How to care for leather in Singapore's tropical climate

Humidity, heat, mould — Singapore's climate is hard on leather. We were recently featured in Le Petit Journal Singapore, where our founder Gabrielle Dréan shared her best advice for keeping leather bags alive and beautiful in tropical conditions.

Here's what she recommends.

Let your leather breathe

Gabrielle's first piece of advice: avoid leaving your bag stored in its dust bag for too long. The more you seal the leather away, the more humidity stays trapped inside. Skip the closed wardrobe and the plastic cover. A well-ventilated room, away from direct sunlight, is all it needs. lepetitjournal

Watch out for coated finishes

Many bags are covered with a plastic-like varnish to give a very smooth, very shiny, very perfect surface. Under the effect of heat and humidity, it's often these finishes that end up sticky, peeling, or damaged. This is why Biche uses natural, minimally treated leather — it ages with a patina, not a peeling film. lepetitjournal

Feed the leather regularly

Leather behaves like skin — it dries out, absorbs, and reacts to its environment. Gabrielle recommends applying a small amount of neutral shoe cream with a soft cloth, waiting fifteen minutes, then buffing with a nylon sock. Light and regular beats heavy and occasional. lepetitjournal

The full article

Want to read the full interview — including the story behind Biche Maison Dréan and how Gabrielle launched the brand in Singapore? Read it on Le Petit Journal →