A few months ago I was lucky enough to be one of the five people chosen for one of Luxire’s trial bags. I had been looking for a decent holdall at a reasonable price for months, so I sent Luxire a picture I found online of one I had been admiring. I also gave them three measurements for the dimensions of the bag, and asked for scotch-grain leather. I left the rest up to Luxire, and they didn’t disappoint!
There was only one negative thing about the whole process - from placing the order to receiving the bag took just over four months. The lead time was extended a couple of times. However, this was because the studs used on the bottom had to be made, and the zip (YKK) had to be ordered, both of which took a couple of weeks. Fortunately I was happy to wait as I did not need the bag during that period, but I hope that in the future, when the bag-making process expands, more parts will be readily available.
Apart from that, I could not be happier with the bag. Having seen photos of the early shoes/suits, I expected there to be some small flaws indicative of a learning curve, but I have not yet discovered any. The construction is excellent, with very tidy stitching and solid brass hardware. The bag is unlined. This shows off the reverse side of the leather, which is thick and supple. At first I thought that the bag might lose its shape when the packaging had been removed, but this fear was unfounded – all the photos in this post were taken with nothing inside.
The attention to detail is impressive. Luxire sent me an adjustable shoulder strap which I had not requested. They included a pocket with a zip on the inside of the bag, which will be useful for travel documents etc. A while ago Luxire posted a picture of a tan holdall on their blog. Assuming it was mine, I asked when it was going to be shipped. They replied that it was just a trial version of my actual bag. This level of dedication is unbeatable at their current price point ($300/$600 depending on leather chosen) and when I next need a bag, they will be the first company in my mind.
Review: Luxire Custom Briefcase
Some readers may already know this, but several months ago Luxire announced on its StyleForum affiliate thread that it was going to begin making custom bags, and solicited 5 SF members to submit bag designs to be made for the fixed price of $100. I was lucky enough to have seen Luxire’s offer soon after they’d posted it, and was chosen as one of the 5 customers to receive a test bag. Further, Luxire offered to refund the $100 to members who posted a review of their bag to the thread. So, in the interest of full disclosure, I am fully taking advantage of that offer here, but I assure you that my review of the bag is an honest and thoughtful one.
Though I’ve only seen pictures of the other completed bags on StyleForum, they look pretty amazing, and the bag I received is no different. Aesthetically, I wanted something that skated the line between sophisticated and urbane, and rustic and rugged. I’ve long liked the 'Freelance Portfolio' from Duluth Pack, and thought I’d use it as the base for the custom bag from Luxire, only ratchet the formality up a notch or two.
I wanted the bag to be made of a heavy tweed, and sent along some pictures of bags with similar tweed and leather construction from Filson and some other companies. I also wanted Sam Brown stud closures for the leather tabs instead of the more typical buckle style seen on the Duluth Pack bag. Luxire had some heavy wool/cashmere herringbone tweed on hand, and ordered some leather for the various straps, bottom, and trim. I was a little nervous about the cashmere blend being too delicate for an everyday briefcase, but so far it has been holding up well. I do, however, rotate my bag out every couple of weeks or so. That being said, for daily use at an office with a fairly low-impact commute, I could easily see this bag holding up to the wear-and-tear of daily use.
About 6 weeks after I sent payment and some instructions for the bag, I received a shipment notification that the bag was on its way. To be honest, while I was pleasantly surprised by how good the already completed test bags looked in the pictures being posted over on StyleForum, I suspected that there would be a learning curve to the process of transitioning to bag construction, and consequently assumed that my bag, when inspected closely, would have little imperfections or areas where the construction could have been improved.
I could not have been more wrong. The bag I received was flawless in its construction. The tweed was thick enough to be used for the purpose, the leather was of an excellent quality (I believe it was sourced from Italy), the hardware was all nickel-plated brass, and the design and construction were top-notch. You can clearly see from the pictures above the quality of the materials, and how carefully stitched all the seams are. To be honest, what surprised me most was how nicely done the key fob was on the inside of the bag. I didn’t request that there be one in the bag, and the fact that they put so much attention to an interior detail like that impressed me greatly. I also liked how they used Sam Brown stud closures for the shoulder strap for the bag as well.
I purposefully didn’t specify many details besides the general look of the bag as I wanted to see how Luxire would interpret my loose instructions, and for this I was not to be disappointed. But, as a result—and through no fault of Luxire’s—there were a couple of things I’d change if I were to order the bag again. One is purely aesthetic, and there’s no way Luxire could have known my preference, and the other is a minor design issue that I think could improve the bag if changed. First, I would have liked slightly thicker rolled leather handles. There’s nothing wrong with the handles that came on the bag, but I just would have liked them a little thicker. That would be an easy fix for a custom bag as you’d be able to specify very explicitly what diameter you would want your straps to be. The second thing I’d change is the placement of the D-rings on the bag where the shoulder strap attaches. They’re placed directly across from each other, but I think placing them diagonally across from each other would be a safer way to bear the load of the bag’s contents as it would place less stress on the D-rings, and would also allow the bag to lay against the wearer’s back or side a little more comfortably. There’s literally nothing else I would change about this bag, and those are minor quibbles that wouldn’t be quibbles at all if you were designing your own custom bag from the ground up.
I’m not sure exactly what the pricing structure will be for Luxire’s custom bags, but I do know from some of the quotes that have been posted on StyleForum’s Luxire affiliate thread that prices can vary depending on the leather being used (they have domestically [Indian] sourced hides, as well as leather from famed tanneries in Europe), and the complexity of the bag. But so far, as you’d expect from Luxire, the prices I’ve seen seem utterly reasonable for the quality of bag I know the customer would be getting. Once again, Luxire has hit one out of the park.
And lastly, I believe Luxire is beginning to take orders for custom bags, so if you are interested in getting one, you can contact them through their website here, or log on to StyleForum and direct message them through the affiliate thread. If anyone is interested in using my bag as a base for their own custom bag, or if they just want the same bag, you can reference it by Order #8236.
* The pictures below were taken after several weeks of use, so any wear you may see on the straps and closures were put there by me. The bag arrived from Luxire in pristine and flawless condition.
http://brokeandbespoke.tumblr.com/post/105263862178/review-luxire-custom-briefcase-some-readers-may
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Review: Luxire Custom Briefcase
Some readers may already know this, but several months ago Luxire announced on its StyleForum affiliate thread that it was going to begin making custom bags, and solicited 5 SF members to submit bag designs to be made for the fixed price of $100. I was lucky enough to have seen Luxire’s offer soon after they’d posted it, and was chosen as one of the 5 customers to receive a test bag. Further, Luxire offered to refund the $100 to members who posted a review of their bag to the thread. So, in the interest of full disclosure, I am fully taking advantage of that offer here, but I assure you that my review of the bag is an honest and thoughtful one.
Though I’ve only seen pictures of the other completed bags on StyleForum, they look pretty amazing, and the bag I received is no different. Aesthetically, I wanted something that skated the line between sophisticated and urbane, and rustic and rugged. I’ve long liked the 'Freelance Portfolio' from Duluth Pack, and thought I’d use it as the base for the custom bag from Luxire, only ratchet the formality up a notch or two.
I wanted the bag to be made of a heavy tweed, and sent along some pictures of bags with similar tweed and leather construction from Filson and some other companies. I also wanted Sam Brown stud closures for the leather tabs instead of the more typical buckle style seen on the Duluth Pack bag. Luxire had some heavy wool/cashmere herringbone tweed on hand, and ordered some leather for the various straps, bottom, and trim. I was a little nervous about the cashmere blend being too delicate for an everyday briefcase, but so far it has been holding up well. I do, however, rotate my bag out every couple of weeks or so. That being said, for daily use at an office with a fairly low-impact commute, I could easily see this bag holding up to the wear-and-tear of daily use.
About 6 weeks after I sent payment and some instructions for the bag, I received a shipment notification that the bag was on its way. To be honest, while I was pleasantly surprised by how good the already completed test bags looked in the pictures being posted over on StyleForum, I suspected that there would be a learning curve to the process of transitioning to bag construction, and consequently assumed that my bag, when inspected closely, would have little imperfections or areas where the construction could have been improved.
I could not have been more wrong. The bag I received was flawless in its construction. The tweed was thick enough to be used for the purpose, the leather was of an excellent quality (I believe it was sourced from Italy), the hardware was all nickel-plated brass, and the design and construction were top-notch. You can clearly see from the pictures above the quality of the materials, and how carefully stitched all the seams are. To be honest, what surprised me most was how nicely done the key fob was on the inside of the bag. I didn’t request that there be one in the bag, and the fact that they put so much attention to an interior detail like that impressed me greatly. I also liked how they used Sam Brown stud closures for the shoulder strap for the bag as well.
I purposefully didn’t specify many details besides the general look of the bag as I wanted to see how Luxire would interpret my loose instructions, and for this I was not to be disappointed. But, as a result—and through no fault of Luxire’s—there were a couple of things I’d change if I were to order the bag again. One is purely aesthetic, and there’s no way Luxire could have known my preference, and the other is a minor design issue that I think could improve the bag if changed. First, I would have liked slightly thicker rolled leather handles. There’s nothing wrong with the handles that came on the bag, but I just would have liked them a little thicker. That would be an easy fix for a custom bag as you’d be able to specify very explicitly what diameter you would want your straps to be. The second thing I’d change is the placement of the D-rings on the bag where the shoulder strap attaches. They’re placed directly across from each other, but I think placing them diagonally across from each other would be a safer way to bear the load of the bag’s contents as it would place less stress on the D-rings, and would also allow the bag to lay against the wearer’s back or side a little more comfortably. There’s literally nothing else I would change about this bag, and those are minor quibbles that wouldn’t be quibbles at all if you were designing your own custom bag from the ground up.
I’m not sure exactly what the pricing structure will be for Luxire’s custom bags, but I do know from some of the quotes that have been posted on StyleForum’s Luxire affiliate thread that prices can vary depending on the leather being used (they have domestically [Indian] sourced hides, as well as leather from famed tanneries in Europe), and the complexity of the bag. But so far, as you’d expect from Luxire, the prices I’ve seen seem utterly reasonable for the quality of bag I know the customer would be getting. Once again, Luxire has hit one out of the park.
And lastly, I believe Luxire is beginning to take orders for custom bags, so if you are interested in getting one, you can contact them through their website here, or log on to StyleForum and direct message them through the affiliate thread. If anyone is interested in using my bag as a base for their own custom bag, or if they just want the same bag, you can reference it by Order #8236.
* The above pictures were taken after several weeks of use, so any wear you may see on the straps and closures were put there by me. The bag arrived from Luxire in pristine and flawless condition.
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Here is my bag review. This was one of the pilot bags that Luxire offered to produce some months back. The timing was perfect for me, as I had recently been in the market for a new bag and had already been doing research. After my success having Luxire make my shirts and pants for nearly two years now, I thought the pilot offer, while certainly risky, was worth pursuing given the excellent customer service I've always experienced. The result, I think, is quite well executed. I'm sure it was a challenge making this bag despite my fairly detailed instructions. The color of the leather isn't exactly what I was expecting, but I'm actually quite happy with it. The measurements and details for the bag size, the internal and external pockets, were all executed exactly as requested.
The quality of the leather and hardware appear to be first rate. Given that this is an introductory bag that Luxire has constructed, I can only imagine they will continue to improve as with all their other products. The difference in this case, versus say some of the earlier suits that I saw in this thread, is the initial offering is already a solid one. I hope the pictures speak pretty well for themselves!
I received my Luxire bag a little under a month ago and am only getting to posting a review now. I opted for a design which is essentially a (shameless) copy of the Mismo soft work bag, which I have previously owned and am therefore in a position to make a direct comparison.
In a nutshell, the bag is an exemplar of Luxire's services: Luxire is fully capable of delivering a quality product so long as you are specific with your instructions and are willing to micromanage - following instructions is a strong suit of theirs as many would attest. Even when providing pictures, Luxire does a good job of interpretation and translating it into an end product that looks, and feels, like the requested product.
In terms of specifications, the bag measures 30cm (height) / 44cm (height unfolded) x 41cm (length) x 11cm (width). According to Luxire:
- The body is made of navy twill fabric, 100% cotton, that has been reinforced at the back for waterproofing and strength;
- The base is reinforced with leather that is used for insoles;
- The leather is vegetable tanned, from Italy;
- The trims are brass/zinc;
- The zippers are from YKK; and
- The bag has been completely made by hand with machine used only for the stitching.
Luxire customers would be familiar with the ordering process. Basically, I provided measurements of the bag and attached as many pictures of it as I could fine. I specified a 100% cotton fabric for the body, burgundy lining, and dark brown leather trim. Those were the extent of my instructions and it really was on Luxire to replicate the bag by referencing the pictures provided.
I have no hesitation in saying that they did a fantastic job. Workmanship of the bag is excellent, with all stitching neatly and firmly done. The bag certainly feels as sturdy and as high quality as the Mismo original, although it does fall short in terms of the quality of the trimmings. The navy twill fabric used is a little soft, and I suspect is the same as that used for Luxire's chinos. Thus far I have had no reasons to doubt its durability, but it definitely does not feel as luxe as the fabric used by Mismo.
The roll-top was masterfully done and I was definitely impressed with Luxire's ability to replicate that based solely off the reference pictures. Similarly, the leather and hardware both feel fantastic - no complaints there.
My only quibbles are minor and really down to the lack of specific instructions on my part. The base was not reinforced, which makes it difficult for the bag to stand up unless filled. The lining, which Luxire says is some form of anti-bacterial treated linen, looks a little rustic for the bag and I should probably have been specific with the material used for that as well.
Luxire Test bag review
I ordered one of the five bags back in August, and having had the bag for about two weeks now, thought it was time to review it, as requested. Bag was shipped on the 22/11, which is understandable IMO, seeing as they didn't have Nubuck on hand, and I was given the impression that sourcing materials would take some time.
I provided a link to the IISE Daypack (album here if you're interested: http://imgur.com/a/VL6RC) and simply requested a padded laptop sleeve and I wanted it entirely made out of Nubuck - I thought it would be more luxurious than the original. The Nubuck itself is a really interesting material for a backpack, as it proved waterproof today and tougher than I thought.
Pictures below. Apologies for my crappy camera.
The Nubuck itself holds the bag's shape really well, I think. The 'body' of the bag is thick - so much so that it feels almost like neoprene. You will also note how it already has some depth to it - I was caught in the rain today and the water simply beaded off, but has left some marks, which I rather like.
Nubuck straps and top loop:
Bag is empty below - it holds its shape well:
The zipper feels really solid, and the pull tab is made from Nubuck, which is a nice touch:
Inside of the bag has a padded laptop sleeve that snugly fits my 13' Macbook Pro, and has another internal pocket on the 'opposite' side. Lining is a fairly lightweight black cotton, which does the job perfectly.
The below picture shows the depth of the Nubuck. The pocket at bottom is perfect for smaller items. This is the best indication of the bag's colour.
To summarise, the bag is perfect for my needs, seeing as I had idea how it would turn out, and gave little in the way of instruction. Luxire's ability to copy accurately from photos definitely extends to their bags. Construction seems really solid - stitching is straight everywhere and is reinforced where the leather overlaps. There are what I think are stretch marks in the Nubuck, but it certainly does not feel cheap, and suits a backpack really well.
I also noticed a post showing a prototype of my bag earlier, and this attention to detail is incredible on Luxire's behalf. I'm very happy, and would recommend to others.
Happy to give further detail if I've missed something.
http://www.styleforum.net/t/304965/luxire-custom-clothing-official-affiliate-thread/14100_100#post_7551909