Handbags

Polène Paris Umi Bag

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I recently shared in my Mansur Gavriel bucket bag review that I have been refining my bag collection (especially since my wardrobe has been pretty drab all year throughout my pregnancy). One brand I recently discovered is Polène Paris and after falling down a YouTube rabbit hole I really wanted to own one of their bags.

I ended up falling for the Umi Bag, mostly because I wanted a medium sized shoulder bag and the clever strap design won me over. I love the rich camel color (although the clay was hard to pass up), and opted to pre-order it since it was not available in October/November when I went to purchase.

Unfortunately for several reasons that I share below and in my unboxing video I ended up returning this bag (and replacing it with something I absolutely LOVE and have been getting ample wear out of!).

Pros

  • Versatile with the two srap options and very clever strap design

  • Lovely hardware that isn’t a typical buckle

  • Minimal branding and an elegant logo

  • Beautiful pebbled leather that will likely wear well

Cons

  • The interior feels unfinished with the construction of the bag being so clearly visible

  • The zipper is stiff and not effortless to open

  • The bag opening is a bit tight to get things in and out

  • Adjusting the strap was difficult and the leather loop meant to hold the excess strap was a bit too small and rubbed harshly on the glazing. Overall it felt like an afterthought and not the best design

  • The customer service is pretty abysmal. I didn’t receive a shipment notification for my pre-order and after inquiring it took nearly a week to hear back from Polène who blamed it on DHL for not sending. Returns are also not free which sucks for a brand you can’t see in person, but that is stated on the website and understandable.