Has anyone ordered a rep of this bag yet? I first saw it on Baobao’s Kata sale album and back then she told me that it’d start being produced April 25th-27th. I’ve also seen it on Louis and Mandy’s albums - there’s even PSPs on Mandy’s but I haven’t seen any reviews on it yet. If anyone knows about any reviews or other sellers that have this bag please let me know. I went to the boutique today to try it on again and now I’m literally itching to buy a rep 😭
Hi everyone! This is my first ever rep purchase and review ☺️ I’ve been lurking occasionally through rep subs for the past 2 years and finally decided to purchase my dream bag!
Balenciaga Rodeo size medium in black
Auth images: balenciaga.com/en-gb/rodeo-handbag-medium-black-7897722AA4U1000.html
Seller + factory: Baobao via Whatsapp, her number is on the TS list (4052). Bag is from Kata factory (not part of the Kata sale, I happened to place this order a couple of days prior). I had seen many reviews on Kata and Bibi factory Rodeos, which I asked Baobao about and she recommended Kata so I chose to trust her and went for it.
Price: $261.7 + 15% insurance + $54.2 shipping to the UK = $355.15 grand total. Payment method was PPFF.
Disclaimer: after letting Baobao know I received the bag, she offered me a discount on my next purchase if I posted a review, but I was planning on writing one before this incentive anyway.
Shipping: FedEx - a little side note is that I was terrified of customs duties/taxes so I did some research and asked Baobao to declare a low amount to help me on my end which she did. Thankfully the bag went through smoothly and I didn’t have any extra expenses.
Timeline: inquired & paid 04/14, PSPs and GLed 04/16, she shipped 04/16 but provided tracking 04/18, then bag arrived 04/22! This was the best case scenario since I bought this as a birthday present to myself and it arrived right before that! Shipping was very fast and swift, and tracking was updated regularly which helped calm my nerves down a lot.
Critique: before even thinking about seriously ordering this bag, I tried to study it and familiarise myself with it as much as I could by looking at authentic pictures online, going through many reviews on here and even seeing/trying it on boutiques at least a couple of times in different cities - and I have to say, this is a pretty solid rep.
Dimensions seem spot on though I haven’t got my measuring tape out and checked the whole thing but I don’t feel the need to. Based on my eye and my experiences trying the auth on, it all seems just right. The finish, materials and colour are incredibly similar, I think I’d have to have the auth right next to it to be able to tell any differences. The stitching is neat and consistent throughout the whole bag, the logos are also spot on and the hardware has a nice weight that makes it feel luxurious but not overly heavy either.
The quality and craftsmanship are great, way better than I expected. Maybe I’m not very familiar with leather bags as this is my first genuine leather bag but every time I look at it, every time I touch it I become more and more obsessed with it. It feels smooth and soft, had a nice but subtle genuine leather smell when I first unboxed it - and specially when I unboxed it, I could feel how soft it was even through the dustbag. I was just in awe and still am.
There is only one minor detail I will critique, and it’s the logo on the inner zipper. It has what I can only describe as a guideline mark between the letters B and A, but honestly I don’t mind it that much, I barely see it myself on the daily much less anyone else. This is totally a mistake on my part as I completely forgot about it when I checked the PSPs, but again, I don’t mind it and I don’t think I would’ve asked for a different bag based on just this.
Factory photos: https://shop00112997.wgstores.com/t/aW8R1AA - from Baobao’s album. I asked her for recent factory pictures when I first inquired and she sent me exactly these ones.
PSP photos: https://imgbox.com/pRGvmDIZ
(apologies for the amount of links, I didn’t know how to get just one link for the whole album)
Final thoughts: for my first rep purchase, I’m very happy with it. As I’ve browsed through rep subs and reviews I’ve realised that there will never be a 1:1 rep, as even high tier factories can make mistakes which I am okay with, as long as it’s a small detail that no one will notice.
I’ve been pining after this bag pretty much since it debuted so I am over the moon at finally being a Rodeo owner. This bag is genuinely so chic but laid back at the same time, can be dressed up or down and has many ways to wear/style it and I absolutely love that about it. It just effortlessly elevates any outfit and every time I walk by a reflective surface I can’t help but look at myself and just admire the bag. It’s so fabulous to me. The size is great for a daily bag that can also be used as a work bag - fits my essentials with plenty of room to spare, I can also fit my MacBook Air easily if I need to take it with me. And I can’t wait to achieve even more of that signature slouchy Rodeo look with time and wear - one thing I noticed about an authentic bag that a SA got from the storage room for me is that they aren’t super slouchy when they’re brand new! And this bag feels exactly like that one felt when I tried it on at the boutique.
So how did I do? I’m sure I might be missing some details, so any advice for future reference is highly appreciated as I already have my eye on the Le 7 bag from Balenciaga as well. Thank you all!