Brand Spotlight: Marge Sherwood

There are some brands you stumble across and forget about the next minute. And then there are ones that stop you completely; the kind where even days later, you’re still thinking about it. MARGESHERWOOD designs did that to me.

About The Brand

MARGESHERWOOD is a Seoul-based brand created by London College of Fashion graduates Sungeun Um and Soonyoung Kim. As it was founded in 2016, this year is clearly still resonating with consumers as it is hitting it’s 10-year milestone! 

Does the name sound familiar? For those who’ve seen the 1999 The Talented Mr. Ripley, the female supporting lead is played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Her character’s name in the film is actually Marge Sherwood. The nod to this character is intentional because it tells you what this brand’s identity revolves around a blend of understated elegance, charm, and confident femininity. Additional cornerstones of this brand are it's minimalist 90s style paired with modern accents.

Check out stores like Hills Dry Goods, located around Vancouver, for some MARGESHERWOOD purses. For more reading about the brand, here’s an article of what Hills Dry Goods had to say about the brand. 

What I Love 

As seen with the Y2K trends that was popular these past few years (in this case for 2000s nostalgia) I didn’t appreciate how brands modernized these fashions. It all felt very gimmick-y to me. I think there is an element of grace that MARGESHERWOOD has that allow a brand to draw on nostalgia without making it feel cheap, but actually elevated. 

From the leather quality, the silhouettes and colour palette, these purses feel like a memory I didn’t know I had. I think it’s part of what makes these purses so endearing to me. They feel familiar but unique. Understated but elevated. 

My personal favourite feature of these bags is the embossed leather with the brand name on it. Normally I appreciate more subtle branding on products, as if they are too large or contrasted it can look a bit cheap to me (even if it’s not). However, even with the logo on the front, since the colour matches the bag, it only catches the light occasionally. However, I am such a MARGESHERWOOD fan that I will be proudly waving it to everyone on the street!  

A bit of a side tangent here, but when I turn on a modern-made movies from Netflix the lighting is cold and grey, but when I turn on movies from the 90s or 2000s, the lighting is warm and personal. You can feel the emotion oozing off the screen. Just like onscreen in the movies from this time period, it’s that same elicited emotion that makes this brand’s designs come alive for me. 

My Purchase 

I won’t lie to you, I knew from the moment I saw this purse I was going to get it. 

Yes, even with the price tag. 

I have been waiting for a classy black purse to add to my collection. As a self-proclaimed fashionista I couldn’t believe I still was waiting to fill the spot for such a universal piece in my closet.

I decided the time for me to have my own staple had come. The Soft Boston EW Bag (originally called the “soft baguette”) was going to be the purse accessorizing my date nights out and coffee dates for years to come. Oh, and this purse feels high end too. It comes with a branded drawstring dust bag that I WILL be keeping it in until further notice. Does having a dust bag for my purse make me a real adult now?

Features

The Soft Boston EW Bag I got is made from vegetable tanned pull-up 100% cow leather and is made in Korea.  Now, “pull-up leather” means that the genuine leather will develop notable wear marks over time. This is implemented to make it look chic, not like a Barbie accessory which will always look plastic and frozen in time. 

'Now Ashley, why would you buy an expensive purse that is going aggressively age as you wear it?' When I said this brand prioritizes nostalgia I meant it. This aging process is added to ensure the piece ages to look like that gorgeous vintage piece in your mom’s closet. 

Now, If I’m getting deep with it (which I guess I am), I think there is something so charming about having a purse age alongside you. I know I’m still too young for wrinkles, but they will come with time, and this purse will join me in that process. Just like how this purse will age into it’s beauty, there is a sentiment I feel that as we age as people it will be in a deeper beauty too.