Designer handbag: Leather expert Tanner Leatherstein gives verdict on value of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Coach, Bottega Veneta and more

A leather expert - who cuts up and burns pricey designer handbags to evaluate their quality - has given his opinion on the best and worst brands to buy.

Tanner Leatherstein, from Dallas, Texas, has amassed a huge TikTok following for his videos which show him destroying coveted accessories to reveal whether they are really worth the whopping price tag.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tanner destroys a Chanel wallet

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In an interview with The Morning Show on Wednesday, Tanner explained he was looking at the "leather and the craftmanship" in the pieces he inspects.

"One of the most common things I do is the acetone test," Tanner said of his methods, explaining acetone - or nail polish remover as it's commonly found - is "a household solution to remove the finish on the leather to see what kind of material is underneath".

"It gives me a good understanding of the base leather they start using, which tells me (if) it's an expensive piece, a rare piece or it's more of a common thing if you go with a heavy finish," Tanner told hosts Kylie Gilles and Larry Emdur.

"The other test I call the ash test," Tanner explained.

"Whenever a brand claims they use vegetable-tanned leathers, I like to burn some strips of leather to see what the ash is like, because different tanning methodologies leave different ash residues and it gives me an idea to confirm the labelling or not."

Kylie then put Tanner on the spot to ask which brands he stood by the most.

Tanner responded by saying coveted brand Bottega Veneta had earned his "big respect" recently after he deconstructed a couple of its pieces.

"I loved the pieces because they really use those minimally finished leathers that I love," he said, adding that he calls it "artisan leather that you can sense with your touch, look".

"Their designs are really intricate," the expert said.

"It's very detail orientated and they are unique pieces, so they definitely charge you a premium, but they do something special on the expensive end.

"On the other hand, on more of the main market level, Coach is impressive.

"They really impressed me with their leather selections for the price they are providing it at.

"I really couldn't find anything to complain about for the money I paid. I really enjoyed the leathers and craftmanship."

Larry then asked Tanner which labels had "too much of a markup".

Tanner first clarified his answer by saying he hadn't finished reviewing all the bags on his list yet.

He said that "for the price tag" of Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags, their "leather selection was nothing impressive".

"I’m all about leather and those big brands go for standardisation which means heavy finishes," he said.

"Once you utilise heavy finishes on leather you cut the connections of that sensory experience I was talking about.

"I know they use good quality materials, it's great craftsmanship. I’m not saying it's not quality materials.

"But when I’m trying to get that sensory experience from their leathers, for the prices I paid, Louis Vuitton and Chanel wasn't impressive."

In a TikTok where Tanner filmed himself destroying a pink Chanel wallet, he asked "Is it worth it?"

"It's a very well-constructed piece with turned edges and everything," he said.

"For the labour, craftsmanship, I give them a generous estimate of $50," he added, giving his opinion of how much those elements added to the worth of the product.

"For other accessories, probably another $10, but here is where I have a problem with the leather," he added.

"They lost me here with the very heavy finish on the leather."

Tanner went on to explain that on top of the "calfskin" base leather there was a "very heavy finish" with an embossed pattern that "looks like basketball leather".

"We choose calfskin because of its natural beautiful grain and you don't need oversized, overdone finishes on it," he said.

"But for standardisation purposes they overdid it and it feels like plastic. I don't feel the leather. I don't feel the calfskin.

"To be honest, you could use any kind of leather for this kind of finish because it's going to hide it all."

In his opinion, Tanner said the Chanel wallet was worth $90 - but it retails for $1200.

In a TikTok review of a Louis Vuitton bag - made of coated fabric, a cowhide leather trim and a man-made lining - Tanner claimed the leather accents were "mediocre".

"I understand this is a top-grain cowhide. There is a corrective finish on top - that's why we call it top grain - that's why I call it mediocre.

"You can make this leather using most of the cowhides available in the market because you have the flexibility of covering the imperfections.

"That's why in my opinion it's a mediocre leather. Not bad, but definitely not the best."

7NEWS.com.au has contacted Chanel and Louis Vuitton for comment.

Tanner said he keeps all the materials from the bags he's destroyed and he has many ideas on how to use them in future - by creating a piece he can auction off for charity or a piece of artwork.

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