How an $800 Louis Vuitton wallet is professionally restored

• Bag Remake Studio in Shonan, Japan, repairs designer bags and accessories.
• Its artisans show us how they restore an $800 Louis Vuitton monogram wallet.
• This includes disassembling the wallet, repainting, replacing the lining, and reassembling it.

The following is a transcript of the video.

Narrator: Bag Remake Studio in Shonan, Japan, repairs designer bags and accessories. This $800 monogram wallet is an unmistakable Louis Vuitton staple. The owner uses it on a daily basis, and now the lining is deteriorating, the leather is discolored, and the paint is peeling on the edges. One of the studios repairmen will show us how they restore this wallet by taking it apart, repainting it, creating new linings, and stitching it all back together.

First, the artist takes the bag apart in order to work on each piece separately. He uses a seam ripper to carefully take out the thread. After he takes off the outer shell of the wallet, he uses a sewing awl to take out the internal threads.

Next, he'll move on to fixing the severely discolored leather. He starts by color matching the brown shade of the wallet. This shade is made by combining black, yellow, red, and white leather paints. Once he has a perfect match, he uses a paintbrush to slowly start coating the discolored parts of the leather. He won't touch the signature monogram. This preserves the authenticity of the piece.

After years of rubbing against money, the interior lining needs to be replaced. The customer requested a nylon lining. To do this, the repairman cuts out the new lining with a sharp knife, using the exterior of the wallet as a stencil. He coats the wallet in glue and presses the new lining onto each piece. Once the pieces dry, they are ready to come back together.

The artisan sews them slowly, carefully ensuring each stitch goes into the exact same hole as the original. Once the three main pieces of the wallet are assembled, the artisan glues and sews them together. To finish this repair, he paints the edges of the wallet where it's peeling with an edge coat. This ensures that all of the wallet's corners are sealed. The final step is to hand rub the whole wallet with mink oil, which will prevent the leather from peeling or getting discolored and will extend its life for years to come.