Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM | 1 Year Wear & Tear

Yuenny Lam
Oct 30, 2017
4 min read

I purchased my Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM preloved in almost-new condition early October 2016 and in the last year I have used this bag every day (well, every weekday when I go to work), so a year on I think it's fair to share some thoughts and photos of my work horse.

There are three sizes of the Neverfull: PM (smallest), MM (medium) and GM (largest), which is the one I have. I am so in love with this bag and cannot recommend it enough, because it fits everything I need to carry to and from work every day. This size is very convenient when it rains so much in this country - I can't be lugging around so many separate bags when I need to hold a brolly at the same time. That certainly wouldn't be a very classy look.

So here are my updates on the wear & tear of this bag:

Canvas

To be honest, I don't take particular care when using this bag, because I want to enjoy it rather than treat the bag like a baby (hence the saying - I don't "baby" my bag). The canvas has held up well in a year of constant use and I can't see any cracking or any kind of issue whatsoever. Louis Vuitton is known for their durable quality, so I would be very surprised if there are any issues after just one year of use. The bottom also looks perfect and it helps that I never ever put my bags on the floor outside the house, not even on the floor in my car. The outside world is just way too dirty for anything to touch the floor, even the soles of my shoes lol.

Corners As this is the largest size, the bag does stick out quite a bit when I'm wearing it, so I have accidentally scraped the corners against places like my car or chairs, but the canvas is holding up fine, despite some (in my opinion) major accidents, e.g. the bag hitting the wall when walking through narrow spaces (oooops...). I must say that I am impressed that the corners don't look worse. I hope you don't think I'm some sort of unaware clumsy person, becasue I'm not, but with a big bag like this and sometimes being in a rush it is inevitable.

Straps

The straps are still going very strong and over time is getting softer and more comfortable to wear however, I think that the straps are the only part of my bag that is showing signs of wear and this is also the most disappointing issue for me. I remember the straps started to look worn when I've only had the bag for maybe four months. It seems like the glazing on the edges have dissolved or something and i hope the issue doesn't get worse too quickly. I'm planning to keep this bag for a long time and don't really fancy replacing it due to all regular steep price increases.

Leather  The leather has definitaly softened throughout the whole bag and there is wrinkling going on at the top, especially now that the canvas has softened as well. The bag is more slouchy, which I absolutely love. I prefer soft bags to structured ones. As long as the leather doesn't crack I actually love how the 'used' vachetta looks over time and that's why I love vintage LVs. The only parts that look a bit dry are the top trims and straps. The rest looks in great condition and almost has a lovely sheen to it.

Patina When the (untreated) vachetta leather darkens over time, it's called patina. I haven't focused much on getting an even patina on this particular bag, so I have taken it out in all weather conditions, even right from the start. I think overall it looks very even, but there are definitely some faint water marks, which I don't mind one bit. As mentioned before, I prefer to take my bags out than keep them in pristine condition sat in the wardrobe.

Hardware

All the hardware on the bag is still in very good condition. There are hairline scratches, but that's acceptable considering how much I use it and how "careful" I am when using this big baby. The zip on the inside pocket is still smooth, although I don't zip up very often. I keep it open so I can get to my phone and keys quickly.

Interior

The interior doesn't show any wear, only some marks and dust (plus some hair, because I shed a lot). I've heard that the rose ballerine interior shows up dirt really easily, but this beige colour seems to hide dirt very well. With a quick wipe, I believe the interior will look as good as new.

Final Thoughts

You may be worried about the enormous size being overwhelming, but I personally don't mind big bags. I am 5ft 5' (166cm) in height for reference and although it sticks out at the front and back quite a bit, having the advantage of it being 'never full' definitely outweighs the hugeness of it. If you are considering getting this size, then I'd say go for it. I was a bit hesitant re-purchasing this size, but I love it so much and a year later, it's now one of my favourite and most used bags in my collection.