The spa that will save your soles

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Dec 18, 2013

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Christian Louboutins The problem: Not only were the designer’s trademark red soles scuffed from regular wear, but they also had a burn mark! (Don’t ask.)

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The fix: Louboutin’s red soles are a status symbol, but they scuff easily so the Leather Spa is often asked to fix this problem. “We use three custom reds in order to get that signature [Louboutin] color.” The process takes about two days, much of which is overnight drying time. For the burn mark, “We put a leather filler — kind of like spackling a hole in the wall — on the leather. It’s still somewhat visible, but we put a leather sealant over it, then cleaned and reconditioned the entire shoe.” Then it was repainted a slightly darker shade of brown. “When it comes to reconditioning leather like that, it’s best to go a shade darker [to cover up any lingering flaws],” Mesquita explains. Cost: $124

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Jimmy Choo cork platforms The problem: The owner’s dog chewed open the front part of the left shoe’s platform.

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The fix: Mesquita put a “filler” in the chewed-up area, then re-did the black soles, which had also been slightly doggie-damaged. Because the filler wasn’t able to match the exact same color of the cork, they painted it a shade darker with the customer’s permission. Cost: $60

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Gucci loafers The problem: Raffia soles chewed by dog

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The fix: Because they don’t work with the natural, fiberous material raffia — it’s called Leather Spa for a reason — they weren’t able to keep it, says Mesquita, as the raffia would have had to be re-woven.As an alternative, the customer opted to cover the damage with black suede. Cost: $120

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Yves Saint Laurent strappy platforms The problem: “These YSL’s went through some crazy garden parties,” says Mesquita, ruefully. Not only were they scuffed from overuse, but they were caked with mud and dirt.

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The fix: “We cleaned them with a leather cleaner, then re-painted them entirely [with leather paint] then put on a new rubber sole. The color [of the shoes] was popular, so we were able to keep the existing color.” Cost: $73

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Bardot Rose handbag The problem: A white leather bag turned gray by overuse, plus an ink stain. Caitlin Thorne Hersey

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The fix: First, a thorough cleanup with a chemical-free cleaning solution to remove the dirt. “It’s done by hand with a sponge, and then we let it dry overnight,” says Mesquita. “Once it was dry, a tinted cream was rubbed on the leather to touch up and even out the white color.” Finally, a sealant was added to protect it from future damage. Over time, dirt will actually penetrate the leather, cautions Mesquita, so don’t let your handbag get this dirty before doing something about it. Also, clean stains like this ink one right away. “If you go back a week or two later, that dirt has already penetrated.” Cost: $80 Caitlin Thorne Hersey

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