Marketman is a well-traveled management consultant who loves buying, cooking and eating good food. Read more »
52 Responses
Wow, that bag on the left is gorgeous!
Now MM, I have something to dream about in the weeks to come. Can you roughly give us an idea how much each bag cost, please? So I know how much to save!
The croc (or what remains of the croc) in the first picture eerily seems as if it’s still stalking it’s prey…
The “Brand”, ie..Hermis, Gucci, etc…always upsets me and it amazes me that people will live there life for the Brand, good quality workmanship, hard work, and an excellent product is all that matters! what an excellent find MM, good for you.
A brother has a family connection with a local lizard skin producer who pioneered alligator farming close to Manila. The storied and ever so haute bourgeoise allure of alligator skin, of course, has nothing to do with how they are raised, in holes in the ground, that filled up quickly as soon as the rains came and unleashed and dispersed congregations of them over a vast area.
As to BV, I smile to myself whenever I remember Sister’s story of a swede handbag she picked up in Morocco that later bled into a light colored dress in a drizzle. Its seller was apparently distractedly pawing her supple BV handbag while she was looking the suede bag over. I just trust that she was not holding her BV bag while the pawing was going on.
Beneath the sample croc skin, can’t help notice the floor that looks exactly just like my kitchen floor tiles made to look like maple wood, though mine with wider planks….my architectural interior design bent rather than haute coutoure, but stunning bags indeed I dare not even dream of! I’ll make do with the knock off.
Heh, the skins probably came from farmed crocs here. I know that there’s one croc farm in Mindanao that supplies Chanel with leather. Maybe you can buy direct from there, MM. Cheaper from the source. :)
Thanks or the tip, MM! Now, I know where to send my husband when he is in HK. Just last night, he told me that we will go to Asia…I could spend a week in Pinas while he is in HK and then meet up with him in HK before we head back home.
will wait MM for the name of the shop till you recall it! hopefully when you do remember it, i hope you will be kind enough to edit the post so that we can also visit the place! thanks MM!
betty q – talaga?! EB!
Is harvesting what makes crocodile skin extremely expensive?
When I was a small child my dad did a lot of business in HK and my mother would spend a lot of time with her ‘suki’ who made shoes and handbags to order. Crocodile was a staple, and so was ostrich! But as a restless five or six year old I hated all the hours spent in the measurings and fittings etc when there were so many better things to do ( like eating!) So crocodile skin anything now turns me off, which is good for the savings account, although I don’t think any of those things cost much in those long-lost days…
Did you know that the development of crocodile farming technology in the Philippines was pioneered by the late ( murdered) broadcaster journalist “Doc” Gerry Ortega when he was director of the famed Crocodile Farming Institute in Puerto Princesa? The institute was established as a strategy to save two species of critically endangered crocodiles, one of which is the Crocodylus Mindorensis hardly seen now in its endemic habitat in the swamps of Mindoro.
There was for a while Japanese funding of the farm and the institute but at some point the funders pulled out taking with them all computer records and research studies. The rumor was, the funding was a way to get to the technology of crocodile farming and eventually deriving benefit either from skins ( bigger returns) or as livestock.
ConnieC : nice thought and great research. All I can say is I spent 30 years of my life in Australia where crocodiles are eaten, not from your local eupermarket, but still. But lechon crocodile is blehhh…! Doesn’t taste like chicken!
I’m a bit confused as to how the different kinds of leather (other than cow) get to command the higher prices. Is it just primarily because the animals are rarer, and not really farmed for this use? Or is it the difficulty in creating the leather itself from the animal’s skin? Is it because it has a different feel and look?
In any case, I’m now trying to imagine the price for a live crocodile the size of that picture up top, and then thinking about how that price would get inflated when somebody decides that it’s going to become someone’s new bag or shoes or what-have-you. And I’m also trying to figure out if that weird distorted patch at the bottom is actually the part of the animal that I think it is.
croc boots anyone?
The price might be comparable to Hermes Bags..
Gee, those bags!!! While waiting for my family in Greenbelt 3 (about a month ago), I spotted a similar bag (the one on the left) in a boutique somewhere by that pool…It was the perfect size and a beautiful tan–I went in to inquire–the price was the budget of my short stop in Manila!! for the price, I could have taken a trip to Hongkong and back, accommodation and bag included.. It wasn’t even “branded”…
There was a ‘Dirty Jobs’ episode on tanning leather and it is very labour intensive! If the process applies to croc/alligator skin, then no wonder prices are prohibitive. I have never liked reptiles, so I am not a fan of croc skin bags, etc. At one time I was given a gift of those closed-toe alfombra slippers in snakeskin, but I never wore them- I was too afraid thinking of them alive.
The 1st thing that came to my mind when I saw the photo above was an antique plate armour :) so I thought you were in some museum abroad! Anyway, good genuine quality leather is always expensive especially coming from some exotic animal! Aren’t we all glad this is a protected post as it will hopefully prevent new addition to your fish pan awardees because I’m sure if this was a regular post it will be a magnet for bashers!
Yes, Gej…I second the motion….EB with the generous Ms. Betty Q!
@Josephine, your mom’s shoes and bags are considered vintage now. They are very “in” and very sought after. Baka habulin ka ni Hermes.
thanks a lot for this tip, MM! Hope I can drop by when I fly to HKG next month.
very pricey eye candy! but i would like to have one if i can afford it! hehehe! :)
@bettyq: when you’re in the country, visit Cebu! (and Zubuchon!) :)
bettyq, if you do come for a visit, we will set aside the garden terrace in Cebu for you, and you can invite up to 20 guests from the blog, all of the lechon and food is on Marketman & family… If you manage to drag footloose with you, will do something even more special… :)
when will that be, bettyQ?? pray tell…
I’m not sure if it’s this store but I bought a beautiful bag made out of snake skin (snake from Indonesia, gulp). Anyway, we stayed in Salisbury YMCA that time and there were shops in nearby streets that sell really nice Italian designed bags. One can tell that the quality is really good. I reckoned that those “branded” bags in many HK stores are fake because even if they are quite expensive, they are not neatly stacked or displayed. I’d rather buy these unknown brands but of good quality and nicely designed.
bettyq, please put me in your list…haha.
betty, i will be in manila this May! sana un din ung uwi mo sa pinas! waah if it happens, first time for me to meet up with MM fans. hehehe
Sounds ilke a lechon eyeball in the works!
Sayang kakagaling ko lang ng PInas nung Feb. Not that I’d be high on BettyQ’s list anyways. :-)
Looking forward to the pics if it ever takes place.
Lolongchamp – the brand name if that record breaking crocodile from Agusan was turned into a bag.
Hey, Ms. betty – if you will be in manila soon as you mentioned above, pls do contact me, so I can give you your palayok and dried kamias. I have been emailing you but no response in the email you used before to contact me. I was waiting for your nephew to contact me last january, but I did not get any call nor email from him. Thanks, MM, for the space to contact Ms. betty here! :)
LOL on the Lolongchamp, lee! :)
MM, I noticed that when I clicked on this article, it did not prompt me to input the password. Does that mean, I just needed to input once then, I can always access the protected articles already? Cool!
I love the yellow bag.
Will take note of the address , we will be in HK in 23rd of May, yay!
thanks MM
These hides come from South America I think. MiMac, yes, it seems to remember a “computer” and doesn’t ask for the password every single time. But I have noticed that after a few days, it may prompt you for the password again, maybe there is a timeframe involved that I am not aware of… lolongchamp, that’s too funny Lee, actually he would be just right for a massive maleta, but given his size and age, I would be all for his spending the rest of his life being fed and taken care of instead… :)
MM, why is it that I don’t have to key in the password anymore to open the post? I only used the password once. Is it because my IP address is already recognized by your blog?
Skye, yes, the passwords are the same for all password protected posts so far, so it recognizes the guest I suppose… makes it easier for regular visitors. :)
@Lee, a heartfelt guffaw for Lolongchamp. Longchamp is France equivalent to Ascot and is more well known now outside the hexagon as a merchandizer of Veblen goods. Anything connected with horses seem to project cachet as witness Hermès. There was a great scene in My Fair Lady when Eliza was taken to Ascot where she quite audibly rooted for her horse with “Common Dover, move your blooming arse…” whereupon the woman beside her fainted.
bettyQ: You are such a tease….for the umpteenth time, really? the garden terrace is waiting, and so are we.
Marketman, try visitng capetown south africa on your travels. crocodile skin products are everywhere and are cheaper compared to here. they can even be bought in regular african handi craft bazzars.
@ConnieC and BettyQ, not to push anyone to a dire fix, I say it’s just a flight of fancy until you obtain a flight number and reserve seats therein. I usually opt for a seat adjacent to an emergency door for the generous leg space. Downside is, you might be forced to exit the plane under tremendous pressure.
Footloose…just say when! We are both stay-at-home people…Like you, hubby has a new found past time…checking seat sales every night!!! We went to LA a few weeks ago just for 2 days only because he found a darn cheap flight! How did you manage to get that front seat? I have knee problems and need an aisle seat on the L side of the plane…have to pay extra to reserve? that seat!
There really is such a fascination/ attraction for rare hides like crocodile – and other luxe things that are beautifully made and crafted. I myself cannot afford them except to admire the objects, so once, at a Filipino party where the lovely ladies somehow all parked their sparkly Judith Leiber evening bags in one table, with a by-your-leave to them, I shamelessly examined about a dozen of them, admiring the workmanship and the design that went into them. And it wasn’t that I wanted one for myself, but I imagine the people who put their talent into the execution.
I’m willing to fly to Cebu just to meet Ms. Betty Q. & Mr. MM in person :) and of course all marketmanila reader as well…
Had an opportunity to visit crocodile farms in the past, and they’re fascinating creatures. From hides formed into wallets, bags, belts etc. Soup from croc-meat and other dishes involving such. Nope, I have not tried eating them. But I got wallets for presents to loved ones though.
Another day-trip to Cebu? Hmmm …. :)
Hi MM,
Unless your computer is set up to remember the password (usually asked the first time you enter a site), one should key in the password every single time – even for the same site. It is a better arrangement for the computer not to remember any password at all, especially if other people have access to the computer you use, or heaven forbid, you lose the computer and a wiz has access to it and all its passwords for emails, sites and banks!
Besides, trying to remember all those passwords is good exercise for the brain.
Fabulous bags! I’m definitely checking out Hankow Center on my next trip to HK. Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE the yellow tote!!! Hope I can afford one in the near future!
My sis-in-law’s family manufactures and retails leather goods. This post made me curious on where they source their “croc” skin.
MM and other folks, I don’t think it has anything to do with MMs computer…rather it depends on the browser that MMans (MarketManila fans, haha) have used to log in to MMs password protected posts in the past. If your browser is configured to accept “cookies” from the websites you visit then your browser will automatically put the password in for you – unless/until MM changes it, of course :)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the croc’s underbelly hide is the only part they use for high-end bags? It is “softer” after the tanning process and minus the harder plates or the croc’s upper side. I think this is one of the reasons why it is expensive. Lechon crocodile tastes more like chicken than pork, same with the bayawak. Nope, I did not seek out to taste these reptiles but I got to eat them because my friends dared me, without telling me first. Would not do it again, hehehe..
MM, bettyq and footloose, i am so booking my flight to cebu as soon as you say the word!
whoa! would love to own bags made from croc-skin but they are outrageously expensive. here’s to me hoping i get to meet bettyq (and mm of course), as I am a long-time fan. teehee
52 Responses
Wow, that bag on the left is gorgeous!
Now MM, I have something to dream about in the weeks to come. Can you roughly give us an idea how much each bag cost, please? So I know how much to save!
The croc (or what remains of the croc) in the first picture eerily seems as if it’s still stalking it’s prey…
The “Brand”, ie..Hermis, Gucci, etc…always upsets me and it amazes me that people will live there life for the Brand, good quality workmanship, hard work, and an excellent product is all that matters! what an excellent find MM, good for you.
A brother has a family connection with a local lizard skin producer who pioneered alligator farming close to Manila. The storied and ever so haute bourgeoise allure of alligator skin, of course, has nothing to do with how they are raised, in holes in the ground, that filled up quickly as soon as the rains came and unleashed and dispersed congregations of them over a vast area.
As to BV, I smile to myself whenever I remember Sister’s story of a swede handbag she picked up in Morocco that later bled into a light colored dress in a drizzle. Its seller was apparently distractedly pawing her supple BV handbag while she was looking the suede bag over. I just trust that she was not holding her BV bag while the pawing was going on.
Beneath the sample croc skin, can’t help notice the floor that looks exactly just like my kitchen floor tiles made to look like maple wood, though mine with wider planks….my architectural interior design bent rather than haute coutoure, but stunning bags indeed I dare not even dream of! I’ll make do with the knock off.
Heh, the skins probably came from farmed crocs here. I know that there’s one croc farm in Mindanao that supplies Chanel with leather. Maybe you can buy direct from there, MM. Cheaper from the source. :)
Thanks or the tip, MM! Now, I know where to send my husband when he is in HK. Just last night, he told me that we will go to Asia…I could spend a week in Pinas while he is in HK and then meet up with him in HK before we head back home.
will wait MM for the name of the shop till you recall it! hopefully when you do remember it, i hope you will be kind enough to edit the post so that we can also visit the place! thanks MM!
betty q – talaga?! EB!
Is harvesting what makes crocodile skin extremely expensive?
When I was a small child my dad did a lot of business in HK and my mother would spend a lot of time with her ‘suki’ who made shoes and handbags to order. Crocodile was a staple, and so was ostrich! But as a restless five or six year old I hated all the hours spent in the measurings and fittings etc when there were so many better things to do ( like eating!) So crocodile skin anything now turns me off, which is good for the savings account, although I don’t think any of those things cost much in those long-lost days…
Did you know that the development of crocodile farming technology in the Philippines was pioneered by the late ( murdered) broadcaster journalist “Doc” Gerry Ortega when he was director of the famed Crocodile Farming Institute in Puerto Princesa? The institute was established as a strategy to save two species of critically endangered crocodiles, one of which is the Crocodylus Mindorensis hardly seen now in its endemic habitat in the swamps of Mindoro.
There was for a while Japanese funding of the farm and the institute but at some point the funders pulled out taking with them all computer records and research studies. The rumor was, the funding was a way to get to the technology of crocodile farming and eventually deriving benefit either from skins ( bigger returns) or as livestock.
Lechon crocodile, anyone?
https://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/25792-crocs-for-sale-from-wildlife-to-livestock
ConnieC : nice thought and great research. All I can say is I spent 30 years of my life in Australia where crocodiles are eaten, not from your local eupermarket, but still. But lechon crocodile is blehhh…! Doesn’t taste like chicken!
I’m a bit confused as to how the different kinds of leather (other than cow) get to command the higher prices. Is it just primarily because the animals are rarer, and not really farmed for this use? Or is it the difficulty in creating the leather itself from the animal’s skin? Is it because it has a different feel and look?
In any case, I’m now trying to imagine the price for a live crocodile the size of that picture up top, and then thinking about how that price would get inflated when somebody decides that it’s going to become someone’s new bag or shoes or what-have-you. And I’m also trying to figure out if that weird distorted patch at the bottom is actually the part of the animal that I think it is.
croc boots anyone?
The price might be comparable to Hermes Bags..
Gee, those bags!!! While waiting for my family in Greenbelt 3 (about a month ago), I spotted a similar bag (the one on the left) in a boutique somewhere by that pool…It was the perfect size and a beautiful tan–I went in to inquire–the price was the budget of my short stop in Manila!! for the price, I could have taken a trip to Hongkong and back, accommodation and bag included.. It wasn’t even “branded”…
There was a ‘Dirty Jobs’ episode on tanning leather and it is very labour intensive! If the process applies to croc/alligator skin, then no wonder prices are prohibitive. I have never liked reptiles, so I am not a fan of croc skin bags, etc. At one time I was given a gift of those closed-toe alfombra slippers in snakeskin, but I never wore them- I was too afraid thinking of them alive.
The 1st thing that came to my mind when I saw the photo above was an antique plate armour :) so I thought you were in some museum abroad! Anyway, good genuine quality leather is always expensive especially coming from some exotic animal! Aren’t we all glad this is a protected post as it will hopefully prevent new addition to your fish pan awardees because I’m sure if this was a regular post it will be a magnet for bashers!
Yes, Gej…I second the motion….EB with the generous Ms. Betty Q!
@Josephine, your mom’s shoes and bags are considered vintage now. They are very “in” and very sought after. Baka habulin ka ni Hermes.
thanks a lot for this tip, MM! Hope I can drop by when I fly to HKG next month.
very pricey eye candy! but i would like to have one if i can afford it! hehehe! :)
@bettyq: when you’re in the country, visit Cebu! (and Zubuchon!) :)
bettyq, if you do come for a visit, we will set aside the garden terrace in Cebu for you, and you can invite up to 20 guests from the blog, all of the lechon and food is on Marketman & family… If you manage to drag footloose with you, will do something even more special… :)
when will that be, bettyQ?? pray tell…
I’m not sure if it’s this store but I bought a beautiful bag made out of snake skin (snake from Indonesia, gulp). Anyway, we stayed in Salisbury YMCA that time and there were shops in nearby streets that sell really nice Italian designed bags. One can tell that the quality is really good. I reckoned that those “branded” bags in many HK stores are fake because even if they are quite expensive, they are not neatly stacked or displayed. I’d rather buy these unknown brands but of good quality and nicely designed.
bettyq, please put me in your list…haha.
betty, i will be in manila this May! sana un din ung uwi mo sa pinas! waah if it happens, first time for me to meet up with MM fans. hehehe
Sounds ilke a lechon eyeball in the works!
Sayang kakagaling ko lang ng PInas nung Feb. Not that I’d be high on BettyQ’s list anyways. :-)
Looking forward to the pics if it ever takes place.
Lolongchamp – the brand name if that record breaking crocodile from Agusan was turned into a bag.
Hey, Ms. betty – if you will be in manila soon as you mentioned above, pls do contact me, so I can give you your palayok and dried kamias. I have been emailing you but no response in the email you used before to contact me. I was waiting for your nephew to contact me last january, but I did not get any call nor email from him. Thanks, MM, for the space to contact Ms. betty here! :)
LOL on the Lolongchamp, lee! :)
MM, I noticed that when I clicked on this article, it did not prompt me to input the password. Does that mean, I just needed to input once then, I can always access the protected articles already? Cool!
I love the yellow bag.
Will take note of the address , we will be in HK in 23rd of May, yay!
thanks MM
These hides come from South America I think. MiMac, yes, it seems to remember a “computer” and doesn’t ask for the password every single time. But I have noticed that after a few days, it may prompt you for the password again, maybe there is a timeframe involved that I am not aware of… lolongchamp, that’s too funny Lee, actually he would be just right for a massive maleta, but given his size and age, I would be all for his spending the rest of his life being fed and taken care of instead… :)
MM, why is it that I don’t have to key in the password anymore to open the post? I only used the password once. Is it because my IP address is already recognized by your blog?
Skye, yes, the passwords are the same for all password protected posts so far, so it recognizes the guest I suppose… makes it easier for regular visitors. :)
@Lee, a heartfelt guffaw for Lolongchamp. Longchamp is France equivalent to Ascot and is more well known now outside the hexagon as a merchandizer of Veblen goods. Anything connected with horses seem to project cachet as witness Hermès. There was a great scene in My Fair Lady when Eliza was taken to Ascot where she quite audibly rooted for her horse with “Common Dover, move your blooming arse…” whereupon the woman beside her fainted.
bettyQ: You are such a tease….for the umpteenth time, really? the garden terrace is waiting, and so are we.
Marketman, try visitng capetown south africa on your travels. crocodile skin products are everywhere and are cheaper compared to here. they can even be bought in regular african handi craft bazzars.
@ConnieC and BettyQ, not to push anyone to a dire fix, I say it’s just a flight of fancy until you obtain a flight number and reserve seats therein. I usually opt for a seat adjacent to an emergency door for the generous leg space. Downside is, you might be forced to exit the plane under tremendous pressure.
Footloose…just say when! We are both stay-at-home people…Like you, hubby has a new found past time…checking seat sales every night!!! We went to LA a few weeks ago just for 2 days only because he found a darn cheap flight! How did you manage to get that front seat? I have knee problems and need an aisle seat on the L side of the plane…have to pay extra to reserve? that seat!
There really is such a fascination/ attraction for rare hides like crocodile – and other luxe things that are beautifully made and crafted. I myself cannot afford them except to admire the objects, so once, at a Filipino party where the lovely ladies somehow all parked their sparkly Judith Leiber evening bags in one table, with a by-your-leave to them, I shamelessly examined about a dozen of them, admiring the workmanship and the design that went into them. And it wasn’t that I wanted one for myself, but I imagine the people who put their talent into the execution.
I’m willing to fly to Cebu just to meet Ms. Betty Q. & Mr. MM in person :) and of course all marketmanila reader as well…
Had an opportunity to visit crocodile farms in the past, and they’re fascinating creatures. From hides formed into wallets, bags, belts etc. Soup from croc-meat and other dishes involving such. Nope, I have not tried eating them. But I got wallets for presents to loved ones though.
Another day-trip to Cebu? Hmmm …. :)
Hi MM,
Unless your computer is set up to remember the password (usually asked the first time you enter a site), one should key in the password every single time – even for the same site. It is a better arrangement for the computer not to remember any password at all, especially if other people have access to the computer you use, or heaven forbid, you lose the computer and a wiz has access to it and all its passwords for emails, sites and banks!
Besides, trying to remember all those passwords is good exercise for the brain.
Fabulous bags! I’m definitely checking out Hankow Center on my next trip to HK. Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE the yellow tote!!! Hope I can afford one in the near future!
My sis-in-law’s family manufactures and retails leather goods. This post made me curious on where they source their “croc” skin.
MM and other folks, I don’t think it has anything to do with MMs computer…rather it depends on the browser that MMans (MarketManila fans, haha) have used to log in to MMs password protected posts in the past. If your browser is configured to accept “cookies” from the websites you visit then your browser will automatically put the password in for you – unless/until MM changes it, of course :)
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the croc’s underbelly hide is the only part they use for high-end bags? It is “softer” after the tanning process and minus the harder plates or the croc’s upper side. I think this is one of the reasons why it is expensive. Lechon crocodile tastes more like chicken than pork, same with the bayawak. Nope, I did not seek out to taste these reptiles but I got to eat them because my friends dared me, without telling me first. Would not do it again, hehehe..
the bag of my dream, the yellow one…..
There was an article on local croc farming recently – very interesting! My son enjoys the croc burgers from the Wilcon Home Depot coffee shop – not inclined to try the meat myself, but I could relish a croc handbag :)
Here’s the link to the article:
https://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/25792-crocs-for-sale-from-wildlife-to-livestock
MM, bettyq and footloose, i am so booking my flight to cebu as soon as you say the word!
whoa! would love to own bags made from croc-skin but they are outrageously expensive. here’s to me hoping i get to meet bettyq (and mm of course), as I am a long-time fan. teehee