I had just gotten this Young Camel satchel back from the repair shop after I had some parts restitched. If I wanted I also could have had the entire canvas lining on the underside of the flap replaced. But I didn't, opting instead to leave the marks left by the bag's unknowable history.
I know there is great pleasure in buying something new and leaving your own imprint on the object, with each mark reminding you of a specific event — to buy something to make it a part of your life. But I also find equal if not greater satisfaction in being able to use something that already has the marks of use. I feel that I know the object better since I know how its materials and components both improve and decline with age. Not far from knowing one's self (call me morbid) and even other people.
Here is another leather bag, Rabeanco. It is only shiny because I had it saddle-soaped and shined at the shop months ago. This is what one side of the shoulder strap looks like.
The buckle on the other side broke. What I immediately did to be able to still bring the bag to work (it broke in transit) was to tie the leather strap (from which the tag hangs) to attach the buckle to one of the loops. The shop probably has to replace the buckle, but I just haven't bothered since my little contraption has been able to survive my usual load of stuff.
I haven't been able to use these Helmut Lang leather trainers for a while since the corner of the soles keep on separating from the shoe. The shop suggested before to just have the entire sole stitched, but I didn't want that since stitches expose the base of the shoes to water. What a waste if these got squishy!
I finally acquiesced to their compromise of only stitching the part of the sole that didn't touch the floor, and indeed where it kept on separating from the shoe (bad engineering).
I gasped when I first saw how they were serviced, but then agreed with the shopkeeper that the gray dye of the stitches make them less obvious (from afar, that is). Better than keeping them white, or even using black.
Young Camel satchel and Rabeanco bag: both thrifted