Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis Review

I’ve owned the Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis (in the classic monogram canvas) in my handbag collection before and loved it. …Briefly.

We’ll get into that whole dramatic story.

The Pochette Metis really hit its peak popularity a few years back. It seemed like every blogger and YouTuber under the sun had and was reviewing this bag. It was everywhere. And I just had to have it.

But also let’s keep it 100% honest – this bag rings in at over $2,000 USD and has steadily gone up in price as the years have ticked by. Why is this bag so expensive and is it worth the cash?

Let’s discuss the ins and outs of this expensive and popular little bag in this Pochette Metis review.

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An all black pullover and moto jeans create an effortless, edgy outfit! Click through for more edgy outfit ideas and to shop this look!

Why I no longer own the Pochette Metis.

I purchased the Pochette Metis as a 25th birthday present to myself. Back then the bag was only $1,700 – but I made significantly less money and it was a huge splurge for me. I had been saving up and eyeing this bag for ages. I walked into a Louis Vuitton in San Francisco, excited about my big purchase but also nervous at the cost. Maybe I was naive for expecting luxury service in a luxury store – because that’s absolutely not what I got.

I bought the bag with little fanfare (not even a little champagne) and left the store. Only two weeks later I was walking down the street, attempting to close my new handbag, when the ball on the clasp got stuck inside the S-lock portion. Essentially my bag could no longer securely close.

After only owning the bag for two weeks.

I popped back into the Louis Vuitton store to assess my options and the service was the worst I’ve ever experienced shopping anywhere to this day. The sales associate essentially told me she was “doing me a favor” by even offering to exchange the bag at all. When I brought up my concern that this would happen again with another Pochette Metis and I’d like to simply return the bag (which was well within the 30 day return window), she brought in her manager. Who then called the corporate customer service number in the back room where I was unable to be part of or hear the discussion.

To their credit, the Louis Vuitton corporate customer service agent was incredibly helpful. I was given store credit and able to select another bag – something more durable. That’s how I ended up with the Neverfull MM.

I’ll be honest – I do sometimes miss this bag. I miss it a lot actually. I added the Favorite MM to my wardrobe to sort of fill that Louis Vuitton monogram shoulder bag gap in my heart. But I still ache a bit for the Pochette Metis.

I think we just met at the wrong time, ya know? During a time where maybe a tote felt safer when we’re dealing in costs that high. But I’ve gotten older and man do I miss this bag.

The facts and figures of the bag.

The Pochette Metis is an ideal style for on the go. The bag measures in at 9.8 x 7.5 x 2.8 inches, making it perfect to fit smaller everyday items.

The Pochette Metis does come in a handful of different colors and materials. The most well known and popular version of the bag is the classic monogram, but I’ve been loving the monogram empreinte leather version as well. It’s important to note that the empreinte leather versions of the bag will run you slightly more in terms of cost than the classic monogram.

An all black pullover and moto jeans create an effortless, edgy outfit! Click through for more edgy outfit ideas and to shop this look!

An all black pullover and moto jeans create an effortless, edgy outfit! Click through for more edgy outfit ideas and to shop this look!

Pros of the Pochette Metis.

Classic silhouette and shape makes this bag timeless.

The largest pro of the Pochette Metis is that, thankfully, this bag is unlikely to go out of style. There are plenty of trendy luxury handbags out there (from Saint Laurent to Gucci to Chanel) that depreciate in cost quickly because they go out of style as fast as they came in style.

I’m intensely against fast fashion or shopping trends because all that clothing ends up in the landfill, contributing to global waste. While it’s unlikely a designer handbag will ever find itself amongst the trash – buying things that go out of style is just so wasteful. The Pochette Metis, with its classic satchel-like shape and classic prints, is timeless. I’d dare to say this will end up being a classic Louis Vuitton style, right up there with well loved bags like the Neverfull and Speedy.

Okay, maybe not necessarily in prints like the Pochette Metis Reverse – but in the classic monogram I think this bag is a forever slam dunk.

Compartments help with organization.

One of the aspects of the Pochette Metis I absolutely loved when it was in my wardrobe was the multiple compartment design. The bag almost had an accordion style design to it which was so unique and very functional. No, this bag isn’t a tote and can’t fit everything including the kitchen sink – but the compartments of this bag do allow you to easily organize your everyday essential items.

I also loved the subtle pocket on the back of the bag. I felt like this was a great place to slide my phone or anything else where I’d need easy access to, rather than having to open up the S-lock closure every time I wanted something out of my bag.

Multiple straps add versatility.

One of my favorite things about the Pochette Metis are the multiple straps. Personally I love being able to carry my bags multiple ways, and the crossbody/shoulder strap along with the top handle make this bag easy to grab and go. I’m fairly short, and I also loved that this shoulder strap was adjustable enough to fit many different body types. I’ve spent cash on designer bags in the past where the shoulder strap was barely adjustable, leaving me having to punch my own holes into the strap to make the bag fit. NOT ideal.

Another key differentiator between the Pochette Metis and my Favorite MM is the fact that on the Metis, the strap is coated canvas while on the Favorite MM it’s actually untreated leather. The Pochette Metis wins this battle hands down, as the coated canvas material is much more durable than the untreated leather. I LOVED the monogram strap. If you’re someone that finds yourself getting caught in the rain, or you’re just generally a little rougher on your bags, you’ll want to opt for coated canvas straps where possible to avoid the hassle of untreated leather.

An all black pullover and moto jeans create an effortless, edgy outfit! Click through for more edgy outfit ideas and to shop this look!

An all black pullover and moto jeans create an effortless, edgy outfit! Click through for more edgy outfit ideas and to shop this look!

Cons of the Pochette Metis.

Cost – this bag is PRICEY.

Straight up – the Pochette Metis baffles me when it comes to the cost. I have a B.S. in Apparel Design & Merchandising and spent years as a Merchandiser for an international apparel brand. Pricing items was literally my job. And the price of the Pochette Metis makes no sense to me.

Well, to be honest, none of the pricing of the Louis Vuitton coated canvas items makes any sense to me.

Coated canvas is essentially a PVC-like material. Canvas itself is inexpensive and the cost of coating it doesn’t exactly add up to luxury pricing either. Even if bags are artfully designed and hand stitched – I’m just not sure I can see where the make and materials of a bag like the Pochette Metis impact the steep price. For example I can easily see how a classic Chanel 2.55 rings in at a high price point – it’s real leather.

But…coated canvas?

The pricing of the Pochette Metis, along with all its coated canvas siblings, is nonsensical. The reality with any coated canvas Louis Vuitton item is that you’re paying for that classic monogram print. You’re paying for the name.

Untreated leather trims make this bag less than durable.

While the majority of the Pochette Metis is a canvas or treated leather material, the top handle on the classic monogram version utilizes an untreated leather. I love the look of Louis Vuitton’s untreated leather, but man is it just so finicky. Untreated leather is prone to water stains – meaning you need to check the weather before you venture out with your expensive bag.

Untreated leather also ages, turning darker in color (patina) as the bag goes through its life. Many Louis Vuitton fanatics love the look of a “patina-ed” bag, but this is really just a matter of personal taste. While I don’t personally love the ultra white look of untreated leather right out of the store – I also don’t love that withered, aged, super patina-ed look either.

Ultimately, my beef with the untreated leather is it’s just really fragile and makes the bag less durable. I don’t love having to “baby” my bags – even my designer ones. If I’ve paid a good chunk of money for a handbag, I want to make sure I can actually use it.

The Pochette Metis hardware is very fragile.

Learn from my experience – the hardware on this bag is VERY fragile. The S-lock in particular is prone to scratches, damage, and even breaking all together. I never over-stuffed my bag, aggressively clasped my bag, or applied any unusual amounts of pressure to it – and the lock still broke. I think the thing that felt the most hurtful and upsetting during my experience was that the sales associates accused me of essentially “abusing” the bag, rather than admitting the hardware was faulty.

Plenty of other people out there have bought, worn, and loved this bag without any damage. It’s absolutely possible that the Pochette Metis I had in my collection specifically had faulty hardware. In fact, that’s a fairly likely scenario. But it’s still worth noting that you do need to treat the S-lock on this bag with extra care, as based on my own personal experience, it is prone to breaking.

Is there a decent Pochette Metis dupe out there?

Counterfeits essentially steal the design exactly and attempt to impersonate a bag, while dupes might simply have similar shapes or materials. There are Pochette Metis counterfeit bags all over the place – but unfortunately I’ve never found a great dupe.

If you like the general style of the Pochette Metis, but can’t stomach the price, I’d dig around to find satchel style bags with top handles. The reality is there just isn’t a non-counterfeit dupe out there that really captures the look, structure, or shape of this bag. Admittedly this is a bummer because the Pochette Metis is so darn expensive.

Would I ever buy the Pochette Metis again?

I don’t think I’ll ever buy the Louis Vuitton Pochette Metis new again. To be honest, I’m such a big fan of buying my designer handbags pre-loved, that I’m not sure I’d buy ANY designer bag new again.

I would; however, love to add a pre-loved Pochette Metis to my collection. No bag has really ever taken the place of the Pochette Metis for me. Despite my “bad” experience with the bag – I really did love it. I just couldn’t afford to baby the bag at the time and needed a style that would be more durable (and maybe even be more functional for my commute). The Pochette Metis and I just met at the wrong place and the wrong time, but I’d love to add it back into my collection.

Here’s hoping my husband reads this one and a Pochette Metis magically appears for my 30th birthday present.

Wink wink.

Let me know your thoughts on the Pochette Metis in the comments below!