Dry Cleaner Ruined My Bag

london-mum_2

Hi,

I recently took my beloved Gucci bag to a local dry cleaners for a professional clean. The bag was in excellent condition apart from the front of the canvas being slightly darkened from use. I was assured by two members of staff at the dry cleaning shop that it could be cleaned properly. My husband collected the bag for me yesterday and to my utter horror, the dry cleaners have completely ruined it. I contacted the dry cleaners immediately and they asked me to go down to their shop with the bag in question. Before I go, I would like to find out what my rights are as a consummer. I don't know where I stand with regards to compensation. As with most handbags, there is no care label for cleaning instructions. Due to the value of the bag, I did take some photos of it before leaving it with the dry cleaners. They do show that it was in a good condition.

My concerns are:-
1. Can they deny that they ever cleaned the bag? My hunsband handed over the ticket on collection and I don't even have any proof that I ever took the bag there.
2. It is a special edition bag that is no longer available in Gucci stores. It only received light usage since I bought it a few years ago. How much compensation can I ask for? I know the price I paid for this bag can't buy me a similar size bag anymore these days.

Many thanks for your advice in advance.

Kind regards
London-mum

Freddie_Snowbits

I am confused here.

london-mum wrote: »

The bag was in excellent condition apart from the front of the canvas being slightly darkened from use.

Was it damaged prioir to cleaning?

london-mum wrote: »

As with most handbags, there is no care label for cleaning instructions.

I would say my Laptop bag also has no cleaning label, should I Dry Clean that? (I will be chucked out if I check Freda's Hand Luggage!

london-mum wrote: »

I recently took my beloved Gucci bag to a local dry cleaners for a professional clean.

How much compensation can I ask for? I know the price I paid for this bag can't buy me a similar size bag anymore these days.

Or are you just after a replacement bag after this one has fallen from favour in the fashions stakes.

maninthestreet

How has the bag been ruined? What facbric is the bag made of?
What damage has the dry cleaning done to it? Do Gucci recommend that it should be dry cleaned?

viktory

maninthestreet wrote: »

Do Gucci recommend that it should be dry cleaned?

This is key here as I suspect the dry cleaners are not going to willingly hand over hundreds of pounds in 'compo'.

EDIT: Found this from a US Gucci handbag website "Canvas - Examples: Louis Vuitton Monogram Canvas (canvas with leather trimmings) & Fendi Canvas B Shoulder Bag (canvas with patent leather trimmings).
Stains due to color transfer from clothes, paper bags and magazines can be treated easily with a white damp cloth or sponge and normal white soap. For food and beverage stains and other Gucci handbags stubborn stains and marks, try the Coach Signature Fabric Cleaner which works for other brands like Louis Vuitton and Gucci canvas bags as well. Coach's Official Site gives a quote of $10 for this cleaner. Apply a few drops on a white cloth and wipe the stains off in gentle circular motions. Wipe away excess with a clean white dampened cloth. Some shop assistants and handbag owners also swear by Gucci handbagBaby Wipes on canvas"

No mention of taking it to the dry cleaners.

geri1965_2

But they are the experts (so called) - if they didn't think it could be dry cleaned, why did they accept it?

viktory

geri1965 wrote: »

But they are the experts (so called) - if they didn't think it could be dry cleaned, why did they accept it?

I would suggest that Gucci would be the experts in how to care for their products. I am quite sure the dry cleaners did not expect the damage to have happened but is it not reasonable for them to assume that the OP (owner of the bag) had checked on the appropriate cleaning methods by contacting the manufacturer?

Zandoni

I would say that the cleaners were negligent, they shouldn't have agreed to clean it without being confident that it would be OK.

Kavanne

geri1965 wrote: »

But they are the experts (so called) - if they didn't think it could be dry cleaned, why did they accept it?

I assure you that no one, apart from MAYBE the manager, at a dry cleaner is an expert. I used to work at one.

london-mum_2

Freddie_Snowbits wrote: »

I am confused here.



Was it damaged prioir to cleaning?



I would say my Laptop bag also has no cleaning label, should I Dry Clean that? (I will be chucked out if I check Freda's Hand Luggage!



Or are you just after a replacement bag after this one has fallen from favour in the fashions stakes.

Hi Freddie,

No, the bag was most definitely not damaged prior to cleaning. A lot of Gucci bag are made of beige GG monogram canvas with leather trim. Because of the colour of the bag, the front of the surface got slightly darkened from use, but it was still in excellent condition. There was no stains or marks anywhere. However, the bag is now in a funny mixture of colours as the colour from the leather trim (which was a burgundy colour) has run onto the beige canvas. The canvas has been strunk so the bag is now all wrongy. The colour of the interior leather lining, the leather on the sides and the leather trim is all patchy. And the bag now stinks of bleach!

And I would like to make clear that I LOVED this bag and was not after a replacement! This was a special limited edition bag that I saved up for ages to buy. I was willing to pay money to have it cleaned so I could use it for longer. I did not know a professional cleaner could do such a terrible job!