Strathberry Ace Mini bag review

Where I got it

It’s been over a year since my last Strathberry purchase and that was 2 small card holders that I am still using on a daily basis. My first order was back in 2018 wiht my foirst East/West which I still absolutely love. I use that bag often when I’m a little bit more dressed up and need something more chic and sophisticated. The shape and style is so classic and beautiful, and I always get compliments. The second bag I got would be the Allegro Midi in an autumn colour arrangement. That one however I have not used a lot because it is a little bigger than my usual bag of choice. It is also a top handle with the option of a crossbody strap which I don’t really prefer because bag is a little too large to sit on my hip.

Anyway, in the past 2 years, the new styles from Strathberry weren’t very appealing to me at the time. I know that Strathberry does sales maybe a couple of times a year and they select a good collection of products, mostly in limited edition shades to be on sale. I saw this little Ace Mini bag in navy with maple edge and it was down from NZD$655 to NZD$327.50 (50% off). Shipping was free for orders over NZD$300. So I just managed to get this with free shipping. I made my order on 8/9 and it arrived on 16/9.

What I got

This is the Strathberry Ace Mini Crossbody Bag in navy and maple edge. The Ace Mini reinvents the shape of the iconic East/West to a new compact silhouette. This versatile crossbody mini style is your perfect go-to for everyday wear, beautifully combining practicality and contemporary style. Handcrafted from textured leather with a luxurious crosshatch finish, it features the signature Strathberry bar, and an adjustable leather strap.

Details and care: 100% made in Spain, 100% bovine leather, crosshatch finish, gold hardware, detachable adjustable leather strap, soft microfibre lining. Dimensions: 5.5cm depth x 18.5cm width x 16cm height. 0.37kg. Strap length 113cm, drop 53.5cm and 1.7cm wide.

How I find it

By the time you read this, the style might already be gone, because when I looked on the website, there were only two colour-ways which is this one and the black one which was not on sale. Not sure how long this style has been out for and whether they will restock these in more colours. However, as mentioned in the bag description, this bag’s shape is similar to the iconic East/West but in a more compact size, which I love. As I mentioned before, I love the look of the East/West, but the gold metal chain does make it look more formal so I won’t use it for dropping off my kids, going grocery shipping, etc. The Ace Mini looks like it would be the perfect size to fit my phone, my car keys, and some other essentials.

Packaging of Strathberry orders are still the same as when I got my first bag in 2018. It comes in black cardboard box with gold printed lettering. Inside, there are black tissue paper with the Strathberry sticker. The little handbag comes inside a little black cotton tote bag that can be used as little shopping bag. The bag is in perfect condition, there are no scratches, dents or marks on the bag at all, not even the hardware. There are tissue paper stuffing inside to keep the structure of the bag along with the leather strap curled up inside.

I’m just going to show you all the details of the bag and at the very end, you will see how it looks like on me (I am 156cm tall, size 10).

Overall

We are still in lockdown right now, which means we can only go out for essential items like groceries, pharmacies, and takeaways. Therefore there hasn’t been much chances for me to take this baby out. But from previous experiences with Strathberry bags, the cross-grain leather is really durable and quite tough. I would say its pretty hard to scratch it with your fingernails by accident, so I don’t need to be extra careful. I am not a really careful person in terms of my clothes and bags, so I really do prefer something that is tough and durable. So far, the design of this bag is really my kind of style and I am very happy to see how much it can fit it without me trying to puzzle everything. I don’t need to worry about trying to fit things back in once I pulled something out, or my bag bulging.

The size of this bag as a crossbody fits me perfectly, and the strap is adjustable, so that is great. I love how you can also change to maybe a chain strap or a shoulder strap if you want a different style. The deep navy colour is also something that I would have never thought of getting, but it just makes sense because I don’t need to worry about my dark denim to rub off on it and the tough leather also means that it is harder to scratch, therefore litle worry for scratches to show up on dark leather materials. The maple trim also adds a bit of fun element to it and gives it that edgey vibe.

I don’t think I see this style of bag everywhere on the streets, especially not in New Zealand. I honestly have not seen anyone use Strathberry handbags in New Zealand, which is a shame, but also quite good for me so I don’t clash with anyone else! I do get compliments on my bag because the style is chic and not too fancy, it is very wearable but also sophisticated at the same time. I am so happy with my purchase and it is such a good deal. So make sure you keep an eye out on their sale page for amazing deals of up to 50% off!