https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:47:52 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863958 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:25:58 +0000 Sveta 1863958@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do not have any useful suggestions, just being sad here with you.:-( </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863907 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 13:04:40 +0000 gryffin 1863907@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari - I don't know if this will help but I found them online&nbsp; </p> <p><a href="http://www.leatherrepaircompany.com/repair-restoration/your-jacket-can-be-repaired/" rel="nofollow">http://www.leatherrepaircompan.....-repaired/</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; You need to check the BBB and reviews if there are any but the pictures were impressive but there is different lighting on afters.&nbsp; Good luck and I hope someone can salvage it for you!!&nbsp; Hugs.&nbsp; </p> <p></p> <p>ETA: </p> <a href="https://www.withoutatrace.com/" rel="nofollow">https://www.withoutatrace.com/</a>&nbsp; Kari I saw this recommended awhile ago.&nbsp; This is the site I was looking for.&nbsp; Can't remember where I read the article but they were highly recommended. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863897 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 11:58:22 +0000 Eliza 1863897@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Love your jacket, Kari. Hope one of those leather shops employs a magician who can restore<br /> It for you. It is hard to find the right jacket and the shape/color of yours is indeed special. All the best and keep us posted. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863866 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 08:51:44 +0000 Greyscale 1863866@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So sad! I do think it could look good as a vest if all else fails.</p> <p>Is there any chance of finding a duplicate on ebay? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863858 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 07:26:47 +0000 Scarlet 1863858@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Crossing my fingers for you. That jacket is gorgeous on you. Please don’t be mad at yourself. Accidents happen.<br /> ETA: and go you, for finding some great leather repair leads. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863843 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 04:01:17 +0000 Carla 1863843@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>DH tore a nasty 3 inch gash in a heavy leather jacket. The men's wear shop where I bought it sent it to the manufacturers who replaced the panel. It cost a fortune, but the jacket looked like new when it was returned.</p> <p>Let us know how things work out for you, Kari. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863827 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 03:08:43 +0000 Kari 1863827@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I will! I have 3 recommended leather shops locally to contact. Have not yet reached them. (One is actually a kink shop but apparently works marvels with leather garments.) Not giving up, more like... grieving, seriously pissed at myself, and trying not to get my hopes up. </p> <p>Thanks so much for the suggestions. I wish I was a less minimalistic person who would love patches... but I’m trying to be realistic too about what ALWAYS gets orphaned. </p> <p>I could see liking sleeves in a different color or material, if that’s possible. The tear is super visible, high on the left bicep, not near a seam. I was wearing it and didn’t see a hook sticking out of a wall. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863826 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 03:05:27 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 1863826@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Is the "tear" in your title here pronounced "tare" or "teer"? I suspect they're both accurate. </p> <p>I'm with Sal that whatever you do to fix it should be done on the other sleeve as well. Maybe a pewter or other coordinating color leather, sewn on with fancy stitches.</p> <p>If it's on the elbow, the patches could easily be made to look like an intentional part of the design. </p> <p>If none of that works for you, display it in a way that you can enjoy looking at it, and it's back to the races. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears/page/2#post-1863821 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 01:57:03 +0000 Echo 1863821@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Take it to a LEATHER shop. I worked at Wilsons before they mostly went out of business, and they had places that could work magic. A truly good leather repair shop ought to be able to make that all but invisible and probably more durable than it was originally, with no patches or seams or other drastic measures. Seriously, don't do anything drastic until you have at least tried to have it repaired. Our leather repair and alterations place once mended a pair of pants with a rip in the bum, and it was all but invisible, and durable to boot. There's more hope here than the comments would lead you to believe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863806 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 00:34:26 +0000 Marilyn 1863806@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, no!&nbsp; I feel terrible for you, Kari.&nbsp; Something like this would wreck me.&nbsp; I know.....first world problems...but still.&nbsp; :(</p> <p>I have no idea what sort of "fix" can be expected but I would look for someone who specializes in leather work. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863803 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 23:56:25 +0000 K. Period. 1863803@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ugh! I wonder if you would have any luck with a really good seamstress and a painter? I would think a seamstress could help you find a good backing fabric (maybe a light interfacing designed for leather?) to hold the pieces together and then an excellent painter could help touch up the edges with a properly matched acrylic paint. It will probably be the type of repair that only you will notice...but the tough thing is that those type of repairs sometimes feel super visible, even when they aren't.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863801 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 23:48:30 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 1863801@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aw, Kari, I feel for you. What Lisa describes would be my guess about how it could be repaired. I imagine it might be fairly discreet, if it's not in a prominent place (e.g., if it's on the back of the sleeve, where it won't get as much notice, as say, on the front of the jacket!). Otherwise, I might go with replacing the sleeves in a matching or coordinating fabric--wool, perhaps. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863781 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 22:04:07 +0000 Anonymous 1863781@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hate this for you Kari. &nbsp;This happened to a jacket of mine several years ago - one of my cats got her claw stuck in it and ripped a tiny little triangle into the front panel of the jacket. I tried and researched everything and the only solution seemed to be gluing it to a piece of some backing cloth or another inserted between the leather and the lining. It was just "ok " . I knew it was there, and never felt good wearing the jacket again. &nbsp;I feel your pain. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863771 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 21:58:46 +0000 SW Ann 1863771@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, Kari--so sorry to hear about your jacket.&nbsp; It is beautiful.&nbsp; I tore a sleeve on a black leather jacket many years ago, and could find no one to fix it.&nbsp; I finally got&nbsp; a glue repair job done on it&nbsp; (did it myself) just to get some wear out of it and because I could not find a replacement.&nbsp; I think many YLF ladies had great ideas&nbsp; (designers of custom leatherwear; knit sleeve replacement etc).&nbsp; I agree that gray leather may make it show more than the black on mine--it was pretty invisible and I loved the jacket so much I ignored it to wear it longer.....Good luck!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863757 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 21:02:43 +0000 Aida 1863757@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari if you can get a hold of Ann (dashielle), she's got good leatherworker contacts. Let me know if you aren't able to and I'll try to help you get in touch. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863749 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 20:01:29 +0000 Kari 1863749@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree, they are being honest based on their knowledge, but also didn’t seem to know much about working with leather or very clear on what they would do-they mentioned taping/gluing from above, which would show a lot. I’d rather see first if someone who knows leather repairs well can advise on best options (if glue from below, is that likely to hold and how badly would it show? Is that’s not a good idea, are there alternatives with same-color stitching to camouflage the damage, or outright replacing both sleeves?)<br /> I don’t know what’s possible, but I’d prefer to consult someone who does (and can give realistic expectations about what could be done and what it would cost.) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863710 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:15:00 +0000 Gaylene 1863710@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think the sources you’ve consulted are being honest about what can be done from a repair perspective. Even in very skilled hands a repair like this in thin leather is going to be quite visible. </p> <p>If it was my jacket and I wasn’t willing to part with it, , I’d be inclined to seek out an independent designer who works with leather whose work I admire. Working with him/her could lead to a creative solution which could incorporate the damaged area into a design feature that fits the overall aesthetic of the jacket.</p> <p>I re-designed the pockets on a older leather jacket a few years ago using leather strips and piped seaming to conceal some obvious wear marks. I bought a leather needle for my sewing machine, practiced on a few leather scraps my husband had lying around, picked out the pockets from the jacket, and went to work. My DIL project turned out well. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863701 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 16:26:57 +0000 Kari 1863701@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Nordstrom did not seem to be very knowledgeable or confident that they could do anything-It sounds like they don’t really do leather repairs. They said “we’d try our best, but...” a repair wasn’t likely to be a good one. To be frank, I didn’t feel comfortable handing the jacket over to them unless I had little other choice, because they didn’t seem to be very experienced or know much about how to repair/work with leather. That is disappointing, as I know they used to do repairs on leather boots/shoes, but perhaps they no longer do.<br /> I’m trying to contact some recommend leather repair specialists locally to see if they have any ideas. Not feeling good about it. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863689 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:44:36 +0000 JAileen 1863689@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm so sorry. The jacket is beautiful and looked great on you. I hope one of the ideas above works. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863686 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:36:14 +0000 Angie 1863686@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>*SOBBING*</p> <p>I'm sad with you. Ask Nordies to do the best they can to fix it, and see what happens.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863685 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:35:22 +0000 Anonymous 1863685@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I feel sick for you over this. I like Janet's solution. If your tear is fixed, it is in a position that could rip out again. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863675 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 15:09:10 +0000 Janet 1863675@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari, I’m so sorry — I would be heartsick over this too. Same thing happened to my husband years ago with a new leather jacket. He gave it to his son, who embraced the RATE aesthetic and roughed it up further. </p> <p>If you can’t have the tear mended in a very clean way somehow, the only suggestion here that really speaks to me as far as your aesthetic goes, is to see if the entire sleeves can be replaced with perhaps black or knit sleeves. </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863671 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:48:03 +0000 Rambling Ann 1863671@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Might be able to swap the sleeves for knitted sleeves in a matching color. It would take some strategic surgery, but the mixed media thing can look polished. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863669 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 14:32:44 +0000 Mary Beth (formerly LBD) 1863669@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What about salvaging embroidery from another piece, and putting it in multiple places on the jacket?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;I see beautiful tops at Goodwill all the time, where the top itself is faded, or the wrong size, but the embroidery is beautiful and bright and intact.&nbsp; &nbsp;If the embroidery is against a strong fabric background, a seamstress may be able to cut it out, and patch it on the jacket in a way that looks deliberate, like you purchased it that way. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863652 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 13:35:36 +0000 Anonymous 1863652@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Can you’d srategically drape a pashmina over the hole?<br /> Oh, I feel SO bad for you! It is such a gorgeous jacket. How did it happen? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863643 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 13:01:16 +0000 Aquamarine 1863643@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh no! It’s a lovely jacket.</p> <p>I kind of like Sal’s suggestion, adding a coordinating strip of leather to both arms. It wouldn’t even have to be that different a color. It could be subtle. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863627 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 11:36:57 +0000 Bijou 1863627@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I have no suggestions, but I am really sad to hear that this happened, especially to such a new jacket. Hoping that Nordstrom can come to the rescue. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863626 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 11:35:55 +0000 Deb 1863626@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We have leather 'doctors' here in Australia who can restore all manner of leather trauma, with extremely good results. I'm sure, with some research, you can find similar repairers in the U.S.. With the right skills, I feel there is a way to meld this tear back together. Good luck! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863620 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 11:03:57 +0000 kkards 1863620@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>kari---i hate it when things like this happen....<br />i'm sure Seattle has specialist who create, design and repair leather clothing (even my small city does)...i'd bring it there...</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/serious-leather-tears#post-1863619 Tue, 28 Nov 2017 10:57:12 +0000 Sisi 1863619@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, no! I know how heart-breaking it is (I ripped my favourite and very expensive Moncler puffer jacket years ago). I second Joyce B. Maybe look for a saddlery. They are generally able to work on leather.&nbsp; </p>