Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag Review

As I have now had the Mansur Gavriel Mini Bucket Bag for a little over a year, I can finally give this bag a full review, especially as the handbag market has probably reached peak-bucket-bag saturation. Long story short, this bag has become my daily handbag and I am just as pleased with it today, as I was over a year ago.

Available on Mansur Gavriel's website here, the Real Real, and elsewhere online.

These were just pretty.

I remember first seeing this bag around the streets of New York back in 2014 and was immediately drawn to the contrast, pop-of-color inside of their bucket bag and their tote bag. It took another year before I purchased, and I really should have just bought one back in the beginning, as the price has only continued to climb since then (alas). 


I went back and forth quite a bit about which size to purchase as the bucket comes in three sizes: the bucket bag, the mini bucket bag, and the mini mini bucket bag. I ended up purchasing the middle size (the mini) and think it is appropriately sized for my frame (I am 5'2''). 

There are two things I love most about this bag, first, the weight. There was a while back in the early 2000's where I swear every handbag weighed several pounds, laden with pockets, zippers, and statement hardware, and which would hurt my shoulder after a few hours use. This bag is very thin and light, which isn't to say it is not durable. It is made of "natural vegetable tanned leather", and pretty stiff right out of the box. It was hard to close the first few times, you really have to pull it tight, but it has softened and that is no longer an issue. 

Second, I love the inside, which you can get in several different colors, or a "raw" option. I purchased the "Oro" liner, and I love the contrast with the black. It is the perfect fun accent to the otherwise pretty stark minimalist design.

Bag + things I carry around. The water bottle actually does fit inside, although when it is fully filled up it can make the bag a bit heavy.

I think this bag has held up well, and I use it all the time. It has definitely accumulated some scratches, as is visible above, but generally is in good condition, (the structure hasn't warped, or drooped) and I think if I use a leather conditioner I could lessen the look of some of the dings. The one thing I would change would be to add an interior pocket. Having a metallic interior helps, but otherwise, anything you drop in there just disappears into a bag abyss. However, I could probably address this by using a small zip pouch and separating out the items I need to find quickly. 

All in all, even when the bucket trends fades, I'm excited to wear this bag for years to come. 

Another photo for scale

Do you have any questions about the Mini Bucket?