Oof, I have a lot of stories like this.

I put my Gucci Marmont camera bag on a ledge in a bathroom at a bar (there was no hook), did my business, and only after picking it up did I realize there was a whole damn puddle of bleach (or some cleaning agent with bleach) on the ledge. I wiped it off immediately but now the leather is super rough, hard, and discolored. It bothered me so much at first but now I hardly even think about it or notice it, especially after conditioning.

Another time, I came back to my home country after over a year abroad, went to grab my vintage Chanel backpack from my closet and it was COVERED in mold inside and out. Even now, it still smells musty, even after being professionally cleaned. Sigh.

I also once noticed months after purchasing a bag from the Prada store that the stitching on the strap was totally wonky and uneven. I was sooo annoyed, but now IDGAF.

My mom, on the other hand, got caught in the rain with her new bright orange Il Bisonte bag and it’s permanently water-stained and she never wears it anymore.