I finished up my last round of chemotherapy at the end of July, and of course I had to celebrate by getting a new bag!
There has been so many lux goodies that I’ve had my eyes on, but I finally decided to take the plunge and try out Louis Vuitton’s Neo Noe bucket bag.
Like the Alma and the Pochette Felice, The Neo Noe is a piece that I’ve thought about for a long while, and I wish I would have just gone ahead and got it earlier! So in today’s blog, I want to share with you my new Neo Noe–going over the history of this historic bag from Louis Vuitton, some pro’s and con’s and finally what my final thoughts are of it after having owned it for two months now.
I’m also working on a video for the beautiful bag, so stay tuned for that!
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Table of Contents
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The History of the Noe bag
The Louis Vuitton Neo (new) Noe bucket bag is a modern interpretation of the classic Noe bag, which is still offered by the House.
Created by Gaston-Louis Vuitton in 1832, the original Noe bag was designed to carry 5 champagne bottles. Some sources say he was commission by a champagne maker, while others say he was inspired by the need to carry around his bottles from point A to B.
Either way, he created an iconic silhouette that’s still going strong nearly a century later.
Over the years, the design has been slightly altered to remain relevant to current audience. the biggest design change came in 2017, with the introduction of the Neo Noe. Most noticeably, a lot of the vechetta (exposed cow hide leather) had been removed in favor of more canvas or treated leather, making the bag more suitable for exposure to the elements. The silhouette of the bag also became more sleek and the interior gained a zippered compartment, which divides the bag into two equal section.
These changes revitalized the Noe design for the modern era and helped the bag maintain its coveted status with the brand
About the Neo Noe Bag
As stated above, the Neo Noe was launched in 2017 as a dramatic re-design of the original silhouette.
At approximately 10.2 inches tall and wide and 6.9 inches in depth, this is a great medium sized bag.
The Neo Noe, much like its predecessor comes in a variety of materials as well as colors. At the time of this publication, Louis Vuitton is offering the Neo Noe in monogram canvas with the color options of Caramel, Black, Poppy or Rose Poudre (the color way I have); in Epi Leather with either Indigo or Black leathers; and in Empriante leather, with either the Bi colors in Back or Dove, or in the solid colors Cream, Navy or Black. At this time, the are currently in stock on the site.
The interior of the Neo Noe is made up of Louis Vuitton’s microfiber lining which gives an almost suede feel to it. If you purchase the canvas version like I have, the only leather that will come on this bag will be the draw string that is used to open and close this bag, by the the D rings where the strap attaches and of of course the strap itself. If you purchase a leather version of this bag, you will have an additional leather hand strap as well.
The strap of this bag is also worthy of mention as it’s adjustable to two length. The golden buttons can snap apart, extending the strap a few more inches. I personally find this length was too long (and at 5’5, I’m a good height). But It’s nice that you have the ability to do this.
Finally, unlike the original design the Neo Noe has a thin center zipper compartment that can be used to hold small items. This divides the handbag in half, which is nice for organization but can limit the space of the bag.
The Neo Noe MM starts at $2,030.00 USD retail for the canvas options and can go upwards of $2,849.00USD
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How The Bag Wears
While this is technically a first impressions article, I have had this bag for just about 2 months now (have just been really slow to get to this!) and have a good idea on how it wears.
Being small/medium in size, this bag is pretty easy to wear physically. It can fit an iPad, average sized agenda as well as some basic SLGs and stationary supplies, so it makes a wonderful work bag (if you don’t need a traditional laptop) or day/mommy bag (if your children are a bit older).
One fear that many people have expressed with this design in just how open it feels. Many people worry that their items may fall out. However, in my experience over these past two months with this bag, the opposite seems to be true.
The draw string course does a great job keeping your items inside the bag–so much so that it can become difficult to remove or maneuver around the handbag. As a mom, this isn’t something that I enjoy about the bag at all, especially when I’m out shopping with 3 littles in tow.
And while I’m a big fin of built in organization in my handbags, the way it’s done in the Neo Noe is kind of odd to me. The center compartment doesn’t go all the way to the bottom, leaving a gap that things can roll under. I find that without added organizations, things can get lost at the bottom of this bag fairly easily.
Lastly, this bag is one that can show wear very easily. I think the lighter colours and canvas pieces are at a particular danger for this–which is unfortunate because these are the more popular options for these bags!
But this bag is known to have glazing issue! I can’t tell you why that is, But from my research, Louis Vuitton will repair this issue for most people.
And the microfiber seems to be very prone to staining. This is an issue that is easily dealt with, with routine bag care and cleaning (and as a collector, this is something that I do). For me this isn’t a big deal, but if you’re going to be dropping two grand+ on a bag, you should be aware of the issues you might face.
Despite its drawbacks, this has been a bag that I reach for a lot. And this kind of surprised me because I don’t like bags that are super fussy to get in and out off.
But it’s honestly the prefect size for most causal outing and because of that drawstring design, I’m not worried about my bag tipping over and losing my thing. And when I’m using it for work, I don’t need to be going in and out of my purse frequently, so it being hard to maneuver in isn’t actually a huge issue.
Plus this bag sits so well against my body both over the shoulder and crossbody, that it makes it an easy bag to reach for and use.
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What Fits Inside
- iPad min
- Wallet
- Louis Vuitton Agenda
- Rosalie Coing Purse
- Chanel Mirror
- Neverfull pochette
- Casey changer
- 2 iPhone
- Headphones
- hand sanitize
- lip balm
- suncreen
- hand lotion
- A snack
Being a medium sized bag, I think most people will find this to hold 75-85% of their daily needs.
Obviously, If you need to carry a laptop, a bunch of extra clothes, blankets and things like that, the the Neverfull is probably a better option for you if you’re trying to stay in House with Louis Vuitton.
But if all you need are some basic items such as a large wallet, a few SLGs, sunglasses, and a few other extra such as an agenda, iPad and some snacks, this bag easily has you covered. I actually find myself carrying a bit extra over what I need on a day to day base with this bag because it can hold a good amount.
Now I am a mini handbag girl so my predictive is colored by this. But based on the fact that I can fit just about everything that I need for work in this, I think most will find this to be a great size for them as well.
Final Thoughts
Years ago, I was in a TjMaxx when I saw a woman checking out with her Noe bucket bag. I told her how pretty her bag was and she responded by saying that it was the type of bag you have with you for life. And I totally get it now.
Much like found out with my Alma BB, these classic styles are for the most part functional, and seem to fill gaps that are missing in your accessories closet.
I won’t say that the Neo Noe is a bag that you absolutely need to have–even as a collectors. But I will say that its a bag that you probably won’t regret buying and will reach for often if you purchase it.
I don’t really buy bag to sell them on, but with the classic nature and history behind this bag, I can honestly imagine my grandchildren in 2065 using this piece and it still being relevant!
Have you considered purchasing the Neo Noe? Or do you already own it? Let me know your thoughts down below. Also don’t forget to caught up with us over on IG and Youtube!
Thanks!
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