Sometimes the thrill of the hunt is just as satisfying as the bags themselves. Today’s story is about a unicorn that took me a few years to track down: the Balenciaga F/W 2007 Jaune City.
When it finally popped up, it was in amazing condition and at a price I couldn’t resist… but there was one tiny problem. No strap. This was a deal breaker for me and I passed her up, then started to regret it. I realized when you’ve been chasing a bag this rare for this long, you don’t let a little strap drama stop you. So, when she reappeared later, I snagged her up and immediately started plotting its glow-up.
That’s where the DIY magic comes in. I found a leather strap kit that was begging to be part of this Jaune City’s comeback story. Sure, you can pay extra to have it assembled for you, but where’s the fun in that? Less than 10 minutes, a handful of leather cutouts, and one very satisfied me later, the project was done. The smell of the real leather instantly transported me to a saddle shop, rich and nostalgic. If you could smell through your screen, trust me, this one would pass the sniff test.
Instructions? Who needs ’em? Just braid the pieces together like this and go!
Here’s what the strap looks like using all the pieces, but I actually skipped 9 of them. I’m 5’9″ for reference, and this fits me crossbody perfectly! If I wanted, I could easily remove a few additional pieces to turn it into a shoulder strap instead.
The best part is besides being full leather, it’s made in the USA (Atlanta, GA) and fully customizable. Different colors, different lengths, so you can tweak it to custom fit your bag and your body just right.
And if you aren’t a fan of yellow, there are a rainbow of shades available that would match just about any bag in your closet. They offer other strap styles (for when you want to switch up the vibe) and even bags of their own, if you’re in the mood to discover something new.
Side note: the edges of this strap are frayed by design. Personally, I love the raw, edgy vibe, it matches the Jaune City’s attitude perfectly. But if frays make your eye twitch, grab a pair of sharp scissors and snip away. It’s surprisingly therapeutic.
If you’re tempted to try one yourself, here’s a link that gets you 20% off your first purchase: Get your strap here.
The final look on my Jaune City, complete with the inevitable cat photobomb included. Because no DIY is safe from feline supervision.
So here she is: the Jaune City I’ve been waiting years to find, now with a strap that’s just as bold as she is. Sometimes, the best bags don’t come perfectly packaged, you have to add a little love to make them yours.
If you’re hoping to add a Jaune to your collection, at the time of this post there is one currently up for sale: Balenciaga F/W 2007 Giant 21 Silver Hardware Jaune Brief. Different style, but the same swoon-worthy leather and color.
Thanks for stopping by – see you on the next one!
Leave a Reply