I Tried a Bunch of Quince’s Bags. Here’s What I’m Keeping.
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Quince’s inventory is expansive and only growing, and we’ve tried a lot of it—protein,couches,sheets,luggage. But I’m particularly interested in the bags. In addition to being a former footwear designer, I’ve also dabbled in bag design myself and worked closely alongside more dedicated bag designers and product developers. Because Quince bills itself as a low-priced purveyor of otherwise high-end products, examining their offerings from the technical feels necessary. I also have very strong opinions about what makes an aesthetically good bag and welcome any opportunity to share my personal thoughts.
I didn’t testeverybag Quince offers because there are literally hundreds of styles, colors, and materials to choose from. Instead, I opted for a selection of 21 pieces, which I picked based on a combination of factors: personal taste, timelessness and practicality, obvious similarity to more high-end styles (each bag is compared to three similar yet pricier styles, so I chose a few of the more obvious dupes), and materials and constructions (Quince has everything from weatherproof nylon totes to ruched leather clutches, and I wanted to see how well each stood up).I also asked a friend with years of bag production and design experience to weigh in on the value and quality of each one, which informed my reviews.
In general, the synthetic bags turned out to be surprisingly well made and extremely fairly priced. The leather and suede styles were a bit more touch-and-go but also well-priced in general. And regardless of material, the simplest styles ended up being the best bets in terms of both looks and value. Quince lists each bag’s cost alongside what they say should be the “traditional retail” from a non-direct-to-consumer brand, but I was less concerned about that — only a handful were even remotely comparably priced, and my recommendations and opinions are based on what I like (and what I think you’ll like) the most, and whether it’s worth what you’reactuallybeing asked to pay.
The ones I’m keeping
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Details:100% woven leather exterior with 100% cotton lining, three internal pockets, and hidden magnetic top closure |Measurements:14” high x 20” wide x 3” deep, 11” strap drop |Compare to:Bembien,Dragon Diffusion,Milaner
I love a woven leather accessory, and I also love a big, floppy, hardware-free leather tote, so I was particularly excited to try this one. On first impression, I was underwhelmed — I opted for the Dark Brown color, which has a warm, chocolatey tone on the website but turned out to be much flatter and more muted in real life (imagine a Hershey’s kiss that’s visibly past its expiration date). The muted color gave the whole thing a slightly faux-leather look. Quince says the leather is hand-woven, but I’m a little doubtful of that given the overall uniformity of the weave (machines are better at that). But it is real, woven leather nonetheless, and overall, it’s a nicely made bag that I’ve ended up using quite a lot.
The body was relatively supple and soft right from the jump — apleasant surprise considering it has a fabric lining (my preference for floppy bags means I tend to prefer something unlined), and it’s continued to soften as I use it.The woven exterior is very nicely made andextends seamlessly from the bag’s body into the straps(a technique that requires much more work than attaching the straps separately), and the interior details also show nice attention to detail. The quality of the materials and overall construction aren’t on par with any of the three so-called comparable bags Quince cites, but itisa well-done and versatile bag that I’m confident will get even better over time, and it’s well worth the $154 they’re charging.
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Details:100% suede exterior, cotton-poly chambray lining, three leather-trimmed internal pockets, zip closure with leather pull, gold hardware |Measurements:Approx. 12” high x 19” wide, adjustable strap drop |Compare to:Flattered,Parker Thatch,Khaite
Of all the bags I tried, this might be my favorite. On a personal level, it checks a lot of boxes: big, slouchy (well, sort of — the chambray lining is thick, and the suede is definitely on the inexpensive side and thus not particularly supple, but it’s a fine start and I have faith that it’ll soften up much more over time), casual but still fairly luxe-looking (which tends to be the case with even lower-quality suede, unlike equivalently priced leather that can look plastic-y), and affordable enough to use everyday without being too precious about it. I chose the Whiskey color, which, while not as warm and caramel-y as it looks online, is very pretty nonetheless. The gold hardware has a shinier finish than I’d like (another indication of cost-cutting), but it’s heavy in a good way and quite subtle when paired with the bag’s caramel-y color, so I’m not bothered by it. I would never mistake it forKhaiteorParker Thatch, but it definitely doesn’t look cheap.
On the technical side, it’s also very well done. The strap edges are neatly painted, the adjustablestrap drop lengths are all very functional (it works as both a shoulder bag and a cross-body), and the strap itself has a suede exterior but a leathering lining to prevent crocking (a.k.a. transferring color from the material to clothing or skin, which suede has a tendency to do). Even the leather on the zipper pull is nice and sturdy. This obvious attention to detail makes it even less of a big deal that the suede is inexpensive (you can tell by the relative thickness, rougher texture, and pronounced nap). When you also take into account the bag’s substantial size, $168 feels more than fair.
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Details:100% top-grain pebbled leather exterior, suede lining, removable suede-lined leather internal pouch, metal toggle closure |Measurements:11.5” high x 13” wide x 6” deep, 10.5” strap drop |Compare to:Cuyana,Mansur Gavriel,the Row
From afar (and perhaps at first glance close-up), it’s not hard to mistake the Soft Bucket Shoulder Bag for theRow’s N/S Park Tote. And since I love the Park (the large sizeespecially is my platonic ideal of a bag, especially because it’s unlined, has zero hardware, and is both unbelievably chic and inherently casual — the epitome of what I like to call undercover luxury), it’s hard to not love this bag, too. Part of what makes it look so luxe yet cost so little is the utter simplicity of the design: The body is just two pieces of leather sewn together with a folded top edge with a very minimal interior, meaning there are far fewer construction details to worry about, and thus fewer opportunities to cut corners for affordability. And there’s also the quality of Quince’s materials: “Top grain” leather sounds like the best of the best, but it’s actually a step down from the full-grain that the Row uses. (Mansur Gavrielpresumably uses full-grain, too.) And while the lining is indeed genuine suede and very nice, it also looks like a lower-quality skin.
Still, none of this is a dealbreaker, nor is the fact that I find the strap drop to be a touch too short, or that the strap itself is thicker, slicker, and stiffer than necessary, which causes it to slip off the shoulder from time to time. At the end of the day, the Italian Soft Leather Bucket Bag is both a convincing dupe at a bargain-basement price and a great-looking bag in general. I could see some stores charging as much as $250 for it.
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Details:100% top-grain leather exterior and lining, interior leather slip pocket, adjustable leather strap, leather-wrapped magnetic frame closure |Measurements:5” high x 10” wide x 3.5” deep, adjustable 24” strap drop |Compare to:Porto,Loeffler Randall,Mansur Gavriel
I was particularly excited to try this bag for two reasons: First, it’s definitely a standout in the Quince lineup, which is extensive but consists pretty exclusively of much more traditional silhouettes; and second, I’m trying to grow my collection of “going out” bags, and the understated yet non-traditional design and small but still functional size of this bag make it a very appealing addition. I’m pretty happy with it. It’s just as attractive as it looks online, the size is right (easily fits a phone, wallet, and amini Hydro Flask), the leather feels smooth and even smells like it’s good quality, and the adjustable strap means it can be worn as both a cross-body and clutch. In short, it does what I wanted and expected it to do. It’s obviously not a high-end piece up close — the leather, while nice, is not nearly as supple as you’d expect from a pricier bag (the one fromMansur Gavriel, for example, is made from lambskin, which is notoriously soft and thin), and the sewn-together gathered portions on either side feel like a budget move — but that’s also why it’s not as expensive as the styles Quince likens it to. It’s much more comparable to something you’d find atCos, which makes the $130 cost feel totally reasonable.
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Details:100% recycled poly (water-resistant), front zip pocket with leather card slots, back slip pocket with magnetic snap closure, nylon webbing with nappa leather trim, tonal metal hardware |Measurements:8.7” high x 6.7” wide x 1.6” deep, 26-46” adjustable strap drop |Compare to:MZ Wallace,Marc Jacobs,Moncler
While I didn’t hate this bag on the website, I definitely wasn’t expecting to like or use it as much as I do. On a purely superficial level, it’s nothing special — the very basic design and lack of distinguishing branding you might expect on something from a bigger label suggest a random Amazon purchase — but the attention to detail is surprisingly great, with a matte nylon body, tonal hardware (I would not have tolerated contrasting silver or gold), and tonal leather pulls (a nice upgrade for such a sporty bag). It’s also very functional; I wear it on walks, and it’s big enough to comfortably hold my 24ozOwala(which is taller than the bag so it sticks out of the top, but still nestles in quite nicely), phone, earbuds, keys, and wallet without feeling overstuffed.
Most impressive, however, is the bag’s quality. The quilted nylon exterior is substantial. The webbing is impressively thick and durable, so there’s no worry about it baconing out (i.e., curling along the edges, which thinner nylon tends to do). The hardware is made of coated metal (using plastic would have been easier). And the leather trim, leather zipper pull, and interior leather card slots are by no means necessary in terms of functionality, but they do create a much more luxe product. In other words, Quince doesn’t seem to have cut any corners with this bag, so charging just $52 feels like a total steal.
If you’re more of a fanny pack person or want something even more compact, I also tested and liked theAll-Day Neoprene Belt Bag(comparable in both looks and functionality toDagne Doverbut nearly half the price).
Not for me, but still worth the money
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Details:Water-resistant 100% recycled nylon, interior zip pocket, interior slip pocket, zip closure |Measurements:8” high x 13” wide x 4” deep, adustable strap drop |Compare to:Baggu,AllSaints,Alo
Much like theQuilted Phone Crossbodyabove, I was pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail and high quality of this otherwise simple nylon crescent bag. It’s almost identical to the comparableBaggu medium crescent bag, but the materials are actually better: The nylon is thicker and sturdier and it’s fully-lined, the hardware is plastic but quite hefty, and, like the quilted phone cross-body above, the webbing is significantly higher quality, both visibly and to the touch. In fact, the only reason I haven’t used this Quince bag more, and likely won’t going forward, is because I also own and love the aforementioned Baggu (I have a real soft spot for classic Baggu in general), and I don’t need two of the same style. But if you do, then I highly recommend buying it — $32 is a great price and honestly about $20 less than I’d expect it to be.
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100% calf suede with cotton-poly lining, leather trim, metal feet, and a zip closure.
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100% calf suede, unlined, with a hidden magnetic top closure.
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100% calf suede with nylon lining, leather trim, and a magnetic flap closure.
I’m lumping these styles together because they’re all very attractive, nicely made, and fairly priced suede/leather bags that I genuinely like and want to use, but somehow never get around to actually carrying out the door — which I finally accepted means they’re not the bags for me. But that’s no reason they shouldn’t be for someone else. All three are made from 100 percent calf suede that’s smooth and richly colored, and which feels and smells especially nice on the unlinedSuede Slouchy Shoulder Bag— my favorite of the bunch thanks to it’s simplicity, slouchiness, and aforementioned lack of lining. (For something unlined but larger, try theItalian Suede Everyday Tote. It has a hard bottom panel for added structure that detracted from the overall loose feel I was personally looking for, but it’s a really beautiful bag nonetheless.)
TheSuede Saddle BagandSuede Bucket Crossbodyhave a lot more going on in terms of construction details (hardware, leather straps, synthetic linings) but are relatively minimalist nonetheless and made with obvious attention to detail. I’d liken each one to something you might find at Madewell, but with slightly higher level of quality and a pleasingly lower price point.
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Details:100% top-grain leather, magnetic snap closure, poly-satin lining, interior 13” laptop slip pocket with elastic and velcro strap, large interior zip pocket, two interior slip pockets with leather trim |Measurements:11” high x 18” wide x 5” deep, 10” strap drop |Compare to:Kate Spade,Cuyana,Mansur Gavriel
Contrary to the generality of its name, this is actually a work bag, with a spacious main pouch, a laptop slip pocket on one side, a large zippered pocket and two slip pockets on the other, and an easily accessible key hook (always helpful in any bag, large or small). It’s helpfully rather than overly compartmentalized, and the nice-looking leather exterior is very decent quality and should stand the test of time. Nonetheless, I was expecting this to be an all-purpose rather than work-specific tote, so both the thicker-than-normal nylon lining and the excess of pockets (especially the elastic strap and velcro closure on the padded laptop sleeve) really threw me for a loop. I’ll personally be sticking with theItalian Leather Handwoven Totefor both work and day-to-day, since it’s bigger and I’m not a huge fan of dedicated pockets on bags (I’d rather use various pouches for organization). But if you’re looking for a well-made, relatively straightforward, genuine leather work tote at more-than-reasonable price (and you like pockets!), this is it.
For a similarly sized and equally practical tote that’s decidedly more durable, theWeatherproof Utility Toteis another bag I tested worth considering. It also has a built-in laptop sleeve and interior slip pockets, plus an exterior pocket and multiple water bottle holders. It’s well made from 100 percent recycled and water-resistant PET, and, at just $66, very well-priced, too.
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Details:Hand-crocheted 100% recycled poly yarn, 100% recycled poly twill lining, exterior zip pocket, interior slip pockets, magnetic top closure |Measurements:14” high x 11” wide x 8.5” deep, 13” strap drop |Compare to:The Sak,Claire V.,Tory Burch
This bag is well-made, actually hand-stitched, and very reasonably priced at just $52. But aesthetically, it just isn’t quite what I’m looking for. If it were a bit bigger, unlined, and didn’t have that silver metal zipper, I’d feel differently. But if you’re a fan of the Sak’s traditional hobo and want to pay less than half the price, or if you don’t need your everyday bag to be as massive as I do (I’m not necessarily carrying a lot, I just prefer a capacious carryall), then I highly recommend this one.
The ones I’d skip
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Too many parts, too thin straps. You're better off with the larger and cheaper Italian Leather Tote.
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Overly complicated with a bottom-zip pocket-come-luggage sleeve that almost made me lose my earbuds.
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An even nicer weave than the woven tote above, but the backpack design is selectively functional.
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The combo of so-so leather and large-scale weave make for a sloppy construction.
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The materials, construction, and design details are nice, but even empty it's way too heavy.
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A nice-looking bag, but excess pockets and too-stiff straps make it annoying to use.
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