Tanner Leatherstein’s Viral Mission to Save You From Bad Luxury Bags

So far, he hasn’t heard directly from any major brands, positively or negatively. “Early on, 11 of my videos were flagged by the LVMH Group for allegedly promoting counterfeit products, which wasn’t the case,” he says. His account was briefly suspended, but after posting a video explaining the misunderstanding, Instagram reinstated it. He does, however, receive plenty of positive feedback from smaller brands, who thank him for recognizing their craftsmanship and for challenging the luxury sector’s influence over consumers.

Beyond just recommendations, Yilmaz has also become an educator, teaching his followers how to recognize quality leather goods. “Look for natural, unaltered leather,” he says, advising buyers to watch for unique grain patterns, solid stitching, and durable hardware. He also warns against vague labels: “If it just says ‘genuine leather,’ that’s usually a sign the brand has little to boast about in terms of material quality.”

Given his background, it’s not surprising that Yilmaz is passionate about the subject. Raised in a family of leather workers in Turkey, he learned the trade from a young age, even crafting his first leather jacket at age 11. His brand, Pegai, which began on Etsy eight years ago, reflects his commitment to quality, featuring high-end leather and hardware sourced from Spanish artisans—what he calls “accessible luxury.”

While Yilmaz’s rise to fame might appear advantageous for Pegai, he rarely uses his channel to promote his own brand. “I seldom mention my brand in reviews, so some viewers don’t realize I have one,” he says. “Occasionally, if I’m sharing an update or related story, I’ll mention Pegai, which boosts direct sales. But otherwise, trust builds over time as viewers appreciate my content and eventually seek out my brand.”

He has poured countless hours and resources into building his reputation, even once hiring an investigator in Singapore to verify a brand’s claim that its bags were locally produced. “That’s how far I’m willing to go to get to the truth,” he says.

His passion for leather extends beyond end products to the ethics and sustainability of the industry itself. While leather has come under scrutiny for its environmental impact, Yilmaz sees it as a valuable byproduct of the meat industry, preventing hides from becoming waste. He argues that genuine leather’s durability makes it a better choice than plastics, which are often marketed as “vegan leather.”

“There’s nothing vegan or leather about that plastic labeling,” he says, criticizing the trend as misleading. Still, he acknowledges the efforts of some brands to create true vegan alternatives from natural fibers such as mushroom or cactus, though he believes they have yet to meet the durability and quality of real leather.

Through his content, Yilmaz is helping shape a new wave of informed consumers who are less interested in status symbols and more focused on the values behind their purchases. With his genuine curiosity and willingness to spend his own money on the research, Yilmaz has managed to disrupt an industry that once felt untouchable.

And though he may have started by simply asking why a Louis Vuitton bag costs so much, his journey has led him to question the entire luxury ecosystem. In a world obsessed with brand names, his message, preaching to millions of Gen Zers via vertical video, is refreshingly clear and (whisper it) decidedly old-school: True luxury isn’t about the logo—it’s about the artistry, materials, and values behind the brand.