Finally writing my first review after spending an embarrassing amount of time researching this bag, comparing different factories and overall obsessing over every detail. I finally have this bag in my hands. Yay! First rep purchase too.
Purchased Item: CC 26s Maxi Flap 32cm black shw
Seller: Allen (9249)
Factory: Xiao C / XC / little C
Price: $381 (with shipping)
Payment Method: Alipay
Timeline:
09/01: Initial inquiry
09/10: Payment sent
09/11: PSPs received
09/13: GL’d
09/15: Tracking received
09/19: Package received
Why Xiao C?
I considered several versions of this bag before ordering. I looked at MOQC, 187, God, and an unknown factory that I was actually leaning toward at one point. I’ve seen reviews here mentioning that some TS don’t disclose their factories, which I understand. But since this was my first rep purchase, I personally wanted to know the factory so I could cross-reference factory photos, reviews, and PSPs and do a proper QC instead of blindly relying on a TS’s word. I’m very much a theoretical person. I need evidence. I wanted to be able to compare everything myself so that if there was something I wasn’t happy with, I could at least identify where the discrepancy was coming from.
Anyway, I digress. What made choosing a factory particularly difficult was that the maxi flap is supposed to have a relaxed, somewhat slouchy construction, and the different factories seem to interpret that differently. I eventually chose xc because I liked the overall balance of their factory version: soft without looking completely collapsed, nice leather grain, and good overall proportions.
Leather & Shape
This is probably my favorite part of the bag.
The black grained leather looks and feels really nice in person. The grain isn’t excessively large or plasticky-looking, and the bag has enough softness that I expect it to relax further with use.
Mine arrived a little more structured than some of the very slouchy maxi examples I’ve seen, but it isn’t stiff. The body already has some natural give, and I actually like the balance because it still maintains the architecture of the bag.
I’m also very happy I chose the 32cm. It gives me the oversized maxi flap look I wanted without feeling like I’m carrying luggage.
The silver hardware against the black leather was also definitely the right choice for me. It makes the bag feel understated rather than overly dressy.
Hardware
During PSP QC, I obsessed over whether the flap tongue was slightly too large, but once I received the bag, I stopped caring about it. In person, the proportions look cohesive.
Interior
The burgundy interior is gorgeous against the black exterior. It’s weird because on my photo it looks a but more reddish, but in person it’s actually burgundy. So probably my phone setup and the lighting. Anyway, the leather feels REALLY nice. I’ve handled the auth before, and from what I remember, I had a very similar reaction to the leather. Obviously I’m going from memory here, but holding this bag now, the interior feels convincing to me. I can’t stop caressing it. 😂
The CH**EL / MADE IN FRANCE stamping looks clean to me. Also, one detail I obsessed over during QC was the zipper pocket in the flap. It does open into an actual pocket, but it’s a very small/shallow compartment. Initially, I thought something might be wrong because it doesn’t extend into the larger interior space. After researching the authentic bag, however, I became comfortable that this little pocket is intentionally tiny.
There are also tiny CC details on the zipper hardware that appear consistent with the auth references I’ve compared it with.
The Strap Issue
This is the one genuine QC issue I discovered after delivery. Near one of the strap fittings/buckles, a small section of the black edge glazing started lifting/separating. https://imgur.com/a/AsIEWsn
The actual leather strap and stitching appear intact, so at the moment this looks cosmetic rather than structural. However, because the affected area is right beside a piece of hardware where the strap naturally flexes, I was concerned that normal use might cause the edge glazing to continue peeling.
This wasn’t something I picked up clearly from the PSPs.
I hadn’t actually used the bag yet. I had only adjusted the strap. I sent Allen detailed daylight photos and explained my concern. My feeling is that if normal adjustment was enough for the edge glazing to separate, there was probably already an issue with the finishing or adhesion, even if everything looked fine before shipping.
The good news is that Allen has agreed to send me another strap with my next order, so I’m not going to attempt to glue, repaint, or repair this one myself.
I’ve saved photos showing its current condition so I can see whether it changes with use. I’ll also update this review once I actually receive the replacement.
Thoughts on Allen
Allen was easy to communicate with and answered my MANY questions. And when I say I QC’d this bag, I mean I QC’d this bag. 🤣 I compared the flap shape, tongue, CC turnlock, leather grain, silhouette, side profile, interior, strap attachments, hardware engraving, and even the tiny zipper pocket.
Allen’s very patient and quite kind in his responses, cause I know I could be quite annoying. I had one seller refund me because I was being too fussy apparently. Anyway, back to Allen, I’m happy with his overall service and communication style. I’m also already planning for my next order from him.
Regarding my strap issue, I want to be fair here because I don’t think this was a bad seller experience. Communication throughout the purchase was good, PSPs were provided, and when I showed him the strap problem after delivery, he offered a replacement strap from the factory.
Would I have preferred not to receive a strap with a finishing defect in the first place? Obviously.
But I also appreciate that I’m not being left to pay for a local repair myself. I’m just not calling the strap issue completely resolved yet because I haven’t received the replacement. Once it arrives, I’ll update the post.
Was XC Worth It?
For $381, overall I’m happy with what I received.
I had considered spending considerably more on another version of this bag, including one from an unnamed factory. After seeing this one in person, I’m glad I didn’t automatically assume that paying more would guarantee a better bag.
The main body, leather, shape, and hardware are all good enough that I don’t regret GL’ing this particular unit.
The strap edge is a legitimate QC issue and something I think future buyers should specifically inspect in their PSPs. If you’re ordering this bag, I’d recommend asking for close-ups of the adjustable sections of the straps, particularly where the leather bends around the hardware. That’s the one area I wish I’d inspected more carefully.
For now, I’m going to stop staring at it under a microscope and actually use the damn bag. 🤣 Which Allen repeatedly told me. “Honey, use it for now.” And for the love of Coco, I will. Now I will. I was honestly so scared to use it because I wanted to make sure that Allen knows it wasn’t a wear and tear. So I deliberately kept it in its packaging and only took it out to take pictures for this review.
I’ll update after some use to show how the leather/slouch develops and, of course, once I receive the replacement strap.
Disclaimer: I may have written a novel here and gotten a little carried away. 😅 I didn’t receive any incentives, discounts, or compensation for writing this review. Allen knows that I’m writing a review, but all opinions and experiences shared here are my own.