For those who have an obsession with Louis Vuitton handbags try to shop at endless.com. They will provide you the best shopping experienced online, they will deliver your items overnight plus they offer a free return shipping for your orders. I'd experienced that once, when I ordered sandals and it ain't fit me right, I returned it to them and they allow me to replace my order with a different size.

Overall, I have had excellent performance from my Louis Vuitton Handbags. I'm glad I bought them way back when because the price keeps spiraling up. The LV bags have held up way better than my Fendi's, which have cracked and become useless. I had to give a satchel and an envelope bag away because they were nearly gooey with age.

I've also wanted an LV bag since the 80's and decided to just go for it in 2006. I bought the Speedy 30 and the Groom Series (with the hotel porter) wallet. I love the wallet and it has worn pretty well. There is some deterioration of the red stripe - but I use it everyday so that's OK.
I use my Speedy purse maybe 20% of the time.
First of all - I bought it in 2006 and paid $620. That bag is now $700. The dollar has depreciated against the euro, but really, a 12% increase for a canvas bag?
About 6 months ago I noticed that there was a bump in the leather seam on the bottom of the bag. The leather looked as though it was wearing too thin and exposing the plastic underneath. Apparently plastic is what really holds the bag together. The leather seems to be entirely cosmetic.
I went to LV yesterday to get my bag fixed. The sales person inspected the bag and told me that it's past its 1-year warranty and there would be a charge of $70. I became upset and asked for the manager. The manager eventually agreed to waive the repair fee.
Although my bag will be fixed for free, I'm still very disappointed in LV. Their bags are expensive and should be good quality and not just status associated with them. Their monogram canvas collection appears to have become mass market now. I believe that no quality or exclusivity is associated with it any more (except for the trunks and custom orders).
I took a 20 year-old bucket LV bag to a well-recommended purse repair shop. The owner gave me an earful about my Speedy. Compared to the old bucket bag, my bag seemed of a lesser quality, and mass-produced. The owner pointed out how cheap and thin they thought the leather was.
I recommend reading "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster" by Dana Thomas to anyone who appreciates luxury items. Very eye opening.

My Louis Vuitton handbag is the absolute best bag I have ever purchased. It lives up to its image completely. I have purchased a number of high-end bags, as well as several low-end bags. Louis Vuitton is complete quality! I purchased the bag 2 years ago, and it still looks new.

I confess: This year I ordered a fake Louis Vuitton over the Internet. Instantly I felt guilty the moment I placed my order. It's not that it is illegal in the US to buy replica designer handbags. For some illogical reason, it is only illegal to sell fakes but not to buy them for personal "novelty" use. But that is touch . I don't know what they were using in the Chinese factory, but the knockoff triggered several severe asthma attacks until it dawned on me that the knockoff was literally too toxic to touch. One could say I got what I deserved for even considering the option of carrying a counterfeit. Regardless, by the time the fake was in transit, my conscience had already convinced me that I wouldn't be capable of carrying a fake LV in public. Fortunately, the Chinese company was above board enough to return the charges incurred for my lapse of good judgment.

So this week I did the right thing and forked over the big bucks for a genuine Louis Vuitton. Or rather my fianc surprised me with the purse of my dreams - a genuine Louis Vuitton speedy 25. I've been pining after Louis Vuitton since the look of their classic monogram line first began to "grow" on me in the 1980s. So when I recently began seeing them around town in great numbers, I literally began to dream of owning one. And I didn't just dream of owning one once in a great while; I began dreaming of owning a classic LV monogram speedy nearly every day of the week, which I unsuccessfully tried to quench over a three month period by filling my closet with lesser-expensive designer purses, all to no avail. At last I broke down, deciding that nearly 20 years of waiting for the opportunity to hold an authentic LV in my solidly middle class hands was long enough.

Sadly, it didn't take five minutes before the honeymoon was over. I'll start with the pesky observations about my brand-new speedy, and move on to the serious defects.

Firstly, I noticed that the zipper pull and leather tabs at either end of the speedy style bag I received are surprisingly thin. The Chinese LV knockoff leather was weightier and more durable in this respect. Ditto for the Vachetta trim and leather tabs on either end of my barrel-style Dooney & Bourke bag (authentic), which are much more substantial in feel. Under the circumstances, the last thing I expected from a genuine Louis Vuitton was the impression that the leather pulls and tabs would feel flimsy - as if they might wrinkle or ball up like tissue paper within weeks.

But the problem was more serious. Thinking I spotted red lint at the base of a loop where a rectangular brass ring attaches a rolled leather handle to a corresponding loop of leather affixed to the canvas, I attempted to gently brush it off. When it didn't budge, I looked closer. Did I see what I think I was seeing? To be sure, I got out my 10x jeweler's loupe.

What I observed with my naked eye and my loupe seemed shockingly familiar: I once bought a cheap over-the-shoulder satchel that soon frayed in the same spot; specifically, where the handles affix by metal "rings" to the side of the bag. What I had noticed about my cheap vinyl purse became the same observation I confirmed while comparing the loop clearance on one side of my costly LV bag to the other: On the side of the speedy where the rolled leather handles articulated the most freely there was plenty of clearance - enough slack in the leather loops to allow me to peer through small tunnels of leather that enclosed the upper and lower halves of the rectangular brass handle rings. On the side, with evidence of chaffing, however? Almost no clearance: The leather was wound tightly around the metal ring at the bases. And on one of the two handle bases, the aforementioned problem was so bad that sometime between manufacturing and sitting flattened in its box, the leather encircling the affected handle attachment ring had already begun to fray. And because the edges of a Louis Vuitton handbag are red in color, it looked positively messy - enough that even a casual observer should have seen that the bag was defective before it left its US manufacturing plant or for that matter the Louis Vuitton boutique where my fianc purchased it.

The long and the short of it? I have owned my dream handbag less than 24 hours, have not had the pleasure of carrying it once, and already it has a major problem. In addition to the fraying, the rivets that tack down the leather handle bases on the affected side are so tight that the leather below the round LV-imprinted rivets is wrinkled on each side. The wrinkling, in turn, is further evidence suggesting that there wasn't enough slack in the leather to create a sufficient loop for the brass handle rings and that the person assembling it pulled what leather there was far too taught, which caused the leather to stretch and wrinkle below the attachment point. Comparing the wrinkled leather handle bases to the handle bases on the opposite side - the side with enough clearance for the brass rings to articulate freely - there is strikingly no wrinkling or stress on the leather whatsoever - further evidence that the US factory that assembled my speedy used an unequal length of leather to create the leather handle loops on one side of the bag when compared to the generous amount of leather used to create the handle bases and loops on the other.

Now all this is plain enough for anyone with decent vision to see. I just happen to be able to describe it more thoroughly because I spent, during my late high school and early college years, five years worth of Sundays giving estimates on shoe and handbag repairs, which involved writing up repair tickets for the shop owner, who took Sundays off. Watching what came in for repair - which were frequently only quality products that were worth the cost of repairing - I became accustomed to seeing how products wear, what their stress or friction points are, and how they ultimately fail. Experience tells me that even with intermittent use, this speedy will NOT last five years, let alone the 30 I was quoted with proper care.

Fortunately, I did not immediately dump the contents of my purse into my new bag before giving it a brief inspection, during which time the aforementioned workmanship issues became apparent. So yes, this authentic Louis Vuitton handbag was defective - straight out of the box. And, of course, my fianc , who had scrimped to afford it to begin with, felt crushed when I told him earlier today (I couldn't bare to tell him five minutes after I opened the box, which is when I first made the observation that the bag was defective). My fianc assures me he will travel back to the store to set the situation right, but from what little I can gather on the Internet, Louis Vuitton stores aren't known for their willingness to honor their 14-day return and exchange policy, and their sales associates are apparently known to argue with patrons who question whether a problem constitutes a defect.

I don't know whether I am simply unlucky, but I do know one thing: I am not wealthy, and neither is my fianc . My average for purse buying is $40 US, not $600+. So is it tolerable to find that Dooney & Bourke makes a better bag? Or worse, that a Chinese knockoff, aside from cutting off the LV patterns and contaminating their product with some allergenic factory chemicals, is actually made of heavier cowhide leather and heavier weight canvas?

This is my personal experience and my personal opinion, but I thought LV quality would be far better than what I have seen in my admittedly limited experience thus far. I had been told via email with LV prior to my fianc 's purchase that an LV bag may last as many as 30 years if treated properly and not carried on an exclusive basis! Yet the frayed leather, just below what is a high-stress "friction point" on any satchel-style bag, suggests that I will be lucky if the speedy bag I received will last two years before the leather begins to thin or crack further (meanwhile, replacing handles costs nearly $300 through LV). Moreover, since one cannot apply leather conditioners to untanned leather, there is no option to try to nourish the leather with conditioner to prevent the dryness that will seep into those frayed areas and begin to prematurely wear and split the leather away from the handle to which it connects.

I plan on asking my fianc to exchange the bag, but if I were smart I'd ask him to simply take it back.

Any Louis Vuitton piece with the any sort of monogram canvas is horrible, except for the luggage. Personally, I consider LV too expensive, but neither am I filthy rich; thus, I'd leave LV for them - there are other brands out there making good quality bags with more affordable prices. Seriously, buying a Speedy and then eating potato peels for the next 6 months is pathetic, and I won't even start talking about buying counterfeits!

I'm sure that when LV would stop producing monogrammed handbags you'd soon see some bimbos strutting their stuff on the main street with an LV monogram suitcase instead :P

I am not sure about the quality vs price ratio (OK, yeah, you pay for the design and the brand name, but hello! - $5000+ for a handbag is just inexplicable, unless they admit they keep prices higher than the actual value for keeping the "exclusivity" of the brand).

I recently purchased a black multicolor Eliza to add to my collection. Unfortunately, I had to go through 3 bags until I finally got one that wasn't defective. The first bag had deep scratches on the shoulder strap that couldn't be seen under the light of the store, until you brought it out into sunlight, as if someone used a box cutter to open the box and knicked it several times. That one went back. Then the second one had discoloration on the cow-hide at the base, and on the strap. AND this one has a massive charcoal gray blemish on the right side, above the zipper on the cowhide. Bad luck? Maybe. I think it is just from so many hands handling the Louis Vuitton bags at the store. I have my fingers crossed on the fourth, which should be delivered soon!

When buying a Louis Vuitton bag remember to check all the details such as the uniformity of colors, any scratch. I found defects on a bag that has color difference in the two handle stripes after I used it for merely one day. However, it is too late. They insisted that I did something because the merchandise is "suppose to be of high quality" and refused to refund me the money.
Well, if you really want one becasue of the fame just like I did, please check it carefully before you buy it. You are not buying quallity or service, you are just buying the fame. At least, you do not want others think your low qaulity bag is a fake after you spend so much money.

Pros The thing that is super about Louis Vuitton is that it represents a high class luxury fashion house. If you look at a Louis Vuitton up close and see all the stiches perfectly done, the superb job printing the monogram canvas, and the timeless look that it carries. It's a dream. For me carring a Louis Vuitton on my arm gives me confidence! I think it is priceless for a girl to have confidence from a handbag.
Cons
You can keep the looks of a Louis Vuitton like new almost forever, but with lots of care and elbow grease. You have to keep the Louis in it's dust cover! I can't stress this fact as much as it's worth. Keep your Louis Vuitton stuffed with old tee shirts because, if you keep it folded you can make it crease forever! Dirt can get in between the ridges on the vinyl. Louis Vuitton is very expensive. But the craftmaship and the high quality materials used for the handbag make the price worth the trouble.
For all of you Louis Vuitton wanters:
*Be commited*- take care of your Louis. You just paid a lot of money. don't let it go to waste.

*Try a sample*- if you are not sure if you are commited or really sure you want a Louis. Buy a key chain or a wallet to see how much damage you can do to a handbag without cleaning it. Or you can realize you hate it or love it.

*Be logical*- If it starts raining and you wonder: hmmmm... should I walk in the rain and let the leather be ruined. or run into a store and wait til the rain stops. Well it's your mind or your money wasted. Please don't put baby bottles, bottled waters, or sodas in your handbag. I think you would know what would happen there.

*Enjoy*- Wow! You got a Louis Vuitton! Let the handbag live a happy life with you showing it to your friends and it being the envy of your town.
Final Verdict
I love Louis Vuitton! If you follow my simple guidelines you will not have any trouble. Their craftmanship has been passed down for the clients. It is up to the people to keep Louis Vuitton's quality and materials alive.

Good Points:
I love what Marc Jacobs has done with Louis Vuitton, particularly with LV clothing. He's taken a certain irreverency and given it a very chic perspective. The specialty bags such as the Cherises, Denims, & Murakami's are also a nice addition to the iconic and historical brand.

Bad Points:
Besides the clothing all the decent bags, note the word decent, are "trend" bags. The are a very hot bag for 4-5 months, then millions of reproductions are made, and then the fashion crowd are onto a new thing and you're stuck with this $1300 former "it" bag. For me the massive "LV" logo is to ostentatious for my flavor ... is a not so subtle way of annoucing I'm rich, for more likely, I want to give a misrepresented image that I'm rich. I'm more chic than that, I'll take a Chloe, Balenciaga, or Mcqueen over an Vuitton any day

If I were you, I would go and look for a Louis Vuitton handbag now, before every one has them.

100% stylish. If anyone says they hate Louis Vuitton they should go shopping! Everyone Loves LV! I have the Pegase, my mom has the speedy. I want to get the Sac Tennis.