Social Valet Briefcase.
Today we are doing a Review of the Paul Brunngård Social Valet Briefcase.
If the name did not catch your attention, I don’t know what else will.
It certainly caught mine and today we are taking a close look at it!
It’s a briefcase, it’s wooden and it’s definitely one of the most absurdly cool things I own!
40 Years Of Shoe Care
My first interaction with Paul Brunngård was in one of the Shoegazing Stockholm Trunk Shows.
I didn’t know much at the time about shoe care, other than the brand on everyone’s lips (Saphir).
However, it turns out that Swedish Paul Brunngård recently celebrated 40 years of history.
It’s quite an achievement for a (Parent) company that operates mostly in Scandinavia with a plethora of shoe care products.
Back in the latest Trunk Show I met and chatted with Anders Sundström, the brand director for Paul Brunngård.
He offered us some free spit-shinning lessons and won us offer with his fiery passion for a good shoe shine.
It was also the first time I saw the Social Valet Briefcase which frankly astonished me.
Since that, we remained in contact and he kindly offered to send me some products to test.
Little did I know that he would send me not only the briefcase, but a full range of products that complete it.
As always, big thanks to Anders for sending me these products but the review will be honest as always (and affiliate link free).
Shipping & Packaging
Paul Brunngård ship with UPS from Sweden to most places.
I am not a big fan of UPS but thankfully this delivery was smooth.
Baffled by the size of the box, I was not prepared to receive the briefcase or so many things.
Everything was neatly packaged and protected in their own custom boxes.
The Briefcase was in its own box of high quality and protected by multiple layers of foam.
It’s a very good experience and knowing the weight and value of the product it better be.
First Impressions
This has to be one of the most outrageous, cool products I’ve seen when it comes to shoes and care.
While not exactly a “briefcase” but more of a case with a handle, it is actually rather portable.
Made from Walnut and very refined and smooth, it’s really pleasing to look at and touch.
Firm handle, nice opening buckle and the inside keeps getting better.
A retractable tray, felt covering and magnetic accessories are key details.
I will discuss the usability and value of this case at the end, so worry not.
Quality Of The Components
This is a top quality product.
There is not a single piece of it that feels flimsy, cheap or that it could be better.
The case itself is from Solid Walnut Wood with a special coating, rather than veneer and MDF.
People love everything walnut and if you are one of them, you will certainly love this one.
Very high quality and even though it adds weight to the mix, the presentation is worth it.
Inside you have a wool felt that nests where the products lie and as a “lining” kind of type.
It’s a mid-grey type of color and messes well with the rest.
The retractable tray is also satisfying to use and has enough space for 3 more jars.
Sturdy to use and feels strong and capable even after you add the 6 jars of polish.
In a way, it’s also very satisfying to use I must admit.
Then you have the spots for the brushes themselves that use small magnets to clip in place.
Those as well as the jars have a perfect fit, allowing for all components to sit snugly in their spots.
The Brushes
I wanted to reserve a small paragraph purely for the brushes just because they are fantastic.
There’s an option for a classic Horse Hair Brush but also Goat & Yak Belly.
I cannot recommend those enough if you are really into shoe care.
The Yak Brush in particular is unbelievably soft and excellent for buffing.
All of them use the same solid walnut wood and have magnetic inserts so they can slot seamlessly into the case.
In addition, they are fully bound by hand using traditional techniques.
The applicators are also cool for people that maybe don’t want to use their hands.
Storage, Fit & Use
As aforementioned, all products fit perfectly on each slot.
In total, you can have an astounding 10 jars of polish, 6 jars of wax, 2 brushes, 2 applicators and the sole edge tool.
The jars feel a bit more robust than their Saphir counterparts and for some reason more likely to survive a fall.
I am not going to test that out though.
A big plus however is that their products are much easier to ship as they don’t classify as flammable materials and don’t require special permits.
There’s not much to say about the “use” of the products rather than the actual result.
I am terrible at shoe shinning and usually let professionals do my shoes.
However the workshop we did with Anders on spit shinning was very helpful and produced great results with their products.
As a matter of fact I got a better shoe shine on my Stefano Bemer shoes from Anders than what I did from Samuel at the London Show using Saphir.
The point is that if I trust them to shine my most expensive shoes then they are good enough for everyone else.
The case is a neat way to keep everything in one place and also looks very pleasing as a display piece in your house.
Just One Annoyance
Rarely a product comes out that is entirely perfect.
The Valet Briefcase has only one small annoyance that I’ve found.
There are no labels on the top of the jars of polish and wax.
Understandable, because they want to keep them clean and pretty.
However there are none in the case itself making it impossible to know where everything is.
You’d have to make some of your own or memorize the locations.
A relatively minor thing but if I had to spot something, that was it.
But Is It Worth It?
The Paul Brunngård Social Valet Briefcase costs $230 USD.
It’s one of the most unnecessary, cool products I’ve seen in the industry.
Nobody “needs” it, but many would want it.
There is absolutely no reason for any casual non-enthusiast to buy it.
It would be far more prudent to buy a few essentials first such as a good brush and see how you like the polish/wax.
When you realize those are for you and you want to commit further then it starts to make more sense.
As you build up a collection of different shoes and colors or leathers it can be a great investment.
Even when the case just rests there open and deployed (now that sounds cool) it look superb.
This case then, is for the person that sees shoe shinning as a hobby and a relaxing experience on a Sunday afternoon.
And when he finishes, he tucks away his precious tools back in their perfect spots and looks for an excuse to build yet another layer soon.
Pound for Pound, if you asked me I would actually expect the case to cost more.
Given the quality, size and ability to hold items for a combined cost of over $500 it is perfect for the shoe care enthusiast.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a product that is not a shoe in a while.
Availability
You can buy the Social Valet Briefcase at the official Paul Brunngård Website or through their authorized retailer Arterton London.
Most likely you should check out Arterton, just because the Paul Brunngård online shop is in Swedish.
Given my latest Review about their Nakata Hanger, they are a safe bet!
Conclusions
I am still reeling with excitement of the discovery and hands on experience with the Paul Brunngård Social Valet Briefcase.
It will make for an excellent display and storage piece and the products themselves will get a lot of use.
It was also about time for me to upgrade my shoe brushes and I even get to use the wooden sole edge tool on my shoemaking.
Add to all this the friendliness, expertise and responsiveness of the team at Paul Brunngård and you have a winning formula.
Excellent experience and excellent products that earn my highest recommendation.
Both together, or individually. Great job!
Thank you for reading,
Kostas Mandilaris,
Misiu Academy
