Caring for your bag through the seasons

Leather, like skin, responds to the seasons. A bag that lives in damp coats from November to March needs different attention than one that travels in a hot car all of July. The good news: you do not need a shelf of products. You need a soft cloth, a tin of conditioner, and a few minutes every few months.

After winter. Wipe the bag down with a barely-damp cloth to lift salt and city dust. Let it dry away from radiators. Once dry, work a thin layer of conditioner into the leather in small circles. Buff gently with a clean cloth. The colour will deepen by half a shade.

Through summer. Keep your bag out of direct, prolonged sun — it dries the natural oils. If it gets caught in rain, blot it (do not rub) and let it dry slowly at room temperature. Stuff it lightly with a clean cotton scarf to hold its shape.

When you store it. Empty the bag, fill it loosely with tissue or cloth, and slip it into its dust bag. Avoid plastic — leather needs to breathe. A cool, dark drawer is better than a sunny shelf.

Done a few times a year, this is enough. We have customers carrying bags they bought from us a decade ago that look better now than the day they were made.