QUEENDOM OF FASHION

HOW I LOST FAITH IN LOUIS VUITTON: THE POCHETTE MÉTIS EXPERIENCE

Previously on "trying to buy a Pochette Métis": I tried to buy a Pochette Métis and I was on the waitlist since March. Two months later I was told that my Pochette Métis would not be ready until August. Read all about it here. 

A week after I had received the disappointing news, I got a call from Louis Vuitton: My bag is ready. Wait, what? But....Yeeeah! I didn't know why, but my bag was ready. I considered myself one of the lucky ones. A few days passed by and I finally received the package from France. Full of excitement I opened it and there she was... The bag that I longed for such a long time: my beloved Pochette Métis! 

But wait, what is that thing on my bag? Is it a bump, a bulge? Yes, it is... I couldn't believe it! There is a flaw on my Pochette Métis. What should I do, keep it anyway??? But I can't walk around with a Louis Vuitton bag and say: Yes, I paid 1.350€ for it and yes it is not perfectly made and has flaws. Eventhough it is a small flaw, I would always see it and it would always bother me. Besides it is not the point, to pay for quality and to receive a defect product. I couldn't help but wonder how is that even possible? Is there no quality inspection at Louis Vuitton? Is this a hand me down bag? Is this the reason I didn't had to wait until August? Is the demand for the bag so high that there is no time anymore for diligent work? Am I only paying for the brands name and expecting quality is too much to ask for?

Naturally, I am disappointed. I took pictures and sent it to the Customer Service. Of course there is no bag available in Europe to replace it with and I have to wait again at least for another 8 weeks. I asked what they will do with the one I am going to send back. I was told that it would be repaired. Wait a minute, you guys produce a poor quality bag, send it to customers, take it back, repair it and resell it again? Maybe I am beeing picky, but I don't want a repaired bag, I want to have a new one. I am even scared to get my new one, what if it also has flaws??? If I can't expect good quality and a good made bag from a luxury house, where am I supposed to shop? How much more am I supposed to spent? I never expected it to be so difficult to buy an expensive item. Guess I was wrong.

UPDATE
I was told to send everything back (including the invoice etc.) I would get a new one with my new bag. A few weeks later I received a new bag. This time, there was no invoice. Calling Customer Service AGAIN. 6 months and many many phone calls later, I finally got the invoice on an ugly and weird looking paper. 

The entire process to buy this bag took 9 months! This experience also showed me that I am not important to Louis Vuitton as a customer. I am simply not rich enough. I am only a girl that likes to treat herself every now and then. The next time I do so, it will be at Chanel!