Getting your hands on your very first branded handbag is memorable. Finding its very first stain or tear however? Well, it is memorable… in the worst way possible. Seeing any item we use so often become damaged hurts really bad – especially if it was a gift from a loved one or a long-term investment.
Unfortunately, sometimes our precious bags become victims of food or drink spillage. Our weather (yes the heat and humidity we experience on the daily) can also cause damage to our bags, from discolouration to the peeling of fabric.
As you can see, danger is lurking around every corner and we have to anticipate the worst. To help you out, we’ve collated a few shops in Singapore to solve any problem or complete any request you have – be it a broken zip, torn lining or if you want to change the colour of your bag entirely (yes, it’s possible!).
Before sending in your bags for their touch-ups or transformations, do remember that these shops aren’t robots with a bag of fairy dust. While they strive for perfection, it’s not always attainable. Nevertheless, here are the shops which will save that brand new Louis Vuitton bag, or revive that classic Chanel that your mother gifted you.
Want to give your designer bag a new lease of life? Look over to Style Theory to give your favourite bag that much-needed facelift. Ever since the launch of its designer bag subscription service in 2018, Style Theory has worked closely with Kaya Leathers to ensure that all the designer bags are restored back to their pristine condition after each rental. And now, this service also extends to all of your other luxury goods too!
Here, you can look forward to services ranging from stain reduction, colour touch-ups, as well as leather edge restoration. With the use of state-of-the-art tools and high-quality materials, rest assured that your bags will be in good hands. With a full suite of four services to choose from — Repel, Refresh, Redefine, and Renew — customers will also get to enjoy cleaning, hardware polishing, and protection treatment, before your selected specialised service.
Where: Get your quote for each service and book your slot here for the collection
Website: https://www.styletheory.co/sg/bags/restore/book
One of the most trusted clinics for designer bags, Dr. Bags uses Korean technology, chemicals and techniques to provide the care and maintenance needed for your luxury bags. Besides that, they also tend to shoes and wallets.
Dr. Bags offers four main services including its signature deep cleansing service – it is recommended to do this at least once every three months, since our bags are one of the most bacteria-filled items. The remaining services include coating your bag with a protective barrier (one of the shop’s most popular services), restoring the look of your bags by transforming them into a new colour or refreshing its current one, and repairing any wears and tears on your bags.
The prices set you back by about $150 more or less, depending on your bag’s needs. You can easily get a quote by heading to the shop’s website and uploading a photo of your bag.
Where: Plaza Singapura, United Square, Junction 8 & their HQ @ Paya Lebar (by appointment only)
Website: https://www.drbags.com/
Contact: 6835 7375 (Plaza Singapura outlet)
Equipped with the knowledge of a bag’s architecture, as well as leather accessory designs, the company not just makes handbags and belts from scratch, but it’s also been repairing bags since the ’80s.
Having been in business for decades, Chan Yew has built a strong reputation within the luxury bags and watch industry. So you can trust that the folks at Chan Yew will have your bag back in mint condition in no time. While it doesn’t provide colouration or protection, it specialises in all sorts of repairs from stitching to changing handle pipings and replacing inner linings.
You can get a quote by dropping them an email or by sending a message on Facebook. Compared to other places, the prices for repairing are lower but of course, it depends on the condition of your bag.
Where: 65 Sims Avenue, Yi Xiu Factory Building, #07-11 S(387418)
Website: https://www.chanyewleathers.com/
Contact: 6748 9679 / cs@chan-yew.com
Local entrepreneur Chan Pei Lin grew up with the habit of cleaning her bags and shoes on a regular basis. However once she went into the workforce, she lived a busy lifestyle and didn’t have time to treat her bags. After discovering her bags wears and tears, she realised her usual homemade tricks wouldn’t work, since they were now made of more delicate materials. That’s how MyBagSpa came about.
Rescuing busy women like us who can’t afford the time to clean or repair bags, MyBagSpa offers women with busy lifestyles the chance to revive our bags ‘till they’re clean and fresh. The shop focuses on cleaning stains, colour restoration and removing smells (yes that too!), but if your bags needs to be mended, they do offer some repair services as well – but be sure to contact them first.
If you don’t have the time to send your bag down, you can arrange for it to be delivered to them by any courier of your choice. You can also send other items like your wallet, shoes, jackets and even sunglasses too if they’re in need of a little maintenance. Simply call or Whatsapp them to get a quote.
Where: Far East Plaza, #02-75
Website: http://www.mybagspa.com
Contact: 9647 8884 / enquiry@mybagspa.com
Run by husband and wife team Richard and Joann, Sleek Services is the one-stop shop for a handful of repair needs. The shop, located in the heartlands, not just provides bag and luggage repair. It also provides shoe services, key and locksmith services, as well as remote control microchips for your car keys, motorcycle keys and autogates for your home.
Sleek aims to provide efficient, top-quality service with materials from Germany and the latest equipment. More importantly, it does it at a price that won’t put a huge hole in your wallet – which is why so many people love Sleek. So if you’re in urgent need of hardware repair for your bag, this is where to head to. Some of the services provided for bags include cleaning, stitching, dyeing and repairing buttons. If you require more services for your bag, drop them a text and they’ll advise and quote you accordingly.
Before heading down, be sure to contact them and make an appointment as they may be out for house calls.
Where: Blk 214 Bedok Central, #01-185 Singapore 460214 (Next to Pizza Hut)
Website: http://sleekservices.wixsite.com/sleek
Contact: 6442 0649
The household name is dedicated to improving customers’ health and wellness, one belonging at a time. How so? Our bags and shoes are exposed to hundreds of bacteria everyday. If we don’t clean them often, they sneak into the little nooks and crannies that a simple wipe down won’t reach.
Colorwash also supports sustainability by using non-toxic detergents or chemicals to clean your belongings – meaning that your skin is safe from exposure. It also uses energy-saving machines, which aggressively filter particles that are by-products of colouring and drying, thus reducing air pollution and carbon footprint.
Its services include cleaning, colouring, touch-ups and protection for not just bags, but for shoes and wallets as well. Aside from that, Colorwash sells products to help you care for your leather goods.
Where: Alexandra Retail Centre, Mandarin Gallery, One Raffles Place, Far East Okaza
Website: https://colorwash.com.sg/cw/
Contact: 6235 9130 (Mandarin Gallery outlet)
After dropping thousands of dollars on a designer bag, it makes sense to pay for its upkeep so it will last. Honest Crafters offers a wide range of repair and cleaning services such as repairing stitching, lining and handles, replacing hardware parts, ridding your bag of mould and recolouring leather. Naturally, they also offer cleaning and conditioning.
Prices start at $10 for fixing a loose thread, to about $500 for replacing a bag’s piping. It’s also channelled its bag-building expertise into a customisation service where you can design and create your own bags.
Where: Raffles City Shopping Centre, #02-08/8A
Website: http://www.honestcrafters.com/
Contact: 6337 6616
With a clientele that includes luxury boutiques like Coach, Aigner, Miu Miu, Coach and Valentino, you can be sure your leather goods are in safe hands.
To restore your faded bags, purses and luggages, Cleanqiue meticulously sprays on the colour instead of using a brush to get an even coat, and promises a long lasting effect. Re-colouring services start from $180 while cleaning is priced from $60.
And so you can maintain the lustre of your arm candy at home, it also offers environmentally-friendly leather and fabric care products. Outside of peak periods like Chinese New Year, you can expect cleaning to take about one to two weeks, while colouring and reparation will take between two to 10 weeks.
Website: https://www.cleanique.com.sg/
Email: cleanbags@cleanique.com.sg
Contact: 6887 3513
Beyond cleaning, restoring and mending your fatigued bags, purses and shoes, you’ll be able to arrange for a specialist to drop by your home for a personalised consultation, whether to have them examine your bag’s condition or to ask for storage advice.
Repair work includes that of bag piping, broken stitches and leather joints, as well as replacing the fabric lining of zippers and touching up the colour (for scuffing, minor colour fades and slight stains.) You can also ask for a full colour restoration.
Pick up and delivery are complimentary with no minimum spending.
Website: https://bagsbutler.com/
Email: sales@bagsbutler.com
Contact: 6602 8198
Founded in London in 1969, this premium dry cleaning brand also provides a cleaning and colour restoration service for both fabric and leather bags. It combines hand-cleaning and specialised equipment together with delicate agents to refresh your bags, and with eco-friendly techniques, too.
For faded bags in need of a touch-up, the brand uses imported European dyes, and all bags are top-coated to preserve its finish and feel.
Schedule a complimentary pick-up and delivery via its website, and you’ll even get real-time updates via email, too.
Where: Various locations including Pacific Plaza, Bukit Timah, North Bridge Road and River Valley.
Website: http://www.jeevessingapore.com/
Contact: 6264 5628
The name Shukey might sound familiar if you’ve ever had to duplicate a key. Having been around for about 25 years, Shukey offers a range of services from shoes repair, bag repairs to belts and accessories repair.
Where: Suntec City (#B1-125) and Lucky Plaza (#01-99)
Website: https://shukey.sg/
Contact: 9108 3135
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Text: Alyaa Iman Imran, Ng Yi Lian & Shazrina Shamsudin/HerWorld