My $600 leather tote fell apart in 4 months, but the $80 one from a market in Lisbon is going strong

I bought a designer tote from a boutique in SoHo last spring and the strap stitching started unraveling by week 6, so I took it back and they blamed my usage. Then I grabbed a hand-stitched leather bag from a random stall in Lisbon's flea market for 80 euros and it's been through airport chaos, rain, and overstuffing without a single loose thread. Why does brand name seem to matter less than the actual maker, or am I just picking the wrong high-end pieces?

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the_viola15d ago

The Aldo bag I bought for $60 in 2019 outlasted a $350 French brand one by three years, so I get the frustration. But I'd argue you're comparing a mass produced item with a handmade one, not a price tier thing. Brands charge for marketing and overhead, while that Lisbon vendor just wanted to sell a good bag, and that difference shows up in the stitching.