Chanel Bag Beyond Repair? Here’s What Saved Mine

I walked into the quaint shophouse on Ann Siang Hill carrying what felt like a lost cause. Tucked under my arm: a vintage beige Chanel and a well-worn Old Celine cabas, both tucked away for years, too damaged to use, too sentimental to discard.

The Chanel, a flea market find from Milan nearly a decade ago, had seen better days. Its once-lustrous lambskin was dull, the gold hardware tarnished, and the signature quilting had collapsed with time. The chain strap had snapped completely; the interior leather was peeling—a restoration challenge, to say the least.

Then there was the Celine cabas—practical, timeless, and once my constant companion from boardrooms to boarding gates. The inside lining had deteriorated badly, and I wondered if it was beyond saving.

Enter Salina Chai, founder of Margo + Smith, whose reputation for reviving tired, beloved bags had reached me through word of mouth. When I showed her the Celine, she barely blinked. “Oh, I’ve seen this before,” she said. “It can absolutely be saved.”

Why Bag Repair Is the New Fashion Flex

In an era where slow fashion and sustainable luxury are gaining real momentum, restoring a bag isn’t just a practical choice—it’s a quiet power move. Opting to repair rather than replace signals a deeper appreciation for craftsmanship, emotional value, and a personal style that resists the churn of trend cycles.

At the heart of this movement is Margo + Smith, a boutique atelier that’s redefining what it means to care for your luxury pieces. What sets the brand apart is its deeply personalised approach: every consultation — whether with founder Salina Chai herself or her team of eight trained specialists — is treated as a lesson in leather care. “We aim to educate,” says Salina. “From tips on preventing mould to storage advice, every customer walks away knowing more than they did when they arrived.”

Here, thoughtful service isn’t reserved for the rarest or most expensive bags. Whether it’s a beloved vintage or a collector’s item, each piece is handled with equal care. Staff are trained to identify models, sizes, and materials on sight — small details that elevate the experience far above the impersonal service you might find at a kiosk.

Repairs are carried out in a private upstairs workshop, just beyond the atelier. Clients can view material swatches, explore custom colour options, or choose to remake handles on the spot. Everything — from the cutting of leather to the stitching of seams — is done in-house, allowing for immediate feedback and on-the-spot adjustments. There’s a rare intimacy to the process, almost like haute couture for handbags.

When asked about her most challenging project, Salina pauses before mentioning a Dior Saddle bag in ostrich leather. “It was falling apart — completely worn and in terrible condition,” she recalls. “But it was so beautiful. It took several weeks of delicate, meticulous work. Exotic skins are a niche category but surprisingly common among Singaporean collectors. They also come with high stakes — some pieces are valued at up to $60,000. There’s no room for error. Every stitch has to be perfect.”

The Process: Restoring Classics

After a detailed hour-long consultation, Salina confirmed what I had suspected: both bags required full restorations. This wasn’t just surface work — it was a meticulous rebuild from the inside out.

The process begins by carefully unstitching and separating the bag’s inner and outer layers — a delicate task that requires precision and patience. Damaged linings are completely discarded, and in the case of the Chanel, a new lambskin interior would be constructed from scratch, with a hidden stiffener inserted between the layers to restore its original structure and shape.

Once the interiors are rebuilt, the bags are reassembled, stitched back together entirely by hand. Edges are smoothed and sealed with gel, corners are retouched, and every finish is applied with an artisan’s eye for detail.

With such intensive work, a slight shift in the bag’s silhouette is sometimes inevitable. The aim, however, is never to erase its age, but to honour it — restoring integrity while retaining its soul. “We’re not trying to make it look new,” Salina explains. “We’re giving it a second life.”

In any restoration, restraint is just as important as skill. Not every component is redone — sometimes, attempting to fix one area risks weakening another. For example, full recolouring can lead to flaking if not handled correctly, especially on older leather. In both of my bags, the greatest issue lay in the interiors. The original linings had deteriorated over time, breaking down into flakes and powder.

The new linings will be crafted from supple leather — chosen with exacting care to match the feel and weight of the originals. Too thick, and the bag loses its natural slouch; too thin, and it lacks structure. It’s a quiet balancing act, but one that defines the difference between a bag that’s simply repaired — and one that’s truly restored.

The Result: A Modern Heirloom Reborn

When I finally held the bags again, it was hard to believe they were the same ones I’d brought in a month before. The transformation was more than just cosmetic — it was emotional. The Chanel still carried the quiet patina of its age, but now stood taller, its silhouette restored, its leather supple and luminous. The Celine felt just as I remembered it — practical, elegant, and ready for life again.

In the end, what I got back wasn’t just two beautifully restored bags, but something far more meaningful: a renewed connection to pieces I thought I’d lost. Whether you’re preserving a family heirloom or reviving a beloved classic, luxury restoration proves that true style doesn’t fade — it evolves, gracefully, with time.

Margo + Smith is located at 25 Ann Siang Road.