Leather care project: make this ALDO pair great again!

Just like any other quality products, genuine leather shoes are meant to stand seasons of use (and abuse) given the right care.  It's rather common that the leather remains intact, while the rest of the shoes start to show some wear-and-tear.  We simply love wearing a pair of soft leather shoes, because they are so comfy and classically stylish.

The thing with soft leather is that, it tends to be sensitive.  It easily absorbs dirt and water.  It is also prone to scratching - but we still love it anyway because of its versatility and usefulness. There is no stopping that wear-and-tear process, but we can extend its useful life through proper cleaning and use of care products.  

Here is a pair of (very) soft leather Aldo shoes, originally in cognac.  This is the type that you would love bringing or wearing while traveling - and you could only wish to extend its 'useful life'. In hindsight, it might even make you think about buying two pairs next time you see something very close to it, if not better.  

Leather care project's objective:  make this Aldo pair great again!  😊

Before: stained, faded, dry leather.  It won't help you achieve that over-all polished look you've always wanted.

Process:  

1.  Clean using the right products and applicator for this type of leather - interior and exterior.

2.  Disinfect

3.  Condition

4.  Waterproof

5.  Shine 

6.  Store properly 

Tips: 

➤  Air your shoes before storing it, to keep molds and odor-causing germs at bay.  

➤ Think twice before applying dye or paint on sensitive leather.  This could be the fastest way to achieve your goal, but it may cause the leather to crack sooner.  

After:  objective achieved!  😊❤👍

For more information, visit us on Facebook - Leather Care Project.  

Hello Kitty Run Manila 2017

Hello Kitty Run is coming to Manila this year!  Save the date - October 21, 2017.  Details will be announced soon.  For now, enjoy this video, and share the excitement with your family and friends.  😻

(Note:  This video is best accessed through Google Chrome.)

Performing arts at its finest: Cirque du Soleil TORUK - The First Flight

Photo: Jesse Faatz Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

June 23, 2017 marked the Asian premiere of Cirque du Soleil TORUK - The First Flight at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Philippines.  

In terms of giving Cirque du Soleil a warm welcome, Manila did not disappoint.  Gates opened as early as 6 pm, and there was already a big crowd socializing at the venue about an hour or so before the show.  A couple of TORUK artists were already in their full Na'vi costumes, as part of the meet-and-greet setup.  For the audience, it gave us the opportunity to appreciate up-close all the creativity that went into the Na'vi make up and costumes.  

Days before the premiere, I was doing some occasional countdown by the day or by the hour.  I was really excited to 'be in the show'.  I'm not one of the artists, but the way the stage is set-up provided for the audience to immerse themselves in the show. Cirque du Soleil also introduced a mobile app, so the audience can participate in some parts of the show through their mobile phones.  It is beyond the visual treat that is always expected of Cirque du Soleil.  TORUK is a one-of-a-kind by-product of James Cameron's and Cirque du Soleil's artistic collaboration.    

➣ TORUK is inspired by James Cameron's hit film AVATAR.  

➣ Cirque du Soleil conceptualized TORUK as a grand fusion of theater, cinema, and acrobatics.  (Just imagine two of the finest artistic visionaries of our time - Cirque du Soleil and James Cameron collaborating).

Directors Michel Limieux and Victor Pilon created the show as a prequel to “Avatar,” set thousands of years before. The story centers on two Omaticaya boys Ralu and Entu who went on a quest to collect a talisman from each of the five Na'vi clans of Pandora.  Those five talismans would allow them to tame the mighty TORUK, and save the Tree of Souls and the rest of Pandora from an impending catastrophe.  Narrated by a "Na'vi Storyteller", TORUK is a story about unifying five Na'vi clans to work on a greater, common goal - and highlighting their symbiotic connection to their community and with nature.  The Na'vi clans' highest regard for nature stems from from their belief that all living things are interconnected.  Everyone could relate to this as we become more aware of how much we owe nature.   I must say that bringing young kids to this show is a way of teaching them about the benefits of working together to achieve even the most difficult tasks, and that we must respect nature.  This is a great show for the entire family.  You can find more about the story of TORUK here. 

Here are some fantastic photos from Cirque du Soleil TORUK - The First Flight:

Photo: Errisson Lawrence Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Photo: Youssef Shoufan Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Photo: Errisson Lawrence Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Photo: Youssef Shoufan Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Photo: Errisson Lawrence Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Photo: Errisson Lawrence Costumes: Kym Barrett  © 2015 Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil TORUK in one statement:  performing arts at its finest.  

Cirque du Soleil TORUK - The First Flight runs from June 23 - July 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.  Book your tickets now (before all tickets sell out) through smtickets.com.  

Leather Care Project, a Vintage LV, and a Gucci Boston

Gone are the days when I used to bring my bags to handbag spas.  Over time, I felt like I was no longer getting my money's worth, and also the time consumed for a take 2 due to sub-par cleaning.  It prompted me to clean my bags at home, and I've been doing it for a while now.  

I was never in the business of ranting, and not doing anything to understand and solve the issue.  So here is a significant snapshot of my handbag restoration story.  

There was a case when I had to bring my Gucci Boston to bag spas in two countries, and the people I spoke with wanted to know none of it.  That bag is barely four years old, and I sent it to a bag spa 2x a year for cleaning - but there are environmental factors like heat and humidity that seem to shorten the 'life' of my bag.  The stains in the (interior) lining were never addressed by any of the shops I sent it to.  The coated canvas started to peel - and no one would offer me a clear solution. I started to do some research on cleaning and restoration, specifically for Gucci Boston coated canvas with fabric lining and soft leather trims.  I can probably restore it myself.  

I started buying reputable leather care products as starter.  Most of the first batch of supplies I bought were from Europe.  I tested the products on several  bags and shoes from my closet, aided by application techniques that I learned through understanding the structure of my shoes and bags.  My experiments worked nicely.  Family and friends were pleased with the results.  Then I thought, why not offer it as a service?  If I am to do it professionally, I have to make sure that I offer only the best.  So I went ahead to obtain a professional certification for handbag and shoes restoration.  The quality of cleaning and restoration that I do require some artistic ability and creativity (resourcefulness), that's why I treat every bag as a project.  I've started accepting bags and shoes for cleaning and restoration.  As expected, my first customers are family and friends. 😊

Here is another batch from days of restoration effort.  These are my outputs from a couple of days spent outside of my usual corporate concrete jungle environment.  

❤  The toughest so far is restoring a (very) vintage Louis Vuitton purse WITHOUT a single drop of leather paint.  Every step was rendered manually. No shortcuts.  

Before:  Old and weak cowhide leather, scuff marks, loose stitches in some areas, dull and dirty canvas, tarnished hardware, smelly interior

After:  Reinforced cowhide leather with rich honey patina color,  no visible scuff marks, fine stitches, clean canvas, shiny hardware, clean and disinfected interior 

Note:  

1.  Painting a piece of cowhide leather is easy to do, but it makes sensitive cowhide highly susceptible to cracks.

2.  The first output showed a very light patina, but I chose to buff the cowhide to achieve a rich honey patina for a more vintage look. 

❤❤ I was also able to clean the fabric lining of my Gucci Boston bag without harsh chemicals like chlorine.  

Before:  Stained fabric lining - trips to handbag spas did not make these stains disappear.  They would just tell me 'best effort only'.  

After:  Clean fabric lining, a reshaped Boston bag form, reshaped pockets with starch-like hold.  

Catching up on my reading...

Accessible luxury is relative.  To me, it means some quiet time spent reading a book and enjoying a good cup of coffee on the side.  

I  buy books, but sometimes I forgot I ever bought them.  The books would end up stacked on the side table, and piling for months of buying and no reading taking place.  

Recently, a bookstore opened just right across our office, and its signage kinda screaming directly through our windows.  I thought about books again, and that feeling of looking forward to read, enjoy, and finish at least one book in two weeks.  It does not sound realistic for typical people working in tech, so there goes my excuse.  

I visit the book store almost every other day.  I just love being surrounded by real books.  I hope books won't go extinct since we have tons of e-books nowadays.  I want books that are easy to read (I need to preserve my eyesight); with entertaining, yet sensible content.

These are my latest readings - books that I read from cover to cover.  I do not write synopsis or summary, as there is a lot in the web through Google.  I'm just sharing why these books are worth reading.  

1 - 3  Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asian, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems

Kevin Kwan's writing style all throughout the series is entertaining - it's like chatting with a cousin overseas about family (over good coffee, of course). The series keeps a satiric tone when going for the larger than life display of old and new money; and balances it with just the right touch of family drama and introspects. It describes several aspects of a modern Asian family, one of which is the co-existence of traditional and "westernized" - all in a light setting that can make the readers laugh and not burdened by drama.  

4  Sophia Amuroso's #GIRLBOSS - from the school of hard knocks. Very honest.  Sophia is the founder and owner of Nasty Gal Vintage - a fashion paradise for stylish ladies who are mindful not to break the bank.  This book narrates Sophia's and Nasty Gal's humble beginning.  It can be inspiring for people who are realizing great ideas and figuring out how to make it fly (succeed); also perfect for those who need a little nudge to going-back-to-your-center kind of phase. It can figuratively kick butts of those who are being too complacent in life.