Ok so i'm not going to make anymore promises of more blog posts lol Because at this point i don't trust myself to be all that reliable. Also that 2nd Lush haul never came and at this point i've used up most of those products already! Epppp! I'm lazy, what can you do? :(
However my birthday did pass recently and i wanted to post up some goodies i got. L did not promise me any special gift this year but we all knew since my last birthday that from now on i'll be getting a little something something from Prada ;)
I've been eyeing the BN2619 Glace Calf Tote in Pale Grey in Prada everytime we went in for a little look. Earlier this year when i picked it up, i was thinking about it for a week! Not in a, i want it now! way. More like, isn't that such a lovely bag?, it would nice to have that bag. And L said maybe for my birthday if i'm good and we all know that means the bag is pretty much mine :P
So the week before my birthday we went in to have a look and L was all ready to make the purchase. However i wanted to wait because i knew the Prada sale will be starting any day now and i will absolutely rage and cry if a bag i just bought went on sale. So we waited for the week after and the day i was making the trip after work was the day the sale started. I was so excited and hoping to find a few more goodies in the sale.
However when i got there i was a little disappointed. Last year i got the cutest make up bag but this year i feel all the designs on sale were the limited collection items that had too much going on and wasn't up my ally at all. Also the prices were so much more higher for the smaller accessories which i didn't think were that nice.
I met up with L when he finished work and we headed over to Prada, after a long decision i decided to go with the one i've been eyeing since that was the one i liked the most and would be most practical. Turns out L already paid for it a few days ago to make sure they had it in stock! Super nice and considerate of him. So the SA brings out my bag from the back all packed and i had to ask if i could have a look at it first.
Upon instant inspection the inside leather pocket was in the worst condition ever. The leather looked mangled or damaged and was very VERY noticeable. I was unhappy and asked if they have another one which they didn't besides the display. I didn't like how the manager there then rushed over and explain to me how with leather it is all different and i should see this as unique to the bag etc etc and at that point i knew they were just trying to brush me off and stuff me with a awful condition bag. I was undecided whether i should go for the display instead which looked perfect. The leather was smooth and consistent throughout. While i was examining the new bag some more and deciding if i can accept it with the mangled interior leather, i found a long scratch along the handle causing it to peel and that did it for me. I said to just give me the display one.
So to make matters worse the guy said they didn't have a box for my bag and if i really wanted he can give me a box from one of the other saffiano models but then he made an excuse right after that it won't fit and he didn't want to squish the bag. At that point i was just too upset for words. At the end of it i finally managed to push on and again insist i want it with the box, i don't mind if the box doesn't close, because i can still store the bag with the lid off. He said ok, went to the back and brought my bag out in a 'industrial packing box', his words not mine. Ok... well i give up now.
I was also eyeing one of the bags on sale and was told they only had one new one left. I asked them to hold it for 10mins so i can quickly head over to the main store and see what other colours they had there. So when we left they insisted we leave the bag we just bought there as they weren't really suppose to use those boxes and probably didn't want the main store seeing them giving us such shitty packing. We just left them there and headed over. I didn't find anything at the main store i liked better so we went back and i made the decision to purchase the other bag as well :) I liked the style and colour. Out of all the sale bags i thought this was the only one that was a good design and good colour! It is white so will require a lot of loving hehe
So i checked the new one, this style was in perfect condition, not a single fault.
And again the SA said there was no box which really upset me as i already have the other bag without a box. How will i store my bags? On the limited floor space i have? I feel like i'm entitled to a god damn box for the price we are paying. L was tired after a long day at work and didn't say much or seemed happy.
And i felt teary because i was having such a bad experience and this was suppose to be a very happy purchase!
So i paid for my bag and again he stuffed it into another industrial packing box and we left. I tried to pretend to be happy since i really appreciated L getting me such a lovely gift and i didn't want him to think i was unhappy.
When i got home that night, i was inspecting the bag some more as you should always do with these pricey bags, and found a massive marker mark on the base! And to make it worse, it looked like the staff or someone tried to clean it off and rubbed on it so hard there was a faded patch around it! I was devastated. I can't believe i didn't see it in store. I guess the lighting was dim but i instantly picked up the phone and called them. I asked for them order another one from another store for me. I didn't care if i had to wait over a month, i will not accept paying this much for a faulty bag. The staff was very unhelpful and said there was one in the main store and they won't transfer if for me until i go and check it there myself. And i cannot do the exchange there.
So the whole night i couldn't sleep worried over getting this sorted out. I was working straight the next 4 days and i knew i couldn't wait that long. So i tried to leave work early the next day but couldn't. I did find out Prada opened later that night so after work i went out to the city even though it was freezing cold. After all night and morning thinking about it at work i was just over it. I was ready to just get another saffiano tote in a different colour than what i already own and be done.
When i got there, the staff did not even look at my bag. They said a new one had JUST arrived downstairs today and they can go get it for me now. I still took the bag out and showed the other SA the mark. If they work there, they should be well aware of the mark on the base for their display bags. Maybe that's why they seemed to try to convince me not to get the display but still did not mention the mark to me. So when the original SA who helped me went to get the bag, i did say i still want to get a box for my bags. The girl said because it was sale season they had no boxes but i can leave my details and they can call me when they have them available, or i can just call up and ask them. So that was what i did. I checked the new bag which was perfect this time and left feeling my mission was accomplished. I got a bag in the new and good condition we paid for and i will make sure i get the proper boxes for my bags later on.
I was so glad it was sorted. I always imagine the worst scenario and was ready to go full bitch mode to get my way if they insisted on being difficult.
And because we made our purchase at the DJs Prada, refund is always an option so that was going to be my final solution. I wasn't going to have a bag that cost $2.5k and be unhappy with it. Money doesn't grow on trees and we all have to work hard for it. The bag better make me god damn happy! So i am happy now :) Although with this whole experience i have to admit i am not treasuring the bag as much and i did with my first and am very reluctant to want to go back to Prada now. I think it's time to venture out into other brands that offer better quality and service.
Sometimes i think maybe a Celine would have made me more excited :D But i feel it is a very seasonal in trend bag and it is also very heavy! The prada is perfect lightweight and simple everyday design. I am also obsessed with the white BN2579 i purchased too :) It's not saffiano like everything else i own but feels tough and as i mention, is perfect. It is a off white so i guess getting it a little dirty over time is ok. After all they are just bags and they are meant to be used!
I'm just terrified to start using them. They seem so fragile and when i pull out my saffiano tote i can really appreciate how structured and durable it seems now hehe
Anyways i think my story of my bad experience at Prada totally overshadowed the happiness of me getting 2 Prada bags for my birthday! One from L and one from me to me hehe :D Aren't they beautiful? I feel so blessed and happy for having such a loving bf. For having a job which allows me to support myself and can afford to buy a Prada bag (on sale). I know the amount of money it costs for these bags are ridiculous but i feel like we all work hard for something and at this point in time, these bags show the effort we put in life to live a life we enjoy :) In the future i hope to be buying a house instead! But that's for the future after a lot more hard work hehe :)
