Right off the bat, you gotta admit, the designs are…interesting. Like, they’re definitely not your run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter handbag. They’ve got this kinda, sorta, sculptural thing going on, which, okay, I can dig. That “Berri” bag? Kinda weird, kinda cool. I saw it in person once, and you know what? The leather does look pretty darn good. Like, REALLY good. That’s probably why people are willing to shell out the cash for ’em.
But let’s be real, the whole “Maison de Maroquinerie Parisienne” thing? Feels a *little* try-hard, doesn’t it? I mean, they *are* French, which automatically gives them some points in the “chic” department, but still. It’s a lot of hype for a brand that’s, relatively speaking, pretty new to the game. I saw something about a store in the Champs-Élysées district…fancy!
I did some digging, and I’ve seen, you know, those “Honest Polene Bag Review” type things. Some people swear by them, say they’re worth every penny. Others? Not so much. I saw one review complain that the stitching wasn’t quite perfect, and another said the bag didn’t hold as much as they thought. It all really comes down to personal prefrence, I guess.
And then there’s the whole “is it REALLY worth the money” debate. You could probably buy a similar-looking bag from a smaller, independent brand for less, and maybe even get better quality. But hey, you’re also paying for the name, the “Parisian chic” vibe, and the bragging rights, right?
I will say one thing though, those belts they got? I kinda like them. I’ve seen a few that are kinda minimalist but still have that weird… almost organic… shape that I think is Polene’s signature.
