In April of 2019, I decided to treat myself and purchase my first luxury purse: a Saint Laurent bag to be specific! I did a silly amount of research before I commited on this beauty. In the city I lived in at the time, Louis Vuitton was the only luxury bag you saw. While I liked them (and still do!), I knew I wanted something different and more special. YSL was a brand that was rarely seen in my part of the Midwest, but I LOVED them. Not only that, but I find them very reasonably priced for a luxury brand. After lots and lots of positive reviews, I knew this bag was the winner. Now, it’s been almost two years. Do I still love it as much as I originally did?!
First Impressions
I ordered this bag online through Saks Fifth Avenue as there were no luxury boutiques in my old state. While I did get a nice coupon, $500 off of my total price, it was still by far the most money I had ever spent on a purse. At the time, the only luxury pieces I invested in were shoes, so I didn’t really know what to expect! None of my friends really cared for luxury at the time and it wasn’t anything I was used to in my family, either. My grandma was into brands when she was younger and we like to say it skipped a generation and I clearly received a double dose!
The first thing I noticed was the leather. It felt SO nice and soft. Quality was something you couldn’t deny. The chain had a very nice weight to it and the size is perfect for a crossbody bag. I personally don’t have any problems wearing this bag during the day, but it definitely works well into the evening and night. It just looks SO GOOD. I wore it everywhere. To work, restaurants, drinks with friends… The only place it didn’t come with was when I’d go out with friends to grab drinks at bars/clubs. To be fair, I very rarely brought purses there as I find them quite inconvenient.
I felt so cool with my new Saint Laurent bag and I just had to show it off everywhere I went! Before, I wore a Michael Kors structured tote-style bag, so I had to learn to carry a bit less on me. While it was a bit tough at first, I came around and to this day, almost all of my purses are crossbody style. You could say the Saint Laurent bag changed my life.
The First Year
Within the first year, I took this purse with me to weddings, Chicago, Orlando, Kansas City, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Sacramento, AND San Antonio. It truly racked up the miles in a short amount of time. I did find it hard to switch to other purses I had because this one was by FAR my favorite. Towards the end of 2019, I ended up buying a Louis Vuitton Graceful PM and I was pretty good at changing between the two, especially since the LV was a tote style shoulder bag.
Something I noticed with the LV bag is that I got more stares than I did with the YSL. It was in the Damier Azur print (the white little squares!) which is pretty recognizable and at times, made me uncomfortable. The YSL didn’t get as many stares because it’s not nearly as recognizable. It does have the YSL logo in the middle, but honestly, it’s not an obvious logo in the Midwest. Even now in France it doesn’t seem to be too flashy. They’re also a bit more common, here. This could however be because of where I live (luxury brands galore), but still!
And Now?
She honestly looks SO GOOD! I was shocked when I found the original receipt that said she’s two years old. The chain looks just about perfect; there is slight discoloration around the hooks, but I didn’t even notice it until I inspected her for this post. The YSL logo and clasp, however, does have a bit of scratching, but it doesn’t bother me and it’s not noticeable unless you’re looking closely at it. As for the leather, there are scratches on the front and a bit on the inside. This is mainly due to the fact that I’m a bit rough with my bags and I used to wear fake nails. I’m sure if I was more careful, there wouldn’t be as many. But even there, it’s not bad and again, you can’t notice it unless you’re examining the purse.
Sometimes, the leather has a bit of discoloration when closely examining it in natural light; it looks almost oil slicked! Again, not something I ever noticed before this post. 🙂 The only real defect is the leather on the left side is a bit deformed. When I moved from the US to France, I had to pack some purses. I chose to travel with my brand new Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis inside my backpack to protect it and I packed the Saint Laurent bag in one of my seven suitcases. Well, it got a little bit squished in there and I haven’t been able to fix it. 🙁 It’s not bad, and I think I make a bigger deal out of it than it is, but it still blows. The last problem I noticed is on the bottom. There is some scratching, discoloration, and fading.
Saint Laurent Bag Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Top handle! I love doubling up the strap and putting my arm through it and the top handle. It’s such a look! The top handle is very sturdy and spacious.
- The chain. If you’re a fan of chain straps, this doesn’t disappoint! It’s heavy enough, beautiful, durable, comfortable. The leather at the top sits nicely on your shoulder so you don’t have to worry about the chain digging in.
- Price point. Again, for luxury, this is SO GOOD! I did compare prices between 2019 and now, and you guys- IT’S THE SAME! There was NO PRICE HIKE! Chanel is shaking right now…
- The closure. This bag has a magnetic ‘snap’ closure, and it’s a strong one at that. I never have to worry about closing it improperly and having my bag flap around, asking for all of the pickpocketers to come my way. I haven’t had any issues with the leather bending with opening/closing it, but I’m not yanking on it, either.
Cons:
- The leather. While it is soft, it is lambskin and that is more delicate. It damages very easily as you saw above, so be careful!
- Size. Okay, I can live with the size, but honestly it’s so much easier to switch to my LV Pochette Metis that actually fits everything I need. With what I carry on a day to day basis, I usually can’t fit sunglasses in it and if I try to squeeze my phone in, I feel like I’m stretching it out too much.
- Back pocket doesn’t zip. Need I say anymore? I don’t trust pockets that don’t zip!
Final Thoughts on the Saint Laurent Collège Bag
So. Two years and four new luxury bags later, this one is still high on my list! I consider it my 2nd favorite bag and it sees the light of day quite often. The main reason? That TOP HANDLE. Honestly, I can’t express how much I love it, especially when I’m doing photoshoots outside. I love being able to carry it comfortably there and use the chain to my advantage. I also find that it photographs beautifully and you can’t really see the dent when I’m wearing it! It’s mostly for solo bag shots that it sticks out. Plus, it’s my first luxury bag purchase ever! It’ll always have a special place in my heart and I will never get rid of it.
In my opinion, the Saint Laurent Medium Collège bag in a neutral shade (be careful with light colors as they almost always get color transfer from denim!) is a great purchase, especially as an intro into the world of luxury handbags. The quality is top notch, the price is reasonable (again, for luxury!), and it is a timeless piece. This isn’t a trendy bag (Bottega Veneta, I’m looking at you…) that will come and go with the years. It’s a classic, and one heck of a good one at that! I know in the future, I’m looking to get the LouLou, which is a very similar design to the Collège, in a beige or gray tone. That’s how much I love this bag, I want a similar model in a new shade!
What was your first designer bag purchase? Or what do you want it to be? Let me know in the comments below!
Also, be sure to check out my What’s In My Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis Bag post in order to get a little preview on my favorite purse in my collection before she gets her own review. 🙂
Saint Laurent Medium Collège Links:
US Link: Here
France Link: Here
Net-A-Porter Link: Here
Matches Link: Here
Saks Fifth Avenue Link: Here
Farfetch Link: Here
XO, Tess
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