The Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag

I discovered a package from Net-A-Porter on my doorstep earlier last week – a Mansur Gavriel mini bucket bag. I had pre-ordered it months ago, and so long had passed that I had forgotten about the whole thing (and actually had already ordered a different bucket bag…more on that later).

When I was deciding between various Mansur Gavriel bucket bag iterations, I looked up reviews online, but saw very few for this “mini” size, out this year. I hope this review helps some of you who are considering this bag.

I had read that Mansur Gavriel leather was stiffer, being “natural vegetable tanned leather”, but when I got mine in the mail I was still surprised by how stiff it was. I know that you’re supposed to “break in” the leather, but it stiffness still surprised me. It felt a little bit “forced” to tie up the bag with its drawstring, although the leather gave way nicely and looked fine.

A peek at the beautiful red interior, which of course is a hallmark of Mansur Gavriel bags. I love the idea of contrasting interiors, kind of like Hermes except you don’t get to pick the color and the price point is nearly 20X less.

Just a point that the inside actually isn’t lined – it’s just raw leather that’s been treated with some type of paint. The red treatment was done very nicely however, and felt very smooth. I can imagine that if you spilled something inside, you could just wipe it clean easily with a damp cloth.

A quick look at what fits inside. Even though the bag is called a “mini” bucket, I didn’t find it very miniature at all. I’d definitely compare it more to a standard size handbag. You could also easily add a water bottle.

My little notebook is from Moleskine, the wallet is Hermes (turquoise from years ago), and my sunglasses are from Barton Perreira.

And, some photos of the bag on. First as a shoulder bag (I had the strap set on almost the shortest length here). I’d imagine the bag would work for a variety of heights as a shoulder.

And then how I’d most likely be wearing the bag, as a crossbody. I lengthened the strap here to almost its longest point, so I can see this maybe being too short to wear crossbody style for tall ladies.

I had some requests for outfit identification. My shoes are older season Saint Laurent (I love, love these Louboutin blush versions though), but my dress is still available for $18 right now at Old Navy!

Overall? I think that the mini bucket is a great bag option for anybody looking for a classic and versatile black bag for under $500. Some thoughts:

Pros:

The bag is super light weight, perfect for when you’re running around all day. It has an adjustable strap to wear multiple ways, looks great, and I love the surprise of the red lining. It’s a great price point at under $500, especially when you’re looking at what designer bags are going for these days!

Cons:

The bag isn’t very secure – even cinched at its tightest, you can still slip a hand in, which you should keep in mind if you’re planning on using this as a tourist bag in pickpocket areas, or if you’re worried about stuff falling out. Also, the smaller mini size is only $30 less than the large bucket size – why doesn’t it come with a pouch, too?

This bag is still hard to find, but I’d recommend stalking these links accordingly.

Large (original) size bucket bag – more stock coming soon, so add to your wishlist

Mini bucket bag (the one I reviewed above) – more stock coming soon, so add to your wishlist.

Mansur at Bergdorf Goodman – they update inventory real time, so pop back frequently! Sometimes there are nice surprises and they also have an array of colors, sizes, and styles.