Thinking of buying a new evening bag that can carry your big phones, I am reviewing the very popular Valetino Locò bag (see how versatile it is) and give you all the final verdict on whether they are worth it or not.
About Valentino Bags
Maison Valentino was founded in 1960 by Valentino Garavani. The fashion house has been a leading luxury brand under the Valentino Fashion Group, but in 2008 is when they really made their style evolution.
One of the most icon and best sellers from the brand has been its Rockstud bags which you could see in all runaways and with every celebrity.
2019 was the year, the VSling top handle bag was launched and it started a completely new genre of lady like bag. Its classy, minimalist and looks way more expensive that a lot of its competitors honestly.
But it was in Winter 2022 runway, that the Locò bag was introduced as an subtle bag compared to most of its other pieces.
Valentino Locò Bag Review
I bought this bag on April 2022 as I was simply eyeing this bag forever and the price point worked for my budget. And I have been using it ever since pretty much every time I needed a black evening bag.
So let’s checkout how it did.
Price and Size
The bag is actually under $3000, yes which was a huge factor in my decision making. I know, after paying taxes, it’s almost getting there, but still that was something I wanted to be under budget. There are not a lot of good designer bags under $3000.
This bag costs $27000 in USA. And I am sure if you go to Europe to buy it, it will be cheaper.
It comes with not one but two detachable straps that can be interchanged or worn together. This made the bag versatile, as you can use the small black leather strap as top handle, or use the chain strap as a shoulder strap. I will show you how to use this, later in the post.
The bag is also decent size with 10.6 inches wide, 5.1 inches height and 2.4 inches depth. The depth part was super nice.
Material and Design
The bag is made of smooth calf leather with a very slight hint of grain. From far away you cannot say that this bag has grains but when you look at very close it does.
But what draw me to it were the vintage gold simple V logo and hardware. It almost gives this bag a retro old money touch. This also balances the shininess of the leather. You can specially notice that in black. But the rust gold hardware keeps the shine low key. Otherwise, this bag would have been really tacky to use.
The Valentino loco bag has a rectangular shape which looks current and modern but yet simple. There is not much detail other than the hardware which makes this bag versatile.
This also helps enhance the logo in the front. And because of this simple design this bag actually looks great in other funky colors.
Space and Versatility
When it comes to evening bags, we mostly find either too small of a bag which won’t fit any of our belongings or a really big bag. But I was surprised that this evening bag was able to fit my iPhone 12 Pro Max along with a compact wallet, lipstick, small perfume and a lip balm.
The bag also has a slip compartment in the back which is great for cards or keys. And I have actually used it for many events since last year and never had any issues fitting these items. Sometimes I also pack a small hand cream in it.
Another factor which made me buy this bag were the two detachable straps which I could use to switch the style of the bag. I could use the shoulder bag for evening parties where I need to be handsfree. And I used the top handle for a lady like outfit.
It’s also easy to remove the straps and put them in.
The short leather strap comes with buckles on the side. You can just hook them and you are good to go.
the chain strap comes with hooks that you need to hook together through the loops on the side and literally wrap them around the front flap of the bag and it stays completely secure.
This was the part I was a little confused, but you don’t have to, sharing the steps here.
Durability and Versatility
I have been actively using the bag for a year. Took it to work events, holiday parties and random date nights and every time it just looks perfect with my outfits.
It goes with all type of looks and still stands out. I have gotten so many compliments sine I have use this bag, that now I just have to use this evening bag.
The bag has no scratches even with a smooth leather, and I have thrown it in my suitcases for trips and so far no signs of wear and tear. The chain is not a delicate chain, so I was worried that it would scratch the bag, but have not seen any signs of that either.
The logo also looks good as new without any signs of scratches, which is amazing because I dont really put it in any dust bags after use.
It’s really important that you take good care of your designer handbags if you want them to last. So, obviously I did too. The first thing I did was to spray it with leather stain and water repellent spray and let it sit for 24 hrs before I use it.
You must be wondering, but it’s just a black bag. It is but, you still can still stain it, and rain has the worse effect on leather goods. But if you protect it, then you don’t have to worry about it.
I use the leather stain protectant on almost all leather goods to make sure I can use them carefree.
Ways I wore It
I started wearing it for date nights. I can easily pack my phone, card case, lipstick, mascara and hand cream with me.
I also took it with me to a work event for a formal evening drinks. I could put my phone, wallet, lipstick, touch up powder, and some sanitary pads for safety.
I also wore it to a beach resort. It was easy to pack in my cabin suitcase. Since the bag was black I could wear it with my fun colorful outfits for fancy dinners.
This also looked really good with my holiday party wit sequins pants and faux fur jacket. the vintage gold complimented the look.
Overall Thoughts
If you are in a hunt for a good quality evening bag that is versatile and will last you a long time, then this is definitely a great contender.
The style of the bag is also timeless, so you don’t have to worry about it getting out of style in a few years like a lot of other designer bags. Honestly, if you pick this bag, you probably won’t part with it.
Best Places to Shop
Other than the Valentino website and stores, you can also shop this bag in some of the top retailers:
- Nordstrom (Comes in black, rose pink and marine green)
- Neiman Marcus (in black)
- Farfetch (Available in all 8 colors)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (in black)
- Bergdorf Goodman (in black)
