Is the Margaux an IT bag, Heirloom Piece?

You’re a fashion or handbag enthusiast if you’re here so I don’t have to tell you that the Row Margaux has been trending for a little while. I enjoy A LOT of YouTube videos covering luxury handbags, which is one of the reasons I started my YouTube Channel (needed to give myself a selfish plug there). I saw a couple of videos appear on my homepage for me to watch. For pure interest I started looking for reviews, just because I love seeing handbag reviews. I appreciate beautiful leathers and the simple silhouette has a great appeal that allows you to admire the beauty of the leather. Before I go too far down a rabbit hole, I thought I’d write a post giving my take on the Margaux. I have been intrigued by a few articles I’ve read around the buzz of the Margaux replacing the Birkin……I’m just going to say my opinion is not as “cult following” as other reviews/videos I’ve seen.

Where did the Margaux come from?

Mary Kate and Ashley Oleson have knocked it out of the park with their successful fashion brand The Row. The brand was started back in 2006. The company is coming up on 20 years, which is amazing, especially factoring in that they came from the acting world and unlike many people that have tried to start a fashion brand they are still around.

Before we get into the Margaux I wanted to state a few interesting details about the twins that likely heavily influence the stye of this popular bag that everyone keeps talking about.

• They are known Birkin lovers.
• They have an enthusiasm for elevated fabrics, vintage, and craftsmanship.
• Their style aesthetic simple, classic oversized silhouette, monochromatic color tones.
• They mostly gravitate towards neutral color palates and strategically use color in small doses.
• They tend to not carry overly monogramed bags, carry exotics and prefer leather.

If you haven’t noticed the row style aesthetic is very similar to Mary Kate and Ashley Oleson’s personal style. There’s nothing wrong with that! I think they’ve found a lot of success creating a brand for people who have similar taste.

Recently, there have been a lot of articles, videos, and posts about The Margaux. The difference is not just reviews of the bag are posted but discussion around this newer style bag sliding into the “IT” bag status, whispers about it being an heirloom, and possibly kicking the Hermès Birkin out of its infamous coveted bag spot.  Is that really the case?

Let’s talk about the shape

Photos Left: MyTheresa.com Right: Fashionphile.com

It looks more like the Hermès Bolide rather than the Birkin to me. However, I don’t think the highly popularized comparison is to the Birkin for the shape but more about how recognizable and popular the Birkin is. Also, compared to the Kelly and Constance it is more similar to the Birkin.

Materials and manufacturing of the Margaux vs. Hermes

Let’s talk about the materials this highly desirable bag comes in. Photos below are from MyTheresa.com.

Smooth leather

Pebbled leather

Suede leather

Mixed materials

Photo from TheRow.com

Manufacturing

How is the Margaux made? They are handmade in Italy. There is a lot of edge coating on the outside of the bag rather than being stitched closed.

How is the Hermès Birkin made? Handmade in France by expert artisans. There are two versions Retourne, which is known to have a more relaxed appear. I personally like this version since the leather has beautiful piping and has to be stitched inside out and then at some point it is flipped to show the piping on the outside. The Sellier has the edges of the leather sealed with glazing similar to the Margaux.

Shape and Size Comparison

Double top handle straps (based off reviews the smaller sizes can fit in the crook of your arm unlike the Birkin 25).

Photos from MyTheresa.com

It has side buckles and bottom feet hardware.

Long strap (Birkin doesn’t come with a strap).

Unlike the Birkin this bag doesn’t have a flap or zippered top closure to secure your items.

Compared to the various options the Hermès Birkin comes in the Margaux falls short since the Birkin has about a 36-year lead in this race. The most common leathers made by Hermès used to make the Birkin is Box calf, Clemence, Epsom and Togo. To be far as referenced above it is assumed the target customer for the Row is not looking for bright colors for their handbag. They lean towards neutral tones.

The Resale Market

One of the biggest selling points with many people who embark on the “Hermès Journey” is the instant resale value. There are many factors that impact resale value at any point in time. Instantly one can receive a quota bag and immediately sell it for more money. The Real Real resale report determined the Hermès Birkin resale value averages 80%. Depending on the size, color, and condition of the preowned bag you can see a plethora of bags reselling at a few thousand to triple the price over retail, even more for rare and special creations. Current, retail price is around $9,000 USD. This price doesn’t include the pre spend that is rumored to be required before you are offered a bag.

Margaux prices range from around $3490 to $6400. Currently, they’re selling out quickly but once they are back in stock you can purchase without any barriers.

Reviewing popular preloved sites, they are selling from anywhere from 30% to 50% below retail. There are some cases where I’ve seen versions sold for 10-20% below retail. I have to mention there isn’t a lot of evidence to go off. Also, this bag is trending right now so that impacts pricing on the preowned market as well. Given the recent popularity of the bag I would have assumed the resale price to be a little higher. Especially, since the bag is currently sold out on many sites.

Photo from Rebag.com

Photo from VestaireCollective.com

Is this bag the new Birkin?

Overall, I think time will tell if this bag will have the iconic and longstanding appeal that the infamous Birkin has. The images I’ve seen of used Margauxs on various preowned sites gives me the feeling this bag will look well-worn fairly quickly (like you’ve had it for several years and used it every day). To be fair, Mary Kate and Ashley Olson have been known to carry around luxury bags that appear to be well loved. However, I am not sure if that was the intent for the Margaux. Either way if you don’t mind a well-loved looking expensive bag then it doesn’t matter. As you can expect the smaller bags appear to hold their structure better but overall the overall structure of these bags are not as firm as the Birkin. There are many examples of Birkins on the preowned market that are slouchy but their it appears to have more structure than a lived-in Margaux. For people whose normal bag style aesthetic is more under the radar, classic and simple the Margaux will be a forever appeal. However, due to the massive popularity with this bag right now, which is typically short lived, it seems more like this bag has more IT bag status appeal than anything else. Also, many of the articles that are written touting Margaux replacing the Birkin are coming from major publications which gives me the suspicion there’s a brand marketing campaign behind the appeal, especially capitalizing off the “quite luxury” Succession TV show obsession. I encourage you to check out new inspired’s review of this bag as the writer did a great detailed review of the Margaux she purchased. She shares a unique view of the bag that I haven’t seen elsewhere. What are your thoughts? Do you own one or plan on purchasing one? Thanks for reading!

*P.S. This is my first fashion blog post but there will be more. Make sure to sign up for updates when more products launch from my lifestyle brand that will offer a curated collection of fashion, home accessories and hair care to enhance your everyday life. My first product will be fitted bamboo wig liner.