Review! The Row Soft Margaux 12

I am SUPER excited to share this bag with you all! This is The Row Soft Margaux 12 Bag in smooth calfskin leather. I've been eyeing this bag for about a year and finally took the plunge and bought it two months ago. These photos were taken when it was brand spanking new. If you would like to see how it looks after two months of wear, check out my YouTube review. I do a lot of things to the bag that would probably freak out a lot of people! 😅 

For reference I'm 4 feet 11 inches tall.

In this video I show what fits, how easy it is to scratch the leather, how the leather reacts to water and conditioner. 

The Row Soft Margaux 12 New Burgundy

(This exact color is currently sold out.)

This tote currently comes in four sizes (10, 12, 15, and 17) I went with size 12. The number is a reference to the bag's length measured in inches. 

Measurements 12 x 9 x 7.5 in.

I think this size is the perfect size for me. The size 10 looks a little too rigid. I wanted a softer, slightly slouchy looking tote. This tote can be carried three different ways, by the top handle, crook of the arm, and it comes with a removable and adjustable crossbody strap. I will say that I maybe used the crossbody strap once. I mainly carry the tote by the handle.

This tote is effortlessly chic and flies under the radar. When my co-workers saw the bag, they remarked at how gorgeous it looked on my desk, and asked where I bought it. When I replied, "The Row", they had never heard of the brand, which didn't surprise me. The Row is somewhat of a hidden secret brand, one of those iykyk (If you know, you know). The epitome of quiet luxury. There's hardly any branding on this bag. Just super tiny gold letters on the side of the bag that spells out The Row. It's easy to miss and only notice it if you're looking for it, which is why I am willing to take this bag with me on public transportation. I have been using this bag as my everyday work/office tote. It doesn't fit your average laptop, but it might fit an iPad if you're willing to undo the side buckles, which I am not. That's just too time consuming. That's why I also carry a backpack. All of my electronics are safely stored in my backpack for work. 

This bag will elevate your outfit. It really makes the outfit even with my Allbirds Wool Runners. How gorgeous is the color and the leather?! 😍 I can't believe I finally own one. It is not easy to get one of these bags. It's almost always sold out on The Row's website. They do pop up, but they sell out in minutes. I had to stalk the website for a month everyday until I finally saw one in a color and leather and size that I wanted. It's also somewhat rare to find one on a resale site like Fashionphile and TheRealReal. Why that is, I have no clue. You can easily find a Birkin on any resale website, albeit at a huge markup. 

People have been saying this is the new Birkin. But is it really? Here are my thoughts, if you're not ready or can't shell out $15K for a Birkin, you might consider getting a Margaux for a third of the price. The Margaux is still expensive, don't get me wrong. Is it worth the price? That's a really personal question and depends if you will use the bag or not. I've seen a few pop up on Fashionphile as pre-owned for a little less than retail and they usually sell in a few days. There are about ten on TheRealReal at the time of this post mostly in size 10 which makes me think that size is too small, and size 12 the best size.

Let's take a closer look at the calfskin leather. Mine is smooth and it's softer than a baby's butt. It's so soft that if you breath on this bag, it will get scratches! Just handling the bag inside my house I got a scratch from my nails. The other thing is this leather is delicate. It's on the thinner side and scratches do not buff out as easily. If you use leather conditioner definitely spot check it to make sure the conditioner is safe to use on the bag. I tried it with mixed results. 

Here is the only branding on the bag. Super tiny gold lettering spelling out The Row. But just look at that buttery leather! 😍 This is a real working buckle.

The stitching is tight and perfect. This bag arrived straight from Italy in perfect condition. The handles may look thin, but they are so comfortable to hold and to carry. I have zero complaints about the handles. 

The buckle is stamped with The Row as are the feet.

This is an open tote with no real closure except for this toggle. I do not like using this toggle as it is finicky and I feel like it pulls at the leather panels. I'm not willing to do this to the bag because over time it will likely warp the bag.

Inside of the bag is also stamped with The Row and Made In Italy in gold letters.

Four feet!

Inside lining is fabric. It looks like herringbone and has a texture to it.

Just look at this bag. How beautiful is it? Here it is next to my Catogram Speedy 30. They are very similar in size. 

Here it is next to my Speedy 25 in Millesime leather. The two of these bags have the best leather I've ever felt. These two bags just make my heart sing! 

That's it for me! Don't forget to check out my video of the bag! You don't want to miss it. I go into way more detail about the bag and show the wear after having it for two months. Let me know what you think of this bag, is it worthy of being an It Bag? Let me know in the comments below.

That's it for me! Happy Monday!

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