Welcome to my new 3 part series blog post regarding starter luxury handbag pieces! Although this isn’t generally my topic of expertise, I thought that it would be fun just to explore. Treat this as a resource when you’re considering these bags for yourself. My 3 part series will touch on tote bags, crossbody bags, and bucket bags from the Louis Vuitton Fashion House and provide comprehensive reviews and comparisons for these pieces. Lots of folks want to buy a Louis Vuitton piece, but are also sick of seeing other people with the same exact bag. Stick around and you’ll be able to make a the right decision curated for yourself when I discuss the pros and cons with you below.
By popular demand I decided to focus on more work appropriate bags. Let me know if you would be interested in seeing my thoughts on other types of bags and for different occasions. So welcome to part 1 of this series, Battle of the Totes!
Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM ($1500)
In regards to a work tote, the Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM is ranked really high on the list due to the fact that the bag is essentially never full. The bag is not restricted on top and it features both a detachable pouch and a huge zipped inside pocket to store key essentials and provide security for certain items. The bag features a top clip that can hold the two sides of the tote together and also has side draw-strings to cinch in the bag so that it does not fan out as wide. The bag measures 12.6 x 11.4 x 6.7 inches via the website, but if laid out flat the width of the bag is probably a few inches longer along the top. This bag is so well loved in the luxury bag community that this piece comes in all three canvases, monogram, damier ebene, and damier azur. These three canvases also feature different lining colors such as cerise, pivoine, rose ballerine, and classic beige. The detachable pouch is almost seen as an additional bonus since it can be used as a small leather good outside of the tote. The current pricing for the Neverfull MM retails at $1500 (May, 2020).
Louis Vuitton Iena MM ($1620)
If you do not struggle with sticky fingers or mass transit then the Neverfull MM is definitely an excellent pick. However, as someone who takes the train daily and may travel at various hours of the day I prefer a bag with a zip top. The Louis Vuitton Iena MM was released roughly 2-3 years ago to replace another classic piece the Totally MM. The Iena MM features a zipped top closure, a zipped front pocket and multiple inner slip pockets. When this piece originally launched, it was available in all three canvas, the monogram, damier ebene and damier azur. As time went on, this bag is now only available in damier ebene and damier azur. This bag measures 16.54 x 11.02 x 6.69 inches and fits all of my work essentials including my lunch, laptop, and notebooks. If you’re considering a well-rounded bag, the Iena also comes with a lock and a leather tab on the outside that you can use to safely secure your bag even for long-haul flights. The Iena MM retails at the moment for $1620 (May, 2020).
Pros of the Neverfull MM:
- there is no restraint in regards to capacity
- the style will never be replaced with another tote bag in the LV line
- there are many color options, canvas options and even has a World Tour Personalized version of it
Pros of the Iena MM
- this bag features full security, top zip, front zipped pocket, and even a lock and key
- the capacity of this bag is huge despite having a top zip closure
Cons of the Neverfull MM
- there is no security to the bag because it is an open tote
- the straps require breaking-in because they are quite short and uncomfortable in the beginning
- if purchased in a bright color lining, that lining can show as the corners of the canvas wear out
Cons of the Iena MM
- LV has discontinued the monogram version of this bag so there isn’t a darker colored canvas with the vachetta straps
- the bag may require a little bit of inner structure if you plan to put a lot of things on the outside pocket
- the ebene straps require some breaking-in since they are not super flexible when it’s new
Bonus: Could the Totally MM be an alternative for you?
In the luxury community the Totally MM was often highly regarded as a wonderful baby bag. We will be discussing further, so keep scrolling!
The Totally MM was one of the most coveted top zip totes for many years before Louis Vuitton decided to discontinue it. The bag measures 12.75 x 11.75 x 6.5 inches and has a very generous strap drop of 9.25 inches. The version in the featured photo is the model with the monogram canvas and vachetta strap/trim making it more comfortable and doesn’t require a lot of break-in time. Not only does this bag feature a full zip top, interior slip pockets, but it also has two very generously sized exterior pockets. The Totally MM generally runs between $900-$1300 on the pre-loved market.
If you were considering this bag I would recommend a more structured organizer for the interior, you want the organizer to be just slightly smaller than the full capacity of the interior of the bag. I have previously owned this bag in the MM size but in the damier ebene canvas. I did notice that if I had overstuffed the inside of the bag with contents, it would render the exterior pockets useless. When this bag was manufactured, Louis Vuitton also made a GM size of it — so if you have a lot of items to carry around or even want a bigger bag to store a changing pad, the GM size may be right for you.
Pros of the Totally MM:
- features a full zip top closure
- bag provides two exterior pockets
- the strap drop is more generous than the two totes above
- pricing may be slightly below retail on the pre-loved market
Cons of the Totally MM:
- if overstuffed, the exterior pockets become useless
- the leather trim along the body of the bag was great for structure, but would get dirty easily
- no security for exterior pockets
- a lot of vachetta versions are really patina-ed and may look a little dingy or old
My pick & why:
Out of all the tote bags that we’ve discussed today, my favorite is still the Iena MM. This bag comes with the most security therefore making it the most well-rounded bag for me. In terms of work items, lunch, travel and fitting the criteria of being most versatile. My mom’s advice towards this is “always buy something with a zipper, that requires the most work” in terms of craftsmanship and value for money. Ultimately it comes down to how comfortable you are with your items on show for other people to see and how much do you see a zipped top closure as a hassle. With the Iena MM the biggest selling point was the zipped exterior pocket – not only does it fit my phone, wallet and keys there is enough room to put other things that I may need to reach for quickly.
When it comes to price, a luxury bag is a luxury bag. However the good part about luxury bags is even 2-3 years down the line you can still get back at least 70% of what you paid at the time of purchase since these bags are always in demand and the fashion houses constantly have price increases.
Let me know if you’ve found this review helpful or not in your shopping journey for your first or next luxury bag. I would love to hear your feedback and ultimately what bag you decided to invest your hard earned money on!
Disclaimer: The pictures shown on this page belong to either Louisvuitton.com or Fashionphile.com. None of the photos have affiliated links nor do I have an affiliation with either party. This post is not sponsored and not paid for, all opinions are my own.