Louis Vuitton Vernis

Louis Vuitton Vernis was first introduced in 1998 by Marc Jacobs, and was in fact his debut line for Louis Vuitton.

It took inspiration from classic LV shapes and remade them in pretty, shiny Vernis patent leather. Styles/colors have been introduced and discontinued, but the feminine Vernis is mainstay of the fashion world.

Although the Vernis is often thought to be too “high-maintenance,” with proper use and care it is a long term investment; the Vernis leather is in fact, scratch and water resistant.

Please read ahead to the CARE section to learn about preserving your Vernis.

LV Vernis Colors

1998: Baby blue (DISC in 2000), Orange (ltd edition, DISC), Beige

1999: Silver (DISC), Rose Pink (baby pink, DISC in 2000), Lime Yellow (DISC 2000), Purple (DISC), Red

2000: Yellow (DISC), Vernis Fleur Pink & Blue (DISC), Bronze

2001: Special Edition Robert Wilson FLUO Line; neon pink/orange stripes, neon green/orange stripes, neon orange/fushcia stripes (DISC)

2002: Special Edition Flower Lexington; Rose Pink, Black, Orange, & Beige (DISC)

2003: Fuschia (DISC), Lavender (DISC)

2004: Marshmallow (pale pink), Peppermint (soft green)

The only style that comes in BLACK are the Pochette Anouchkas (technically from the Monogram GLACE line) and the Lexington Fleurs – the Houston and Bedford DO NOT come in black!

Louis Vuitton Vernis Care

The lighter colors in the Louis Vuitton Vernis range can suffer from “dye migration” – light blue and link pink were the worst culprits – the color would fade in one area of the bag with time, resulting in discoloration.

This process is expedited with sun exposure, which has been known to yellow the beige, silver, pink, and blue colors. Your Vernis can also suffer from color transfer – by putting it next to a red notebook you could transfer some of the red to the surface, or by putting coated cards inside your calfskin-lined wallets.

Because of this, you should always store your Vernis when not in use in it's accompanying sleeper, and never allow it to have prolonged contact with anything of color.

The light colors suffer the most but in my opinion Vernis “technology” has improved over the years and if you have purchased a Vernis recently, you might not have to treat it so delicately.The Louis Vuitton Vernis Bedford - a different material on a papillon.

Direct sunlight exposure and heat are definitely bad news for your Vernis. You shouldn’t worry about using it all summer, but don’t leave it exposed in a car for several hours either. The light colors, again, are the first to yellow.

Bronze and Red have proved to be exceptionally unaffected by fading/color transfer, perhaps accounting for it's longevity in-stores. Marshmallow and Peppermint have not been out long enough to know what the effects are.

The vachetta leather trim is the same as on all other LV bags and will patina and can be treated with Apple products as well.

The Vernis body does not need to be treated, as it is already "sealed."

In the event that you do get something on your Louis Vuitton Vernis, use a soft cloth and some mild soap to try to get it off immediately. If this is not done, it may blend into the Vernis and permanently stain.

The older models may also suffer from mysterious black marks that pop up when the surface is continuously rubbed against something (ie. YOU while you carry it). Again, this is more of a problem with older models and colors which is probably why they are discontinued now.

You do NOT have to handle your Vernis with kid gloves, just ENJOY it!!!

How to Spot a Fake Vernis

The Louis Vuitton Vernis leather will simply “not look right.” This is because they are often made with vinyl. The indentation of the LV monogram will be too deep or look too shiny. Of course this can vary between digital cameras and computer monitors, so just ask for more pictures. The dead giveaway almost every single time, however, is the INTERIOR. Never purchase a Vernis on Ebay without looking at pictures of the interior first.

1. Vernis bags are NOT lined in SUEDE or PLEATHER! All are lined in CALFSKIN with the exception of the Reade styles which are lined in CANVAS. The lining will always match the color of the bag. I have seen fake Houstons with pleather lining to try to imitate calfskin. Pleather is too shiny to be real.

2. The “Louis Vuitton made in France/Spain” will be stamped DIRECTLY onto the calfskin lining with the exception of the Reade which has a leather plaque. A suede or pleather lining with a leather plaque glued on is a BIG FAKE warning!

3. Yes, Vernis can be made both in France and Spain, check to make sure that the date code matches the manufacturer location.

4. Some styles were never made in a certain color! Houstons and Bedfords were NEVER made in BLACK! Also if it is a discontinued color, make sure the date code isn’t something more recent than when it was discontinued.

5. LV never made that style in Vernis! The bucket was never made in Vernis and yet I’ve seen people buy them on Ebay. Rare exceptions would be special order items. I have listed all the styles below.

6. I mentioned it already but I can’t emphasize enough - the BEST thing you can do to avoid a fake is LOOK AT THE INTERIOR

STYLES (DISC = discontinued)

NEWER STYLES:Biscayne Bay (PM & GM)–half moon shape w/ squared edgesMallory Square–pochette size/shape

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