Polène, the new ‘It’ handbag brand? As its first Asian store opens in Tokyo, the French label is setting TikTok alight, and is worn by Kate Middleton and Emily in Paris’ Lily Collins
- Joining cult ‘It’ bag brands like Celine and Bottega Veneta, Polène’s pieces are made with superb quality and a timeless design – and come at an affordable price tag of about US$470 apiece
- The founders’ great-grandfather was behind Saint James, which launched the iconic Breton shirt loved by Picasso, Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn and Kurt Cobain, and now they’re venturing into accessories
There’s a new “It” bag in town. Several of them in fact – and they’re all made by a brand that was founded just seven years ago. That’s right: the latest must-have cross body bag isn’t a Celine or a Bottega Veneta, but a Polène.
These oh-so-supple, minimalist creations are covetable for all the right reasons. Not only are Polène’s designs genuinely unique and made from impeccable quality full-grain calf leather, but each piece is handcrafted in Europe by some of the most talented leather artisans in the world. Oh, and did we mention the average cost is just US$470?
No wonder TikTokkers are losing their minds over every unboxing, store opening and shred of proof that, yes, it really is hard to tell the quality apart from a bag that costs five times as much.
So who’s behind this Parisian brand that’s taking the world by storm and what’s its next move going to be? Read on to find out about its new Tokyo boutique, jewellery and shoe lines, and much more.
Polène was started by three siblings in Paris
It all started with a visit to a Spanish Hermès workshop in 2014, according to Antoine Mothay, who decided – along with big brother Mathieu and younger sister Elsa – that it was time they launched their own brand.
“I stood for two or three hours in front of an artisan explaining all the details about what it takes to have the perfect bag,” he told Fashionista.
Inspired by what he saw, he then carried out almost a year and a half of research, spending several months in eastern Europe and Portugal, and a whole year in Spain, per the same source. The entire project was built painstakingly from scratch. Even more impressive is the trio’s age. The eldest among them, Mathieu, is not yet 40.
After 25 different prototypes, the family had their first bag – simply called Numéro Un – which remains one of the brand’s bestsellers. With its distinctive shape and blended curves, it’s the perfect combination of structure and softness, statement and subtlety.
Their great grandfather is a fashion legend too
Entrepreneurial spirit and savoir faire runs in the Mothays’ veins. Their great-grandfather Léon Legallais launched the brand Saint James, which created the iconic Breton-stripe shirt, per Forbes.
“Beginning with my great-grandfather, it is a family tradition to produce high-quality pieces that age well,” Mathieu told Afar magazine.
Antoine agrees that the three were certainly not totally clueless when it came to creating superlative pieces: “[Saint James’] products are very high quality. I think that gave us a taste of what good products should be,” he told Fashionista.