As I get older, I want to start investing in designer bags that are timeless and will withstand the test of time. Every time the Goyard St Louis PM tote makes an appearance on my IG, I get questions about it! I’m here to deliver a Goyard St Louis PM review after carrying it for two months.

Through college and my early days in TV News, I carried my Longchamp bag religiously. It went everywhere with me and for good reason. It’s durable, washable, lightweight and zips. Plus, at $155 you really can’t beat the price. But in the past year, I’ve found myself wanting something just a little more grown-up. That’s where the Goyard comes in. Since Goyard isn’t available for purchase online, except for resale sites, I wanted to provide a thorough review for anyone who is considering purchasing it.

Goyard’s History

Before it was Goyard, it was the House of Martin. Pierre-François Martin specialized in box-making, trunk-making before the golden age of the trunk-making craft in the late 19th century. However, he had more to do with packing, including folding garments, by using an oiled canvas. In 1834, the House of Martin moved its store to 347 rue Saint-Honoré. There was a new street numbering system 22 years later changing the address, but the location has remained the same ever since.

Martin was the guardian of a young female ward, Pauline Moutat. Martin arranged for Moutat to marry one of his employees, Louis-Henri Morel, and gave his business as her dowry. Morel would follow in Martin’s footsteps.

In 1845, Morel hired François Goyard, a 17-year-old gifted apprentice. Goyard received exceptional training from Martin and Morel before Morel suddenly died in 1852. Goyard changed the business name to Maison Goyard. He remained at the helm of the business for 32 years before passing it down to his son, who innovated the business and made Goyard what it is today.

Saint Louis Tote Bag

The big appeal to the St Louis Tote bag is how it folds flat and is so lightweight. It’s literally like a feather, yet feels sturdy at the same. It comes with a flat matching wallet made of the same material.

Pricing

I purchased mine at the Goyard Boutique in Milan on our honeymoon. I paid $1,117 USD based on the conversation rate at that time. Goyard doesn’t list any pricing on their website so I did a little research before deciding I wanted to make the purchase. From what I could find they are $1,285 before tax. I figured if I could save about $100 and tax it would be worth it since I’m already in Europe.

Sizing

While in store, I got to try on different sizes and see different colors. It was very different compared to my friends’ experiences in the U.S. where there are very limited colors and sizes available. The most popular sizes are the PM and GM. PM stands for petite modèle and GM stands for grand modèle. I know sizing is always a big question when it comes to a Goyard St Louis PM review so here are the details.

PM: 6″ wide, 11″ tall, 13″ long and the strap drop is 7.5″
GM: 7.5″ wide, 12.5″ tall, 15.5″ long and the strap drop is 7.5″

After trying on both sizes in store, I went with the PM. It is smaller, but since I’m petite, I didn’t want something that would be too overwhelming. Plus, I tend to overstuff bags and I didn’t want to do that here. I liked having borders and boundaries.

Functionality

On a more regular basis, this is the bag I reach for if I’m running errands, going to a work meeting or a more casual get together with friends. I appreciate that it’s lightweight, I don’t have to baby it or take special care and the colorway goes with everything.

I opted for the black pattern with brown leather trim because I felt it would be the most versatile with my closet. I’m generally pretty careful, but there have been times this bag has hit a car door, a wall or been dropped and it still looks brand new.

This tote comes with a matching leather pouch. It is detachable from the tote, but the strap that attaches it cannot be removed from the tote itself.

Organization

When it comes to large tote bags like this, borders and boundaries are key. I got this tote organizer online to provide exactly that. For my Goyard St Louis PM, I got the large size in beige. It’s perfect! I put my 14″ Macbook Pro on the side outside of the organizer. Inside there is a spot for pens, hand sanitizer, hair ties, lip products, my wallet, keys, airpods and so much more. You can also get clear pouches to help organize, too!