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Brand Scorecard:
★★★★☆
Leather: 4.5
Hardware: 4
Design: 4
Engineering: 4
Craftmanship: 4.5
TOTAL: 4.21
Brand Website: lodis.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRIEF HISTORY
The name LODIS combines two foundational elements: "LO," taken from Loewe of Spain, Madrid's prestigious leather goods house, and "DIS," the initials of Daniel Isaac Segat. In 1965, these partners united their vision to bring European luxury-quality and expert craftsmanship to America under the name LODIS.
Today, the dream continues through a talented team of designers who strive for distinctive details, quality materials, and exquisite designs to serve modern women and men. The brand upholds the tradition of craftsmanship and thoughtful design, all infused with a fresh touch of cool ingenuity that evolves each year.
Now, as an independent and distinctly American company, LODIS maintains its heritage of creating premium leather goods by blending value, quality, and fashion with a bold modern attitude.
FIVE PILLARS OF A GOOD LEATHERCRAFT
CRITERIA | 5 (Very Strong) | 4 (Strong) | 3 (Mixed) | 2 (Limited) | 1 (Not Present) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leather | A perfect balance of art and fashion of leather tanning. Rare and artisanal hides from exceptional tanneries | Good leathers for the application in hand. Coming from environmentally conscious tanneries | Average corrected leathers that do NOT require high-quality raw hides. Less info on the source of the leather | Low-quality leather choice with significantly less information about the sourcing practice. | Inferior sketchy leather derivates or non-leather materials. |
Hardware | Top of the line Stainless Steel or Brass Hardware with Highest Caliber Coatings | Common alloy or brass hardware with high-quality plating and thin protection that will last a good while. | Alloy hardware with acceptable coating. Lifetime may be impacted due to the coating of the hardware. | Serious flaws in the making and coating of the low-grade alloy hardware that is harmful to humans and the planet. | Non-metal, plastic, and non-durable hardware that is harmful to humans and the planet. |
Design | A professional design language that is unique and consistent with the brand | A creative take on a classical design concept | Minimal changes to common styles | Almost copy of common/famous designs. Dysfunctional elements. | Problematic design elements affect the functionality, durability, and aesthetics of the product. |
Engineering | Highly organized, sophisticated shape and form engineering with high-quality materials inside the craft. | Clean and quality inner support materials and structure | Acceptable cleanliness of inner work with medium-quality support materials | Messy inside with low-grade support elements | Complete lack of inner structure and craftsmanship. |
Craftsmanship | Expert craftsmanship with flawless, hand or machine stitching, demonstrating advanced skills. No visible errors; edge paint is avoided using superior techniques. | Perfect machine stitching with excellent edge finishing. Immaculate inside and out, with no visible flaws, showing a commitment to quality. | Good overall stitching and alignment with minor flaws. Acceptable edge finishing, with fairly clean interior and exterior. | Noticeable misalignment and sloppy workmanship. Multiple errors affect visual appeal, with untidy interior work. | Poor craftsmanship with missed stitches, visible errors, and uncleaned residues. Major issues that may affect durability. |
Overall Score | An incredible value for money that I have no problem recommending to anyone | Very good example of great quality for a great price without any risk to try | A considerable offer with a relatively high price. Make your choice at your own discretion | Consider it well within your own criterion as the quality/price is not a decision point I can recommend here | Stay away! |
READING MY ASSESSMENT SCORES
SCORE | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
5 | Strong Yes | ⭐ This grade is given to brands that present great value for the price they charge you for their product. I have no problem confidently recommending you check their products. These are the brands I reach out to ask if they can give me an affiliate link so your purchases using my link can support my content efforts. |
4 | Yes | 👍 This indicates that the brand meets all my expectations from the perspective of price and information they have about their products. I would happily buy their products at this level of quality/value score. This is the only other category of brands I request an affiliate link to support this channel to improve my Leathertainment content. |
3 | Mixed | ➖ There are areas that I found less than desirable for the quality/price performance I appreciate personally. Some high-end luxury brands may fall under this category given I am looking for tangible value in the products, ignoring the intangible brand prestige they may offer as a value to their customers. I am not a customer of these brands and I wouldn’t recommend them to my audience if they do NOT value brand logos. |
2 | No | 👎 This indicates that the product and the brand failed my expectations in significant ways and I won’t recommend them to anyone. |
1 | Strong No | ❌ This is the lowest assessment and indicates fundamental issues in the product and/or the brand. I would say look somewhere else. |
LEATHERVERSE MATRIX
The Leatherverse Brand Matrix visually compares leather brands based on sophistication and pricing, helping consumers understand their market positioning.
Legend
Vertical Axis: Ranges from simple artisan crafts to exclusive, master-crafted items.
Horizontal Axis: Covers pricing from low (no brand premium) to high (perceived luxury), with 2x multipliers for basic products and up to 15x for heavily marketed luxury items.
Diagonal Line: Represents the balance between price and performance. Brands on the line offer good value, those below suggest poor value, and those above offer exceptional value.
AUDIENCE & CUSTOMER'S PERSPECTIVE
Based on these criteria, how would you rate Lodis as a brand?
How would you rate Lodis as a brand?
5
4
3
2
PRODUCTS REVIEWED
Quality Check: Francesca Backpack and Lacey Tote by Lodis
Lodis' Francesca Backpack and Lacey Tote
Watch the videos here:
Lodis reached out to us, offering two of their bags for an independent review. Today, we'll be taking a close look at the Francesca Backpack and the Lacy Tote from this renowned brand. How do these bags stack up in terms of quality, design, and overall value? Let's dive in and find out.
DISCLAIMER: The mentioned brand sent this product for FREE. However, we are NOT PAID to do this review. All statements and expressions made about the products are Tanner Leatherstein’s independent review. The brand did not get to see the final video until it was published live. They also agreed to our terms and conditions that we will post our honest review about the brand and/or product and that we might disagree with the information provided in their shop or website.
Tanner Leatherstein’s reviews are not meant to be conclusive or definitive. The purpose of this video is for informational and educational purposes only. We recommend that as a consumer, you exercise your due diligence and research on the products before adopting the opinion of Tanner Leatherstein.
Francesca Backpack
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Starting with the Francesca Backpack, our first impression was quite positive. The leather has a sophisticated, glazed marbling with a minimal finish, giving it an understated yet elegant look. The stitching is precise, and the brushed gold finish on the accessories adds a touch of refinement. However, we did notice a slight mismatch in the color assortment on the back of the bag, indicating a minor lapse in quality control. Although this isn’t a major issue since it’s on the back, it’s something that could have been avoided with more attention to detail.
QUALITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
Upon deconstructing the Francesca Backpack, we observed that the leather has a thin finish, which provides a glossy and marbled effect. The grain cowhide used is of high quality, with a unique and variable pattern. The minimal top layer finish, marbled effect, and gloss contribute to the overall aesthetic.
COST ANALYSIS
We estimated that approximately five square feet of leather should be enough to make a backpack like this. My leather estimate for this is $13. While it's not as complex as some other bags, there are many internal materials, fabrics, and accessories involved. Therefore, I estimate the assembly and hardware costs to be around $55, bringing the total to $68 for leather, labor, and hardware. Given my estimate, the price tag of $139 represents an incredible value by my standards. I'm not sure how it's possible, but since the bag is made in India, my estimates might be a bit high for the country's standards.
Lacey Tote
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The Lacey Tote also made a strong first impression. The pebbled embossed leather feels pleasant to the touch and is tastefully done. The accessories, similar to the Francesca Backpack, have a nice brushed gold finish. However, the fabric lining seems cheap and a bit outdated, which detracts from the overall premium feel of the bag just like the Francesca Backpack and the non-dyed-through leather in the opening of the bag. Despite this, the stitching and edge paint are well-executed, with balanced edge painting and folded edges. The overall workmanship is commendable.
QUALITY AND CRAFTSMANSHIP
For the Lacey Tote, our observations were similar in terms of quality. By applying acetone, we were able to remove a minimal finish from the leather. It appears to have a semi-aniline finish with a very tasteful, thin layer that achieves the glossy red color. This method of finishing the leather is perfectly balanced and enhances its standardized quality.
COST ANALYSIS
This bag requires about seven square feet of leather, which should be sufficient for a project like this. I estimate the cost of the leather to be $20. Considering the extensive interior lining work, fabric with leather details, accessories, hardware, and additional lacing, I don't think it can be done for less than $70, including the hardware. Therefore, my total estimate for leather, labor, and hardware is $90 for this bag. Given this estimate, the $168 price tag represents an incredible deal by my standards. I'm not sure how they manage it, but since the bag is made in India, labor costs might be lower than my estimates.
Conclusion: Overall Verdict
After opening these two bags from Lodis, I was impressed with their leather selections. The leather is minimally and tastefully finished, which I find very appealing. On the leather side, I am completely satisfied. The craftsmanship looks quite good in both bags, with no major red flags. Both bags were made in India, and all the stitching, lining, and folding were done properly. There’s nothing concerning at this price point.
The only issue I have is with the inner lining; the fabric design looks a bit outdated, reminiscent of bags from 50 years ago, which doesn't give that premium feel. However, the hardware, with its brushed gold finish, is of high quality and feels luxurious.
Overall, most of the materials, leather, and craftsmanship are exceptionally well done, and the pricing is incredible. If the designs appeal to you, these bags offer some of the greatest value I've seen so far in my reviews.
Scorecard
TANNER APPROVED!
★★★★☆ - 4.21
Criteria | Score | Results |
|---|---|---|
Leather | 4.5 | Good leathers for the application in hand. Coming from environmentally conscious tanneries |
Hardware | 4 | Common alloy or brass hardware with high-quality plating and thin protection that will last a good while. |
Design | 4 | A creative take on a classical design concept |
Engineering | 4 | Clean and quality inner support materials and structure |
Craftsmanship | 4.5 | Fair Value for quality with a brand premium: 5 to 6 x multiplier pricing. |
OVERALL SCORE | 4.21 | Very good example of great quality for a great price without any risk to try |
PRICE / COST MULTIPLIER | 5x | Fair Value for quality with a brand premium. |
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