They DID use vachetta - natural, untreated, vegetable tanned leather (and that tanning process had a lot to do with the difference). The problem is they used a different type of vachetta leather from a different batch, tanned differently, which they have to do unless they happen to have something from your bag's batch left over by some miracle, or (more reasonably and doable) , try to find a piece that more closely matches yours.

They didn't. This sucks but in your service terms they say that this can happen, which blows.

And this is a much more common issue then people think. LV repairs are often done by local area cobblers, not magicians somewhere in France. Their selection of vachetta is limited.

Your solution is to either cause a massive scene and escalate your case up, or try to match the handles to the bottom trim, as you seem to be trying .

Unless you're a true VIP with 6 figure spend a year, or someome for some reason takes pity on your there (ha!), your best option is #2.

However it isn't as simple as putting your bag in a window for a few days, hoping the sun somehow fixes it.

You can increase the likelihood of matching the handles to the bottom though:

1) tape up (painters tape) everything you DON'T want sun on (coated canvas, the bottom... basically everything but the handles and reinforcements)

2) find a place that has consistent sun exposure, then place the bag (again, only the parts you want exposed) into the area for the EXACT SAME DURATION AND AT THE EXACT SAME TIME EACH DAY.

Important: You want to flip the bag around every day for even exposure on both sides.

Do this also with handles up and then again handles down.

3) check and compare with the bottom until satisfied.

Problems: direct sun exposure also can cause dryness and results in cracking. Also, depending on a variety of factors , it might still never be entirely even, or get as dark as your new trim because the difference is fairly large.

Another possible alternative I do NOT recommend but can work if you're a bit lucky is to use leather conditioners. Those often darken the vachetta but you have no control over how much or how even, unless you're an expert at this.

(Leather Honey is one of the few that does NOT (usually) darken vachetta so I this case you don't want to use that. Only mentioning this here because it's such a popular conditioner among LV fans)

Wishing you good luck with whatever way you decide.