French label Polène, best known for its sculptural silhouettes and mid-range price tags that don’t hurt quite as much as the usual designer suspects, has made its way to our Little Red Dot.
Yes, that means no more relying on overseas trips to see the bags IRL or paying for international shipping, because Polène has opened its first physical store in Southeast Asia, at Basement 2 of Marina Bay Sands.
The brand, which has been dubbed “affordable luxury” by the likes of Forbes, was founded in 2016 by 3 siblings, and has built a cult following for its almost art-like bags that look way pricier than they actually are.
But a big reason why the prices stay relatively sane is that Polène sells mainly on its own website and at a select number of showrooms, meaning no middlemen or retail markups driving prices up. On top of that, its bags are made with high-quality leather produced in Ubrique in Spain, which helps keep costs lower compared to traditional luxury brands in France or Italy – without compromising on craftsmanship.
Design-wise, Polène keeps things timeless, which probably explains why it’s been all over your IG feed. Most of its bags come in earthy tones and warm nudes that pair effortlessly with just about any outfit.
Some of its most popular styles include the Cyme ($790) and the Numéro Neuf Mini ($700), both of which you’ve probably spotted on social media more than once.
Honestly, it feels only right that Polène has opened their 1st store at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands – if there’s anywhere that screams luxury, it’s MBS.
Needless to say, you’ll find an extensive selection of the brand’s bags across all sizes and colourways here. The 100sqm space is not large, but it’s give the impression of space with its ceiling of soaring leather panels, suspended in a wide arch across the store.
Yes, each one of the panels you see above you in the store is an actual full piece of full-grain leather, made by the brand’s artisans in Spain. It’s undeniably the first thing that catches your eye upon entering the shop, and they’ll have you know that these panels were inspired by Singapore’s maritime history.
P.S. Each panel takes a whopping 3 hours to make!
Besides the ceiling panels, you’ll want to check out the hanging ones that line the walls of the store. If the beaded ones seem familiar, that’s because they feature the same beads as the ones on the Polène Solé (from $640).
Fun fact: The Polène Solé – and the wall hangings – are part of the brand’s Plèi collection, where Plèi is a homophone for the word “play”, while featuring letters from the Polène name. This collection is centred around leather cut-offs from the making of their other bags, compressed and moulded into individual beads, held in place by macrame knots.
Other than the beads, offcuts have been transformed into leather flowers (from $110), which you can purchase in store too. Unlike their fresh counterparts, these will never wilt – and they’ve given the leather offcuts a new life too.
Keep an eye out for these marble-lookalike plates around the store; they’re also made from compressed leather offcuts.
It’s hard to miss the massive installation that takes centre stage on the right side of the Polène store. It looks like it’s been plucked out of a bag-making workshop, and you’re not wrong, because it does show a step in the making of one of their Mokki (from $860) bags.
We hear that every store has a different installation showcasing some step or other in the making of their bags. Don’t forget to check out the drawers beneath the interactive installation – you’ll find samples of all the pieces of leather cutouts that go into making various Polène bags.
While there are no Singapore- or SEA-exclusives at this point, the store does stock Polène’s seasonal colours, such as Summer 2026’s Terracotta shade – a warm, sun-baked reddish-brown hue.
Then, there are the Nanonimals ($320), a limited-edition collection of bag charms that are miniature versions of their iconic Numéro Un bag. These were launched earlier this year, and are large enough to fit your AirPods, and perhaps a lippie and compact mirror.
If you’ve been one of those who’ve queued up to enter Polène’s international stores, only to find that the Cyme is no longer available at all, or in the colour that you want, fret not, because we’ve confirmed that they have them in almost every colour.
Not only can you shop their well-stocked range of colours, you can also test them out for size, with the extra-large mirrors in-store.
With any bag purchased, you can get Polène to emboss your name or initials too. Options include plain embossing or a gold foil emboss. Do note that there are specific requirements as to where you can request the embossing to be done.
Polène may be best known for their bags, but visit their store, and you’ll discover their selection of themed jewellery collections, inspired by nature. They’re said to be made in historic workshops near Florence and Venice, featuring 24-carat gold galvanisation and a palladium coating before that.
Whether you’ve been eyeing it for the longest time or recently got influenced, it’s time to add Polène to your wishlist. Or, you know, be your own sugar mummy and just get it yourself.
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Photography by: Jaslyn Tan
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