Re: Vera bradley moving away from the signature co... - Page 2

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

I discovered VB 19 years ago via a Diaper Bag I received at my sons babyshower. Never heard of her, to be honest, but I had seen those "cloth bags" here and there. Well, let me tell you, it was/is the BEST diaper bag around. It held everything, storage was amazing, machine wash/tumble dry and the fact it looked like a diaper bag (meaning, not leather with PRADA on it or some other HE label or designed to look like a business bag) made me smile (blue with some red and white along the top- sweet and just... nice : ) ).

I started to look at her bags for traveling, the gym, etc because again, the storage ability is amazing and I could wash it with no issue (unlike those canvas LL Beam boat totes). That led me to buying a bunch of luggage pieces (totes, garment bags and toiletries bags) for myself, my mom and my MIL; going to the beach, going overnight somewhere, short flights, weekenders... perfect.

I have the yellow and blue print which reminds me of Monet, my mother had the bright pink and green which reminder her of Lily Pulitzer and MIL and a light blue print as she loves blue.. ALL are discontinued. Once those patterns left, the new ones just didn't do anything for me... I did buy the pink and black set (coin purse and a tote) that came out one year during BCA in October but that was the last time.

In the end, they have to sell what makes money but in my mind, VB WAS fabric purses, totes, etc. Shame.

Financialgrl · ‎03-13-2010

I like the fabric bags bc they are lighter weight. I have two with navy blue hues and I use them year round. If I want other than fabric bags I'll go to Kohl's or some other place nearby and get something much cheaper than their newer higher cost bags.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I agree the new leather bags are too expensive for me. I still enjoy the prints so I have glasses cases,cosmetic bags and travel duffels in the pretty prints. That way I can open my purse and smile at what is inside.

faeriemoon · ‎03-14-2010

@gonnab wrote:
Frankly, VB just is not appropriate for here in New England. It looks foolish to have this bright-colored cotton print bag with a winter coat, scarf, hat, and gloves. And in the summer, the prints may be pretty but frequently the colors or prints clash with what I am wearing. So - despite the fact that I like that they are pretty and light weight, I don't buy them.

I would respectfully disagree with your statements. I live in CT most of the year but on the Cape in the summer. The VB prints are literally all over the Cape in the summer.

I'm not a print girl myself; but I do own some. Mostly I prefer the solid microfiber bags. I don't care for fabric bags in the winter unless they are a black microfiber or black nylon.

avid shopper · ‎04-18-2010

I too am sad to see of the change. Thankfully there are many of the cotton quilted items on EBAY.

KathT · ‎03-09-2010

I would be surprised if VB got completely away from printed bags. They have been the signature of VB since the beginning. I love my prints! I only pay full price when giving a gift to a granddaughter & then I get a smaller item for them. We have a local retailer who carries VB & has several get 40% off coupons which can be used on sale or full priced items (total sale not just one item) during the year.

The leather is beautiful but more expensive than I am willing to pay. Our local retailer carries faux leather & I am surprised at how much I like it. However, I switched to Veras because I wanted a lighter weight bag.. Plus I used to buy faux leather locally(not VB) & found it didn't last.

I do have some of the microfiber solids, red which I got here, a navy that I got with my birthday coupon & a turquoise I found on eBay a couple of years ago. I use them when my outfit is too busy. I also use the fabric printed bags year around & we do have cold, snowy winters here.

skuggles · ‎11-20-2013

I would love to see them do most bags in solids and use those amazing prints to line the bags. I don't want printed bags but I love the style and function and most importantly the size, of several in their collections.

Tissyanne · ‎12-07-2012

I have several Vera Bradley handbags, and really like them. I am sad to think that they may be going away, and even though the leather ones look pretty on the website they are very expensive, and not what I wanted in the Vera line.

HomeShoppingLover87 · ‎08-06-2013

I have noticed this as well and am also disappointed. I know businesses are all about the bottom line, but it feels a bit like biting the hand that feeds. They had three decades of success and made their name with the printed bags, and now it's just too bad for the fans who gave them all that business?

Plus, I have nice leather bags in addition to my Veras, and that's not where I'd go to get one.There are hundreds of options when it comes to a sleek leather bag. There are only a couple of brands that do what Vera does (or did). Of all the brands I could choose for leather, why should I choose Vera? They don't have the reputation of Dooney, for example, when it comes to leather.

It's frustrating how on the Instagram section of their website, VB almost exclusively promotes outfits with the leather or solid polyester bags now.

They've even taken the anti-signature movement a step further by A. No longer creating two matching trims to go with each new print, and B. Adding a faux-leather (which I just find tacky) "Vera Bradley" nameplate to the front of the printed bags, I'm guessing in an attempt at making them look a bit classier. Also, the past few seasons also each featured a new "print" that was basically just a boring, subtle animal print, which I don't even count as a new print because they're not at all unique. That's like calling a striped bag a new print. It's like they're just phoning it in with the patterns now - 'Here, signature fans, have three new prints - one of which isn't even unique - and no trims, and like it.'

Bums me out. I just started getting into VB within the past year, and now it seems unlikely I'll even be able to buy any of their new stuff going forward. Guess the timing was off and I just completely missed the boat on what would have been the fun of anticipating the new prints, taking part in the special sales, etc. Almost every VB item I have is from eBay and in a print that retired at least several years ago (the newest print I have is Venetian Paisley, which I believe is from Winter '13).

And I could care less about what's current - having a fun VB bag in a favorite print brightens my day, and they're easy to wear with any business-casual outfit that's not also a print, which most of mine aren't. It annoys me that the movement towards solids and leather sort of implies that you're stuck in the past if you still like a colorful, fun bag.

I know VB has evolved before (their '80s and '90s prints were much more preppy, Laura Ashley-type), but they still exclusively sold quilted cotton printed bags. What they're doing now is more than just evolving. Although, I suppose one could argue that they're doing it because they haven't been bringing in enough money, so at least moving more toward leather and solids will be what allows them to stay in business to make any new prints at all.

Susan Louise · ‎03-14-2010

@HomeShoppingLover87 wrote:
I have noticed this as well and am also disappointed. I know businesses are all about the bottom line, but it feels a bit like biting the hand that feeds. They had three decades of success and made their name with the printed bags, and now it's just too bad for the fans who gave them all that business?

Plus, I have nice leather bags in addition to my Veras, and that's not where I'd go to get one.There are hundreds of options when it comes to a sleek leather bag. There are only a couple of brands that do what Vera does (or did). Of all the brands I could choose for leather, why should I choose Vera? They don't have the reputation of Dooney, for example, when it comes to leather.

It's frustrating how on the Instagram section of their website, VB almost exclusively promotes outfits with the leather or solid polyester bags now.

They've even taken the anti-signature movement a step further by A. No longer creating two matching trims to go with each new print, and B. Adding a faux-leather (which I just find tacky) "Vera Bradley" nameplate to the front of the printed bags, I'm guessing in an attempt at making them look a bit classier. Also, the past few seasons also each featured a new "print" that was basically just a boring, subtle animal print, which I don't even count as a new print because they're not at all unique. That's like calling a striped bag a new print. It's like they're just phoning it in with the patterns now - 'Here, signature fans, have three new prints - one of which isn't even unique - and no trims, and like it.'

Bums me out. I just started getting into VB within the past year, and now it seems unlikely I'll even be able to buy any of their new stuff going forward. Guess the timing was off and I just completely missed the boat on what would have been the fun of anticipating the new prints, taking part in the special sales, etc. Almost every VB item I have is from eBay and in a print that retired at least several years ago (the newest print I have is Venetian Paisley, which I believe is from Winter '13).

And I could care less about what's current - having a fun VB bag in a favorite print brightens my day, and they're easy to wear with any business-casual outfit that's not also a print, which most of mine aren't. It annoys me that the movement towards solids and leather sort of implies that you're stuck in the past if you still like a colorful, fun bag.

I know VB has evolved before (their '80s and '90s prints were much more preppy, Laura Ashley-type), but they still exclusively sold quilted cotton printed bags. What they're doing now is more than just evolving. Although, I suppose one could argue that they're doing it because they haven't been bringing in enough money, so at least moving more toward leather and solids will be what allows them to stay in business to make any new prints at all.

@HomeShoppingLover87 I agree with everything you said...

I just started with VB in mid December last year and was hooked instantly. I mentioned in another thread today, that like you, I have purchased a lot on Ebay recently...not only due to much better pricing most times (compared to QVC and even the VB website)...but because I was able to get some pieces in the retired patterns...like my latest which is the pleated tote in 'blue rhapsody' (retired-limited edition 2009).

I am grateful to have scoured for pieces I wanted and got lucky getting most of them all at deep discounted prices.

I have also noticed a lot of VB sellers are selling the bags they probably got at the outlets and or VB-Ebay store for a bit of a mark-up to over the top markup. For example, I got a few VB pleated totes for $24.99 w/free S&H, and now I have seen recently retired patterns in that tote like pink swirls selling for as high as $74.99 currently and even one for $89 last week!

Although there are several 'pink swirls' pleated totes available, the price range is huge...from a reasonable $30-35 + w or w/o S&H to off the charts.

I know I have gone overboard with purchases as of late, but glad I got the pieces I did in the patterns I wanted before the prices really skyrocket or the pieces are unavailable.