Care guide
Humidity, monsoon rain and dust are hard on shoes and bags. Five minutes of care after each wear keeps a piece looking new for years. Here is what to do, finish by finish.
Smooth and grained finishes
- Wipe with a dry, soft cloth after every wear; a slightly damp cloth for marks, then dry at once.
- Condition every two months with a colourless cream; test on the inside first.
- Keep away from heaters and direct sun: both dry the surface and fade the colour.
Patent
- Fingerprints and dust come off with a microfibre cloth; a drop of glass cleaner on the cloth removes smears.
- Store patent pieces apart from each other and from dark fabrics; patent picks up colour from whatever touches it.
Suede and velvet
- Brush gently in one direction with a suede brush when dry; never wet.
- Rain spots: let dry fully, then brush. A suede eraser lifts shiny patches.
- Spray with a water repellent before the first wear and again at the start of the monsoon.
Satin, embellishments and pearls
- Dust with a soft brush; never rub a stain, blot it with a barely damp cloth.
- Check beads and pearls after each wear; a loose one is a two-minute repair before it is a lost one.
- Keep in the dust bag; the box keeps the shape of the bag and the heel of the shoe.
Chains, clasps and hardware
- Polish with a dry cloth; a jewellery cloth restores shine on gold-tone metal.
- Do not use spray perfume or hand sanitiser near hardware; alcohol dulls the plating.
- Lay chain straps inside the bag when it is stored, so they do not dent the leather.
Storage in a humid climate
- Stuff bags with tissue (not newspaper, the ink transfers) and keep shoes with shoe trees or rolled tissue.
- Use the dust bag, never a plastic bag; add a silica gel sachet and change it monthly in the monsoon.
- Air pieces for an hour a month; mould starts in closed cupboards.
- Heels: have the tips replaced as soon as they wear to the metal, by any cobbler, for a few hundred taka.
A mark you cannot shift? Send a photo on WhatsApp 01346-069024 before you try anything strong; we tell you what works on that finish.