most durable leathers offered by each brand. (I could've marked all the Doc Martens boots with a 💎. All are durable and affordable!) When it comes to real life purchases, however, your budget, lifestyle and likes determine what you should buy.

You may also like:

Gifts For Him

Walk The Walk With Modern Vice

The City Tote From Foley+Corinna

Bag Alternatives To Hermes, Chanel And Dior Part II