Polène Tonca in textured chalk
The new Polène Tonca bag’s unique design immediately spoke to me and despite the organic shape the bag fits a lot more than I expected (refer to my two short clips on YouTube here and here). It was hard to decide between the colors but I chose the textured chalk color which has a light grey cast. The adjustable crossbody strap has 5 holes that are about 1.5″ apart and it’s 39.5″ at the shortest length and 45.5″ at the longest length. I am 5′ 2.5″ and I wear the bag on the second hole which is 41″ (for a 20.5″ drop length).
The magnetic flap closure keeps thing secure but it’s also easy to reach inside the bag. There is only one pocket inside which fits my card holder. The bag is slightly bulky against the body since it’s 5″ at the fortune cookie style fold.
The Tonca bag made its first appearance on the Polène website on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 but it was quickly pulled offline and I wasn’t the only one that noticed as noted in this thread on the Purseblog forum. I ordered the bag on Monday, May 20, 2022 (the day they officially launched the bag) and I received it via DHL Express on May 26, 2022. The current price is $390 and they charged $20 for shipping. Polène does not offer any discounts and they only offer free shipping in the December time frame for the holiday season. I was also charged a foreign transaction fee of $12.30.
Update 9/12/22: While I loved the design of the Tonca bag I didn’t reach for the bag enough so I sold it on Poshmark. The bag wasn’t as versatile as I hoped despite the neutral color. I lost $149.97 by selling the bag through Poshmark (they charge a 20% selling fee) since I originally paid $422.30 after shipping and foreign transaction fees. On a related note, Polene just opened their first store in the US today and it’s located in Soho, New York. I also read that they will be expanding their line to include jewelry and shoes in this article.
Polène’s bags are made in Ubrique, Spain and the workmanship and quality is on par with designer bags. I accidentally scratched the top of the bag with my fingernail when I was in a rush one day but luckily the textured leather hides scratches well so you can’t even tell.
Max Studio Blue Floral Toile Dress, size XS (I found this dress at T.J. Maxx for $34.99) | Cole Haan Caddie Bow Loafer (review here, size 11 available here) | Click here to view the clip from my try-on
What fits inside the Polène Tonca (click to watch on YouTube)
Here are my daily essentials that fits inside the Polène Tonca with room to spare: A regular size iPhone 11 shown for reference, Lancaster Paris card wallet, mesh zippered organizer (part of a set of 4), Totoro iPod case, Touchland sanitizer, DHC Lip Cream, Winky Lux Lipstick.
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hi there, i love your review on this bag but i was wondering if the bag could be a shoulder bag and if u have a picture of such style because id usually prefer shorter straps? i have my eyes on this piece for quite some time now
Author
Thanks Alya. The strap is adjustable so you can make it shorter to wear as a shoulder bag. Here is link to a photo from Polene’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfwE5_kLRPf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= . The more you shorten the strap the more the end of the strap will stick out.
Does the leather feel nice and soft? Im worried it is very stiff to keep its shape.
Author
Hi Tina, The leather isn’t stiff like saffiano leather for example but it has enough structure to keep the bag’s shape. It’s a textured leather so it’s durable without being overly stiff/hard.
Hi! May I Know why you didn’t really reach for it? Was the shape too hard to fit stuff, any discomfort with the feature, or ended up being too small? I feel a bit like that with my Neuf Mini. I’m eyeing this bag but afraid how it’s wider at the top would make it impossible to fit my small water bottle, plus the curvy top and front.
Thanks!
Author
Hi Ann, I felt like the shape made it harder to pair with a lot of my outfits. I personally find structured bags such as the Sept mini more versatile. If you try to fit something as bulky as a small water bottle then you will not be able to fit anything else in the Tonca due to the curves. I hope this helps. I look forward to seeing whatever new styles they release this year.