2 and a half year review on the Marc Jacobs tote bag
After my first bag unboxing video on my channel about two and a half years ago, I purchased and collected many bags. Adding more bag shelving and rapidly filling them up, I slowly figured out which bag styles suited me best. At this point, I am considering refining my collection and getting rid of bags that don't fit my lifestyle. However, one of the bags in my Forever-Bag collection is the Marc Jacobs "The Tote Bag" medium crossbody bag.
I purchased the MJ crossbody tote from Farfetch in August 2021. It was viral back then, and they were never on sale on any websites. The only way to get a discount was to buy it from websites with a signup discount code. Two months later, I did a review video that I would not go back to watch and felt awkward about.
When I made the video, this specific bag was labeled as size small. Later, Marc Jacobs continued to release smaller bags, and he renamed this to size medium.
Due to its fame, the Marc Jacobs tote bag probably doesn't need much introduction. Still, I want to point out some details about this bag to understand better why it is sustaining its popularity if you are still on the fence about the design.
The leather version is made with full-grain leather. As of today, I haven't seen many companies using this term under their material list. Even companies like Coach, known for their leather, often invent new terms to describe their leather material and rarely directly use the term full-grain leather.
In short, full-grain leather is among the best quality leather you will find in leather goods. It is not buffed, sanded, or refined to remove the top layer imperfection. To achieve a consistent look in leather bags, many companies use top-grain leather and press on the leather texture to mimic the look of full-grain leather.
Since I don't have the luxury or the heart to cut open my bag, this review is purely based on my personal experience, observation, and speculation.
Although this tote bag is supposedly made of full-grain leather, I don't see any imperfection inside or out. I guess they sanded it down slightly, applied a coating, and pressed on the unified leather texture.
The bag is not lined inside. It is the back side of the leather with a heavy coating. It is hard to tell the coating material since the MJ website doesn't disclose the details. It reminded me of the acrylic paint I used in my art classes, but the paint is likely mixed with some kind of plastic/Polyurethane ingredient to ensure the coating is not peeling in a short period. I had seen similar interior coatings with other companies, and their version seemed to peel faster than the Marc Jacobs one.
Other than the large-size tote bag, all smaller totes have the crossbody feature. Some have thick cotton bag straps, and mine has a standard-size leather strap.
The bag has a zip closure to keep your things secure. When you don't zip it up, the flaps lay flat on the side and do not get in your way.
I also love that this crossbody tote has interior pockets: two slip pockets and one zip pocket. If you are not into using a bag organizer, these pockets can be practical and functional for organizing your items in the bag.
I often carry a camera with me when I am out. If I don't use a bag organizer or the pockets, my camera will scratch my other leather accessories.
Often, I hear people debate where the bag is made as if it matters regarding craftsmanship. Unfortunately, I no longer believe that. I have often seen luxury bags made in France with misalignment issues at the store.
In addition, many European factories hired more affordable Asian laborers to craft the bags. Also, many products that say made-in-France or made-in-US are simply assembled using mostly finished parts.
All of my Marc Jacobs tote bags are made in Vietnam; the quality is excellent, except for one newly purchased MJ tote bag with craftsmanship issues. Please let me know if you want me to review and discuss that questionable quality tote in the comment area.
As a bag lover, I have so many bags that it is impossible for me to use only one for an extended period of time. For two and a half years, I used this bag often while dining out with friends. It sits on my shelf without the dust bag when I am not using it.
If you plan to use this bag daily, you may experience different kinds of wear and tear, but from what I heard, it is holding up well for most people. We don't see many quality complaints compared to the bags that cost you ten times more.
The medium Marc Jacobs tote has become one of my favorites because it is the right size and silhouette for my height, which is 5'9". With the crossbody feature, the bag sits comfortably around my waist, and I can reach for my stuff easily. The crossbody strap is removable and adjustable, making it easy to customize to fit different heights and needs.
Many bags have a center divider compartment for more organization options, but that design doesn't work well for me because I use a bag organizer that takes up the full depth of the bag. Aside from the pockets, I love that the MJ tote bag has ample open space; it is more flexible in terms of what I carry.
I can't finish a bag review without criticism. After praising this bag nonstop, I do think there are a few things they can improve upon. For instance, I am concerned that the interior coating will deteriorate over time. I have seen luxury bags with sticky or cracked linings because the plastic coating would not stand the test of time.
For future improvements, I suggest MJ add a cotton fabric lining. Even though the cotton lining can be stained or broken, at least the bag will still be usable. I can easily patch the interior or use a bag insert.
Regarding the exterior, it would be great to see an addition of an exterior pocket for a phone. I can't tell you how often I looked for an exterior pocket on my bag when I needed to quickly and temporarily put away my phone.
"The Tote Bag" was a humorous design at the time, but was this design sustainable in the long term? Will you want to carry a bag with a big text in twenty years? It will be beneficial for Marc Jacobs to come up with an iconic bag, a bag with a recognizable silhouette that is timeless and versatile.
Overall, I applaud the quality of this bag! Even with the unknown coating I mentioned, the bag mostly looked like when I bought it two and a half years ago. The interior coating is soft, and it hasn't peeled or cracked.
The leather has nicely softened with use but still holds its shape. The coating on the bag exterior is likely not too thick since I can apply leather conditioner during wintertime when the air is dry.
Surprisingly, I don't see a single scratch on the bag. In addition, the stitches and glazing are in great shape. I don't see any worrying symptoms.
The only wear and tear that could be a concern is the coating on top of the text "The Tote Bag." The "O" and "A" on top of the handle extension are starting to pucker, potentially breaking and peeling in the future. Despite that, I think it will still be highly usable when that happens, and I am not letting that take away from the pleasure of using this bag.
Is it worth buying it? I received numerous messages asking about that after I released my original review video.
Since I have addressed the quality of this bag, if quality is what you care about, don't let anything stop you from getting it. As long as you don't overuse the bag, it will likely last years. It is a very reasonable purchase considering the price point.
Is "The Tote Bag" trend over? Soon? I can't define that until it happens. As of 2024, people are still buying and loving Marc Jacobs tote bags.
We are coming down from the luxury bag craze and have become more practical and rational when buying. The MJ tote bag is functional, and the price tag isn't sky-high like some well-known bags. For those reasons, people will likely continue to buy them as long as Marc Jacobs continues to release them in fun and new colors or materials.
