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BEFORE YOU READ THIS, KNOW I PURCHASED THIS BAG MYSELF.

I’ve been wanting a new bag for a whileeee. I have had my eye on a black Celine or Prada, but when I discovered the brand Senreve, I knew it was next in line to the throne known as my wardrobe. (I think I first learned of them when I saw Katey McFarlan styling her orange mini maestra.)

Last month Senreve, had an earth day sale and I decided to pull the trigger on my next IT BAG. (Also I got a new job and it was kind of like a YAY ME gift too.) They were discounting bags that were used as samples or in photoshoots. So technically they were “used” but had never truly been used. A lot of designer brands would rather burn their product than discount it; however, Senreve chose to repurpose theirs with new homes! As an apparel merchandising major, I know how luxury works… if you discount it is no longer luxury by definition. (One of my favorite books on this topic is called Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster.). I did get a small discount on this bag (was on sale for $716, normally $895 including tax and shipping) and I paid for it with QuadPay (divided it up into 4 payments instead of 1 w/ 0% interest!), but let me tell you… that 20% off that I received did not take away one ounce of the luxury from that bag!!

As of 9/9 Use code ELLEMULENOS for $50 off any purchase greater than $300! Just add it to the cart and use the code!

Senreve Maestra Bag (Use code ELLEMULENOS for $50 off a purchase greater than $300! Just add it to the cart and use the code!) | Madewell Highpoint Tank Dress in Sulley Stripe | Levi’s Denim Jacket | Kendra Scott Paxton Hoop Earrings | Marc Fisher Adalla Wedges

Before I get into why I love this bag, let me first give you a brief history of the brand. Senreve was launched by Coral Chung and Wendy Wen toward the end of 2016. They were (and still are!) professional business women who lacked a bag that “did it all” alongside them! Both worked in the luxury market space (Prada and Chanel) and knew they could do better than their then current work bag. In their own words, they were inspired by the women who did it all and wanted to help them continue to multitask without compromise. The name Senreve is derived from the french words for sense (sens) and dream (rêver). Think sensible design, but dreamy like luxury! Their symbol is the Octopi. Much like the modern woman, it represents diversity, intelligence, insight, complexity, vision, and versatility. Additionally it is able to “juggle” many things like work, home and life outside of both of those. They do it all and carry it all! In their Senreve of course ;)

Okay so is the Maestra worth it? 100% yes. I would pay full price for this bag and still be 100% happy with my purchase. Here’s what I love about it:

• Style - The Maestra is a classic bag that isn’t in your face, yet demands attention with its minimalistic silhouette. It is as chic as they come! It is a show stopper and gets tons of compliments wherever I go.

• Versatility - One of my buzzwords!! Who wants me to do one of my The Art of Versatility posts on this bag?! Yes you can wear it to work AND on the weekend, but you can also style the actual bag different ways! From shoulder bag to crossbody, to backpack, it fits your lifestyle! You can change the strap length with an easy snap adjustment too! I have utilized it as a backpack more than I ever thought I would. It’s great when you have a lot of stuff to carry and just need a way to make it in one trip. Looking at you, grocery bags!!

• Durability - It is scratch, stain, water resistant!! This is a beautiful, structured leather bag that can stand on its own. Literally and figuratively. It also has metal feet to protect the base. Need I say more?!

• Quality - Senreve bags are handmade in Italy, the land of craftsmanship. This kind of falls under durability, but I just thought it should be mentioned. The bags are genuine leather and their liners are made of a tough microsuede.

• Inside - They say not to judge a book by its cover, but man is the Maestra beautiful. I expected that when I got it. What I didn’t expect is how stunning the inside is! There are so many pockets and pouches… one for my laptop, chapstick, wallet and more. There is pretty much a spot for everything! In the case that it isn’t enough, they also have this caddy insert.

• Price - $895+ depending on leather you choose. It’s a lot. I understand. BUT. I still think it’s a good deal for what you are getting. A designer tote (unstructured) costs about the same and most of those don’t include tax. Don’t get me wrong, I love my designer totes (I have a Louis Vuitton Neverfull GM and a Tom Ford), but the Senreve Maestra body as a Celine or Prada brand would cost double, even triple the Maestra non-sale price! ALSO, y’all know I love to look at Cost per Wear and I plan on wearing this bag forever! With its durability and style, it’s pretty much a cake walk regarding CPW.

• Warranty - Every bag has a lifetime warranty and they stand by it! My doctor bag ended up having a strap broke and I inquired about having it replaced via the warranty. I was stunned when they not only gave me a new strap, but a new bag too! I had to send in photos and send the original bag back, but still! It was great. This is a wonderful policy!

• Company - I mentioned it above, but I truly love the mission and story behind the brand, which makes me love their products that much more!

Let’s be real, nothing is perfect. Here are some things that aren’t my favorite about the Maestra:

• Closure - I’m not sure if it is because my bag is newer, but it’s sometimes hard to “button” the closure. It has a peg hole type closure, much like that of a belt. It’s sturdy that’s for sure, which I guess is what matters.

• Side Heavy - Kind of like top heavy, but different. I think this is a personal problem rather than a Maestra problem, but if you’re going to wear it on your shoulder, you HAVE to close the bag before doing so, or the bag tilts stuff may slip out. The closure for sure balances out the bag. Sounds intuitive, but sometimes I’m in a hurry and you need 2 hands to close the bag. Just a side note, I typically use a lot of tote bags that I don’t have to shut. #habit

Overall, the pros FAR outweigh the cons. I don’t even want to call them cons, because they aren’t really dealbreakers… just things I noticed! For specifics, I got the Maestra in pebbled sand leather. I looked at the Midi Maestra and the Mini Maestra, but I love a big bag and wanted the largest one possible. I think if I got another Maestra, it would be the mini! Not sure I have an immediate need for the midi.

I get a lot of questions about work bags. This is not going to replace my Dagne Dover backpack at all. I still recommend that for travel. Not that I wouldn’t travel with the Maestra, but would use them for different things. IE the Dagne Dover is great in lieu of carry-on luggage. Also, I still love Cuyana. Their leather goods (their Oversized Carryall is one of my faves!), are still my jam, but the Maestra is more functional in my opinion. I can fit a lot more in the Cuyana Carryall, but I’m digging blindly and that is no fun. The Maestra is also more formal, but can still be dressed down. It truly is a versatile piece! What’s next on my list? Would love to get one of their envelope clutches. You can use it stand alone, but it also fits inside the Maestra!

Senreve. Carry-alls for women who carry it all! Including snacks ;) Anyone hungry?! (This girl keeps her bags STOCKED.) Oh and use code ELLEMULENOS for $50 off any purchase of $300 or over!

P.S. I wrote this post, because one of my post popular pieces is Are Hunter Boots Worth the Investment. It’s a great question to ask if something is worth the money and I promise to continue asking the question!!

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