An In-Depth Review of the Senreve Maestra Bag

I put this bag to the test and can give you the lowdown on one of my new go-tos

A few weeks ago, we brought you an in depth look at the new handbag brand Senreve. The brand let me pick a bag out to try for myself, and I opted for the Maestra. The designers behind the brand put a great deal of focus into usability and functionality of their designs, and since having Millie, when I carry a bag, it’s really important to me that it works well. I’ve found myself desperately needing an extra set of hands when I don’t have anyone around to help at places like the grocery store checkout line, and the last thing I need to be doing is rummaging through my bag while holding Millie and trying to get moving. I was really excited to put this Senreve bag to the test, and after using it for a few weeks, I’m back to give you an in-depth look at the Senreve Maestra Bag.

There are a ton of new handbag designers trying to get themselves noticed in an already crowded market, and although some of them may have a cool idea or high-quality materials, but if the design isn’t impeccable, the brand will never make it onto my radar, or they do, I pass on covering them. When I first discovered Senreve, it was the aesthetics that lured me in. I immediately loved the bag I saw (it was the Maestra) and then dove into the site to discover the rest of the bags. I love the appearance of this design—the lines are clean, the design isn’t busy, the bag is unique and the leather shows a bit of texture from afar and even more up close. This is a bag that looks beautiful and isn’t a clone of anything else on the market, and I love that about it. There’s a subtle logo on the gusset, but no loud logos that outshine beautiful leather that’s pieced together to create a very pleasing bag. Especially with a new brand, if the aesthetics are off, it just doesn’t work, but in Senreve’s case, the aesthetics are on point.

Usability and functionality are probably the biggest selling points for Senreve. I’ve spent a lot of time talking to the ladies behind Senreve, getting to know them and their brand, and I can confidently tell you they thought out everything when it came to these bags not just looking good, but also being really easy to use. The idea behind the Maestra is that you can carry it and truly use it as an everyday bag, even if that includes work. When we lived in NYC, I saw so many people who carried their handbag plus a work bag, and Senreve wanted to combat the inefficiency of two bags and make one bag that could be used for any and everything.

I don’t need a work bag, but I need a bag that can carry Millie’s must-haves (I have an extra baby emergency bag in my car at all times, but I carry Millie’s necessities in my everyday bag), plus all of my essentials. I’ve had to take Millie meetings with our developers and lawyers, so in those cases, I need to carry a laptop or iPad as well. The Prada bag I’ve been carrying has a relaxed look, and I love the Senreve Maestra because it holds all of the items I need but does so in a way that is very organized and easy to find.

The interior of the bag is lined in powder blue microsuede, which makes locating items incredibly easy. Though a black interior doesn’t show wear, it makes it really hard to see what you’re looking for, so this light blue lining makes every item stand out. The size of the bag seems just right – not too big to take up extra space and not too small that you have to stuff your items inside.

The laptop sleeve on the interior is of course great for an electronic device, but I don’t usually carry a computer with me, so I’ve found it perfect as another separated compartment (it fits diapers, wipes and cream perfectly without bulging). I love that the laptop sleeve has a snap closure—it’s a small detail, but it helps prevent the pouch from sticking out. The interior also has multiple pouch pockets, and their depth seems just right to put items in and easily remove them (like my cell phone), and there’s a zip pocket as well. I LOVE how the interior is set up—it’s probably one of the few times recently that I really found a bag that feels like it was well thought-out when it comes to the interior and what women are looking for. Plenty of bags offer pockets, but the dimensions can make them hard to use. This bag is really easy to use on the inside, and no part of it feels oversized or tiny—it’s just right.

The leather is really sturdy, but still extremely luxurious. The reason I opted for this cream bag was the ladies of Senreve told me they’ve used these bags and believe they’ve found a white leather that won’t pick up colors. It is one of my handbag fears and biggest annoyances: buying a light-colored bag that then picks up color from my jeans and ruins it. For that reason alone, I don’t own many light colored bags, but I like how they look. I want to carry them and still wear my denim and not be constantly worrying about color transfer. So far, this bag has not picked up any color from my dark denim, and that is all kinds of amazing when it comes to a light-hued bag.

This bag fits right in with my other designer bags, but the price is under $900, and I feel like there is a lot of opportunity for a brand like Senreve at this price point. There are a lot of designers that fit into the under-$500 category and plenty well over $1,000, but Senreve entered this sweet spot while offering an Italian-made luxury bag and not marking the price well into the four figures. The bag is 100% made in Italy, and the pebbled leather on my cream Maestra is water-resistant and scratch-resistant while remaining smooth and durable.

I’d never been so aware of a bag having to look great but also be incredibly functional until I had Millie. I used to always preach the need for a long strap that allows you to be hands-free, but that is now truer than ever for me. I carry Millie a lot, and when I run into the store for a quick errand, I rarely take her in her stroller (though I probably should, she’s getting heavy and I’m feeling old!). You can hand-hold this bag, carry it over your shoulder, wear it as a backpack or carry it crossbody. The Senreve Maestra is now part of my handbag repertoire, and I’m so glad I found this brand.

Buy via Senreve for $895.

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Stef

Hello,
I never leave reviews or comments but I have had such a bad experience with Senreve that I want to make sure that future customers are aware. My Maestra bag broke midway through a trip in the middle of the airport. The gold stud holding one of the straps just snapped off. I have been in touch with their customer service who have been unwilling to fix my bag – even after I have offered to pay for service. They told me that I would need to buy the replacement gold stud but that it is not available and that I could reach out to them periodically to see when it was back in stock. I have emailed multiple times and each time, it is still not in stock and they are not willing to let me know when it is in stock. I have asked them for alternatives and they have been unresponsive. For the price point of this bag, first, I expect it not to break and if it does, I expect that I will be able to get it fixed. Right now, I am not able to use the bag and it is just a waste. Please consider spending this kind of money with another company.

JBC

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have a six-week old and have been rebuffing everyone’s recs on a baby bag because I don’t want to carry just anything. I spotted Senreve on my Instafeed and thought it’d be perfect for me AND baby. Also, thanks for bringing up the problem of color transference. I too avoid white bags for this reason but maybe it’s finally time to invest.

Nichole

I purchased the Maestra new from a reseller and within 3-4 months of use commuting to work 3 days/week, the interior flap began to pill and the straps started to wear although I don’t regularly transport my laptop or anything heavy. All I carry to work are my hardcover book, house and car keys, wallet, phone, and a small cosmetic bag. I am unsure how much longer the bag will hold up, as I am typically easy on my bags and to note: have handbags for 10 years plus with regular use that are still in pristine condition.

When I reached out to Senreve to request repair options they told me I was beyond the warranty period and there was nothing they could do, although it was a new bag. The fact that the company doesn’t stand behind their products is maddening. I truly don’t get the hype behind the brand and the quality certainly isn’t worth the cost. Also, while beautiful to look at, the Maestra simply isn’t a comfortable bag to wear.

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