Polène’s rise has been meteoric: just 10 years in business and a valuation approaching EUR 1 billion — helped in no small part by the Italian leather used for its highly coveted “accessible luxury” handbags. Backed by L Catterton, Polène has capitalised on the space left by luxury brands that have pushed prices too far. The French label has now opened its first Italian store in Milan (pictured).
Polène’s boom
In barely a decade, Polène has become a benchmark for accessible luxury. Its prices are widely perceived as fair in relation to product quality, while its aesthetic aligns perfectly with the quiet luxury trend. Tanner Leatherstein — known on Instagram for dismantling and dissecting handbags to assess their quality — has ranked the brand among the best. “This company has achieved unparalleled success and is a leader in leather goods”, Yann Kretz, an analyst at French consultancy Kéa, told Les Echos. “The brand’s valuation is reportedly approaching EUR 1 billion, a rare level for such a young label”. Polène’s revenues rose from EUR 142.7 million in 2023 to more than EUR 300 million in 2025.
The supply chain
Polène manufactures its bags in Ubrique, Spain, sourcing all materials from the same Spanish district except for leather. “Sixty to seventy per cent of the leather we use is Italian”, CEO and co-founder Antoine Mothay told MF Fashion. “I often come to Italy to visit the tanneries we work with. My team is here every week”. Speaking further about leather, he added: “Our average leather cost is higher than that of many luxury brands, but we spend less on communication and more on the product. Word of mouth has always been our primary growth driver”. According to Kretz, Polène raised prices by around 20% between 2023 and 2024 — “officially to offset leather costs” — without alienating its customers.
The Milan boutique
On 7 January, the brand — which is already considering Rome for its second store — opened its first Italian boutique in Milan. Inside the space, WWD notes, recycled leather is reused and compressed to form wall surfaces, while a dedicated corner called “Leather Orchestra” combines a classical music listening experience with a choreographed installation of leather panels.
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