Designer bag enthusiasts have moved on from debating the merits of the Walmart Birkin bag to investigating a new fashion mystery: Is The Row discontinuing its Margaux bag?
The $5,600 brainchild of The Row's co-founders, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, is a nondescript yet highly coveted leather bag sold since 2018. After a few years in stealth-wealth mode, interest in the Margaux officially exploded last year. And now, like the Alaïa mesh ballerinas or a Cartier Tank watch, purchasing a bag is more or less entry to one of fashion's most exclusive (and recognizable) clubs. Fans are so devoted that the trade outlet Business of Fashion called the Margaux "a Birkin in the making"; its unbranded exterior is already the next best status bag for minimalists.
"I can confidently say that the Margaux bag is, by far, my most requested handbag, and that has been consistent over the past twelve months," Gab Waller, who hunts down in-demand luxury items for clients around the world through her eponymous sourcing business, tells me. Asks for mocha suede Margaux bags in size 15 began pouring in last January and never really slowed down.
Margaux bags are still nearly impossible to track down without extra help after their stock sizes sold out on The Row's website early this year. For now, they don't appear to be returning to the site. Hence, the collective online meltdown that raised concerns that Margaux is gone for good.
There hasn't yet been any verified proof that the Margaux is retiring. Still, fashion gossip sometimes contains a stitch of reality. In late 2024, unverified tweets suggested Bottega Veneta's beloved creative director would decamp for Chanel. That rumor became true by December.
So, while The Row has yet to comment on the state of its beloved Margaux bag, getting caught up on the conversation now could mean getting ahead of any official news later. Ahead, find out everything we know about The Row's Margaux bag so far and options to shop if it does, in fact, go out of commission.
Why Is The Row's Margaux Bag So Popular?
When The Row released the Margaux bag in 2018, it was already twelve years into the business and six years removed from its first CFDA Award. That original iteration looked much like the ones fashion girls are salivating over now: crafted from supple leather with an exaggerated top-handle duffle and adjustable belt detailing along the sides.
For a time, it had only a true cult following made up of The Row's most dedicated clients. But then word got out—fast.
Lyst, the fashion search engine, crowned the Margaux bag "a new status symbol and heirloom in the making"—and the overall "hottest item" of Q4 2023. (To get there, Margaux bag searches increased 63 percent that quarter and a shocking 198 percent year-over-year.) By early 2024, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lawrence, and even Harry Styles were snapped carrying the Margaux in rapid succession. Sometimes, more than once.
Those celebrity sightings dovetailed with a shift in how shoppers defined "It"-bags—which sent requests for the mocha suede Margaux 15 and "unicorn" white Margaux soaring at Waller's business.
"Last year was a year in which a lot of consumers really switched to and started shopping with a focus on investment—investing in pieces that over time will certainly hold their value," Waller says. "I feel from a timing perspective that is what really accelerated [the Margaux's popularity]."
Kim Bickle, senior manager of site merchandising at the luxury reseller Fashionphile, says the Margaux strikes a special kind of balance that makes it so sought-after. The bag’s refined yet functional structure makes it a perfect blend of luxury and practicality," she explains. Its spacious interior and sleek silhouette make it ideal for both everyday use and special occasions."
In other words, it's the kind of bag that well-off shoppers feel especially comfortable investing in because it will last. Unlike a style that's as saturated in the public imagination as, say, the Birkin bag, The Row's bags are still somewhat anonymous outside of dialed-in fashion circles.
"I feel The Row has this way of creating handbag styles that are very much if you know, you know, and they have been consistent," Waller explains. She points to other sought-after bags like the '90s bag and the Half Moon bag—styles that are just as defined by what they don't have as what they do. "There’s no logo placement on them, but they have an intricate and unique shape you recognize. And that is really appealing within the luxury world because it does create what I would go so far as to say is a bit of a [exclusive] club."
Meanwhile, speculation that the Margaux may be discontinued has only made it more valuable. "There has been a noticeable increase in demand for the Margaux bags currently stocked at Fashionphile compared to other styles by The Row," Bickle says. "Over the past 90 days, the Margaux bag led sales, far outpacing other styles such as the Park Tote, Banana Bag, and 90’s bag. This suggests a strong preference for the Margaux style, making it the standout among The Row’s current offerings."
Everyone wants the Margaux, but even fewer people will have it if the rumors are true. That might be the point: hot brands stay that way when they are exclusive. And if The Row feels the Margaux is too saturated, it will pull back and push other styles instead.
Where Did Rumors About The Row's Margaux Retirement Come From?
Searching for the origin of rumors regarding the Margaux's discontinuation is like searching for the bag itself on the resale market: It's a journey requiring several tabs and an iron will.
Speculation that The Row wouldn't restock its beloved bag first surfaced on Reddit in early February. Working backward, Redditors pointed their fellow bag enthusiasts in the r/handbags thread to the influencer Danielle Bernstein, otherwise known as @weworewhat. She cautioned her 3.3 million followers in a Feb. 9 video that "the Margaux is being discontinued" before guiding viewers through its investment-worthy qualities in the clip. However, Bernstein did not say where she learned that The Row was allegedly backing away from the Margaux bag.
Sophie Botley, a personal shopper based in London, also told her followers that the bag is being discontinued without further confirmation. However, these posts and growing chatter online were enough for outlets, including PurseBlog and Who What Wear, to report on the rumors.
In our educated opinion, here's what likely happened: Speculation appears to have arisen from The Row's website, where the Margaux bag seems to be sold out in every color and size and unavailable for a waitlist. Fans could have interpreted "Sold out now" as "Not coming back later." And behold, a bag rumor is born.
So, Is The Row's Margaux Bag Discontinued?
The Row hasn't confirmed that the Margaux bag is being discontinued—but it doesn't have a waiting list to secure one at a later date, either. (Other sold-out styles do have an option to join a waiting list through the brand's website.)
Signs of the Margaux sticking around are, admittedly, not great. But until the Olsens (or their representatives) share an update on their must-have style's status, just consider it sold out. In the meantime, there are a few available at retailers like Mytheresa and Net-a-Porter; select styles are also in-stock at Fashionphile and Trove.
Which Bag Should I Buy If The Row's Margaux Retires?
Whether the Margaux bag goes out of commission or stays on shelves, the following styles are the best-possible alternatives: expert-recommended and not absolutely everywhere quite yet.
Meet Marlo, the newest addition to The Row's lineup of splurge-inducing handbags. This roomy style launched in early February and immediately spawned a waiting list. Like its predecessor, it has tubular handles, soft, unbranded leather exteriors, and space to tote a laptop or weekend's-worth of clothes (or both).
Want the Margaux's structure but more diminutive proportions? The India bag is an ideal go-between, in the form of a modernized bowling silhouette with longer-than-average handles. (The better to carry anywhere and everywhere.)
The Bottega Veneta Andiamo bag, released in 2023, is Gab Waller's first pick for anyone willing to explore designers beyond The Row. Between the supple woven leather (a Bottega signature) and the spacious dimensions, "It’s such a fantastic tote for every day," Waller says. It's currently sold in two sizes and several neutral shades—but It-girls in Waller's DMs would advise going the more colorful route. Pink and red suede are two of the most popular versions on her sourcing list.
This bag comes with Katie Holmes's stamp of street style approval—and a special accolade from Waller. "I call it the cousin of The Row, and I wear it almost every day," the sourcing expert says. "It’s a very similar shape, very similar style, but uniquely Manu Atelier." See: the belt detail around the exterior and the under-$1,000 price tag.
