The handbag, at least as far as we at PurseBlog are concerned, is perhaps THE most important of human inventions. Unsurprisingly, it’s got quite the history to boot.
Ancient Egypt, widely accredited with the creation of the first purse, was also home to what was perhaps the world’s first batch of influencers. And their hieroglyphics tell the tale of stylish ladies slinging leather pouches over the shoulders or across their waists (yes… like a fanny pack).
But the purses of the past were chiefly characterized by their utilitarian connotations.
The ancient Greeks, for instance, devised fashion’s earliest mini-bags purely to contain bathtime aroma oils. Medieval merchants similarly had a function in mind as they draped embroidered affairs across themselves, jingling with gold, jewels, and spices from the uncharted islands of the East.
Fast forward to today, however, even amidst the veritable cornucopia of crazed shoppers and the hyperabundant trendy-timeless hellscape that dominates the fashion world, it appears that our basic instincts as humans remain to haul.
For that reason, if nothing else, The Row’s fashionista-favorite Margaux carryall has risen to its rather unlikely it-bag status. Man is, after all, a measure of all things. In this case, it’s all things inside their purse.
But if even that isn’t enough to convince you to partake in the Margaux mania, here are five more reasons that might. Happy splurging!
1. If You Know The Row, You Know The Row
Much has been said about The Row.
Founded by former child stars and pop-culture darlings Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in 2006 (in their quest to develop that perfect white t-shirt, no less!), the brand has morphed into the ne plus ultra of the much-used and abused quiet luxury trend, its elevated basics and sumptuous silhouettes silent signifiers of modern wealth.
Currently, however, it is the accessories that stylist Neelam Ahooja has dubbed the “meaty purchases” that have taken center stage.
As she sagely notes: “When you have those things, you can take a pair of vintage Levi’s with a plain white tee and put that with your zipped boots, big coat, sunglasses, and oversize bag, and suddenly you look like you’re head-to-toe The Row.”
And the cultiest of its cult-favorite accessories? The Margaux Bag.
2. Ludicrously Capacious (in the Best Possible Way)
When Tom Wambsgans lambasted the sensible schlepper on Succession last year, he inadvertently set forth a chain of events (thanks to TikTok, of course) leading to the magnification of all money that murmurs, or stealth wealth, as we now know it.
But while a sizeable measure of The Row’s clientele indulged in the aesthetic long before it was en vogue, it is perhaps the opposite of what Tom had envisioned that’s come to dominate the fashion scene – the voluminous Margaux.
Introduced in 2018 as a direct manifestation of the Olsen’s vision (who themselves have been papped with the practical purse), the carryall revels in sheer simplicity. The brief? An opulently anonymous tote for all your needs, and then some more.
No wonder the celebrity circuit has been at it; the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoë Kravitz, and Kendall Jenner are among its most avid fans!
3. You Get a Margaux! You Get a Margaux! You Get a Margaux!
With the smallest size running upwards of $4,000, it’s undeniably expensive, if not as much as a car (hence the Oprah reference) – unless the exotic route is your choice.
And spoiled for choice you are when it comes to the Margaux! With sizing ranging from as small as 7.5 to 17 inches (in width), to colorways both strong and subdued, and textures as lightweight as a canvas to exotic ostrich and alligator – suede being a “firm favorite” over at Browns Fashion – there’s clearly no stopping at just one!
Simultaneously structured and streamlined, yet supple and slouchy, the Margaux strikes a tough balance with craftsmanship at its core. Supplanted by sturdy dual handles and cinched with a belted closure, it draws inspiration from the founders’ love of Hermès Birkins and Kellys.
Some might even say it’s the next Birkin in the making!
4. It’s the Epitome of Messy-Chic
But before delving into the comparison with its sisters from the big H, it’s worth noting how the Margaux fits into the current climate of lived-in chic handbags.
Mary-Kate and Ashley, themselves aficionados of well-worn and well-aged Birkins, knew what they were doing when they came up with the design. Even though it does come in smaller sizes, the Margaux 15 and 17 remain bestsellers.
And in the age of the big bag, à la A$AP Rocky wearing Bottega Veneta or even Jane Birkin’s legendary Birkin, where the baggage of daily life seeps out of our collective psyches onto precious purse real estate, our bags need to be “part storage, part fridge and part safety deposit box,” as the Guardian writes.
The generous proportions of the Margaux, with functionality at foremost, allow you to easily move through an otherwise messy life.
5. Is It Quite Possibly the Next Birkin?
The Row purses have served as imitation fodder among lesser brands for almost as long as it’s been making them, banking on the recurring trend towards minimalism.
But as the Spring 2024 collections have begun rolling in, the mimicking has reached a new peak, what with the Salvatore Ferragamo Hug bag, as well as belted-tote silhouettes from the likes of Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton all seemingly taking design cues from the Margaux!
And as the handbag aficionados that we are, picking up on the subtle idiosyncrasies of design and detail, whispers abound that the Margaux is set to be the next Birkin, its influence on its contemporaries a case study of sartorial success similar to that of Hermès’ perennial classic.
Then again, however, the Margaux, already at a much more accessible price point (and simply accessible overall), seems to be reaching critical mass, especially among influencer circles, meaning it’s nowhere near as rarefied as a Birkin.
It’s certainly undergoing “It” status at the moment. But only time will tell if it can prove to be a worthy challenger to its Hermès’ frenemies. Until then, we can simply enjoy it as the meticulously crafted (and utterly comfy) carryall it is.
featured image via @alyssa.lenore
It’s way too big for my needs. I used to carry bigger bags, like the full size Antigona. In the last 10 years or so I learned to downsize what I carry and now I don’t know why I carried around so much that apparently I just did not need! I still carry a Neverfull on vacation but otherwise I like a much smaller bag. I always find bag trends a little odd, shouldn’t you carry a bag size in accordance with your needs?
I feel you. As I’ve gotten older, my shoulder appreciates small bags. Living outside of the city and a casual lifestyle, I just can’t imagine carrying a bag in this size or shape. I have a birkin 35 I mistakenly purchased and never used. I keep thinking of using it for travel, but honestly I prefer a light nylon bag from Amazon instead.
It also comes in a 10 cm size-not large at all.
Agree. Schlepping tons of crap around is the opposite of chic. Just because the bag is expensive, doesn’t mean it doesn’t give “bag lady” vibes.
Uh that’s not the point. A large bag is just chic, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to fill it to the brim. Mini bags look dated and useless, much like a bag a ten year old would carry.
Could not agree more. I’m tall, and I look RIDICULOUS with a tiny bag. I gleefully ignored the tiny bag trend.
That may be your opinion and you can certainly share it, you are not the voice of good taste so please take it down a notch. I love and know much about fashion including bags and there is absolutely no reason to haul around a big bag when a cross body would be more sensible simply because someone thinks big bags are chic. That would make you a fashion victim.
The Margaux comes in a TEN centimeter size. It’s just not as popular with celebrities.
Carrying a large bag just for the sake of looking chic is stupid.
As someone who knows more about handbags than the average bear, and also owns the Margaux 17 in cuir, I can certainly tell you that this bag is 10x more chic than the birkin, and more timeless in design. It’s simple, but not too simple, while the craftsmanship takes center stage. The chewy delicious leather on my Margaux is way better quality then any of the three birkins of one of my dear friends (she even agreed herself!). I have to note that the 17 really is where the magic is tbh. The smaller sizes don’t nearly give off the same vibe, they’ll look more dated in time as well. Also for any inquiring minds, I want to add that neelam ahooja is NOT a stylist! She’s an ex accountant that just bought a lot of The Row products and wore them on Instagram. If that’s how easy it is to be a stylist than I suppose any 14 year old with a little bit of cash could be considered one as well!
Yes the 17 is something special 😍😍
I could be wrong, but I don’t think Neelam claims to be a stylist. It clearly says that she is “The Row Collector”
Agree, I LOVE my Margaux 15. Can’t wait to get another. BTW, I wanna see pics of all the HUGE tote bags the chic tiny bag lovers hide under their desks and in their cars! For me, small bags are great for evening, and wildly impractical everywhere else.
In that photo, the bag looks more like roadkill than fashion.
Says the person who can’t afford a Birkin. Nice cope.
I have both. I love both. Why get so worked up over a purse? Anybody who can spend 5k on a Margaux can spend 12k on a Birkin. Lots of us old school Hermès buyers are sick to death of Hermès and all the bag drama.
i would kill for that bag
I think that this bag is ugly. It’s too wide at the bottom and bulky.
I’m not an Hermes customer at all so this can be taken with a grain of salt. I’ve seen many Birkins in the wild. This does not give a Birkin vibe at all.
Nobody who buys this bag is looking for a Birkin vibe. Quite the contrary.
You certainly say that opinion with a lot of confidence and matter-of-fact Ned’s that “nobody” is looking for a Birkin vibe. The dozens of articles, reviews, and videos would say otherwise. But, whatever. It’s a piece of animal skin that is used to haul stuff. It’s not that deep.
KAYYYY… I, PERSONALLY, did not buy the Margaux for its NON EXISTENT BIRKIN vibe. It looks and feels nothing like a Birkin, and if I’m sitting here looking at both bags why should I give a flying fig what dozens of videos, articles, and reviews have to say about it? Saying that “It’s the next Birkin!!!” is not the same thing as saying it has a “Birkin vibe”. There are dozens of bags out there that look a lot more like a Birkin than the Margaux does.
And yes, it’s not that deep.
I agree. I hate the sloppy, slouchy look. I feel the same about the Birkin. Lumpy, flopped open…just looks slovenly.
That’s what bag liners are for. You are referring to Hermès Retourne style Kelly and Birkin. Birkins and Kellys also come in the Sellier, or Rigide style. They are not in the least slouchy and do not require a liner to keep their shape.
Nope, still lumpy. Still flopped open. Ahh yes, the bag liner argument. Again, not luxury. I must buy an extra insert for a bag to look nice? Silly.
No, not silly at all and yes, almost all SERIOUS Hermès collectors buy inserts to help the bags stay clean and keep their shape. We buy them from 7 Rue Paradis, also known as 7RP. Do keep up!
If this bag is ugly than I’d hate to see what you think looks good lol
People are entitled to their opinion. I said what I said. I don’t like it. It’s ugly. If we all liked the same thing, the world would be dull, unexciting, and boring.
The leather looks sloppy, unshapely & messy. Maybe it looks better in person, but your photo doesn’t do it justice.
It’s a GREAT bag, and I am a bag fanatic. It bears repeating that the Margaux definitely needs a liner to keep its shape, as the leather is soft.
Thanks for the article, just a few comments.
As far as remember, the first items considered “handbags” appear at once in different region of the globe far from each other at the end of the last glaciation. However, if we want to verify the model, I would consider that the Assirian relief sculpture panel from Nimrud, Iraq from 860 bc could be one of the oldest representation that we can see with our eyes at the Brittish Museum.
Now, talking about the Margaux model from the Row. I think the The Row is one of those brands that has been inspired in previous models. In particular, Margaux is in my opinion looks like just an imperfect inspiration from a classical model from decades ago that was taken back to the scene as the Meryl from Decadent Copenhagen. If I remembered correctly, the Meryl was released one year earlier the the first Margaux.
You’re correct about the Merle. I love Decadent Copenhagen bags. Such good quality!
Gorgeous bag. I love the style.
Just purchased the Margaux 12 and I have to say, it’s a great in-between size if you don’t want the structured feel of the 10 and are worried about how the 15 will look on a petite frame. The grained black leather is also the softest, plushest leather I’ve ever touched. It’s really a very stunning bag.
I do find comparisons to the Birkin to be a bit strange, it’s nowhere near as recognisable and I feel a lot of people who buy the Margaux do so to stay under the radar. A Birkin is very noticeable; a Margaux will barely attract attention at all, mostly. It’s a bag you buy for yourself, because it’s very likely that only you will know it’s a branded bag. I’m not saying that you wouldn’t buy a Birkin for the same reason, but while I feel very self-conscious taking my Birkin to work, I would not feel self-conscious taking my Margaux.
These two look like bag ladies. I can’t take anything they do seriously. The price points are always ridiculous.
No similarities, except for the handles. Nope.
I am here for that lovely herringbone sofa! Oh…and bags are nice too.
I had to strong arm hubby to get that sofa! He likes it now.
Thank you for sharing! You have gorgeous bags, Charlotte <3
I saw the Margaux bag in dark brown and it was TDF.
Also, the tan bag that the other Margaux owner posted (next to the orange Hermès bag) is called the “Soft Margaux”. The one that I have and that Kendall Jenner is carrying is more structured.
My Birkin is the softer, Retourne version. But…the regular Margaux doesn’t even resemble the Sellier Birkin.
People, It’s Just A Bag.
Thank You
No, reference Sex and the City when Samantha said re: the Birkin “it’s just a bag” and the S.A. said “No, it’s a Birkin”. In that vein, it’s not “just a bag” it’s a Margaux. 😉
Just keep checking on The Real Real because they’re a lot less pricey on there. I once saw one of the larger ones get listed at just over 1k and it sold instantly. It looked brand new too-I wish I was the one who snagged it!! But I’d say check there first….you just never know!!
I was eyeballing a Margaux 15 in Taupe on TRR, it was ~4k but as usual non returnable which is a pass for me. Is it still there? It’s gorgeous. I got one from Net-A-Porter instead
You can now buy insurance on TRR to use if you wish to return the bag. I just saw that today, so it must be a very new option.
While I have a Birkin Sellier 30, Birkin 25 Retourne and a Kelly 20 en Desordre I can honestly say I prefer the larger bags. I have been thinking about purchasing a Margaux bag. The 10 does not appeal to me and the 17 looks like a travel bag. I think the 15 is perfect in size and appearance. This is a bag I will probably keep for years because it’s not flashy and will last.
The 15 is perfect on my 5 ‘8 frame. I have just ordered a 7RP liner to help keep its shape.
I’ve just purchased the Margaux 12 and I love it, but want to find a liner/insert so I don’t get the canvas inside dirty! Is 7RP customising a liner for you? I can’t see that they make inserts for the Margaux on their website 🙁
No, sadly 7RP doesn’t do custom work (yet). The 35 cm Birkin Retourne liner will work, as the Margaux curves in on the sides.
I’ve tried my Birkin 30cm Samorga insert and while it fits, it isn’t quite as wide as the Margaux 12 at the base so takes away some of the carrying capacity… hmm. Hopefully there will be some commercially available inserts soon given how popular the Margaux is becoming!
Oddly, 7 RP doesn’t make liners for my favorite H bag of all time, the Bolide. I was able to find a decent felt liner on Etsy for them. The Bolide really needs different shape liner than the other H bags. The Margaux seems flexible enough to not need an absolutely perfect fit. We’ll see.
Just bought a 15. I LOVE it. Unlike my H bags, it does not attract attention.
I admit that it’s not a particularly flattering photo, but if you’ve noticed, the Olsen twins like the bags they carry to look lived in, even beat up. That’s their thing.
Also, the Margaux in the photo is the ” Soft Margaux” version.” Note how less structured it is than Kendall Jenner’s black bag. I also prefer the structured version. If the Margaux resembles any Hermes bag, it’s the White Bus.
I want to like the bag and from pictures it looks quite luxurious but the popular sizes i.e. the 15 and 17 may be too big on petite frames like myself.
Try the 12! It’s an amazing everyday-bag size, and you don’t lose out so much on the slouch!
YES. A 10cm Margaux suits petite people better.
buy what suits you, not what’s popular.
The advantage of the 10 is a shoulder strap!
Absolutely. Fortunately, that is the wisdom that comes with being women of a certain age! I shake my head at the drama and torture that young Hermès customers are willing to go through today. Never in life would I go through that. OTHO, I bought stock in H when they went public, so I should not complain.
When did Hermes stock go public? I was not aware. Also, comparatively how is it doing? I’m curious because I was in my Hermes boutique, recently, and there wasn’t a lot of business. However, worldwide they may be doing well.
Hermès appears to be doing quite well since its IPO in 2009.
Help! Was there ever a Margaux 15 produced without the horizontal stitching?
I have the Margaux in sizes 10 and 12…. both beautifully crafted! I am considering the 15 for travel🤞