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Brand Scorecard:
★★★★☆
Leather: 4.5
Hardware: 4
Design: 4
Engineering: 4
Craftmanship: 4.5
TOTAL: 4.21
Brand Website: mansurgavriel.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BRIEF HISTORY
Founded in 2013, MANSUR GAVRIEL redefines luxury through its distinctive approach to color and form. Born out of a passion for art and design, Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel created two simple and iconic silhouettes — launching with just a bucket and tote. From there, the brand has been built as a reflection of individuality with modern bags and shoes made from exceptional materials. The values that first guided their partnership continue to shape MG today, and the brands’ designs are continually challenging the notions of what art and fashion can be. Dreamt up in New York and specially crafted in Italy,
FIVE PILLARS OF A GOOD LEATHERCRAFT
CRITERIA | 5 (Very Strong) | 4 (Strong) | 3 (Mixed) | 2 (Limited) | 1 (Not Present) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Leather | A perfect balance of art and fashion of leather tanning. Rare and artisanal hides from exceptional tanneries | Good leathers for the application in hand. Coming from environmentally conscious tanneries | Average corrected leathers that do NOT require high-quality raw hides. Less info on the source of the leather | Low-quality leather choice with significantly less information about the sourcing practice. | Inferior sketchy leather derivates or non-leather materials. |
Hardware | Top of the line Stainless Steel or Brass Hardware with Highest Caliber Coatings | Common alloy or brass hardware with high-quality plating and thin protection that will last a good while. | Alloy hardware with acceptable coating. Lifetime may be impacted due to the coating of the hardware. | Serious flaws in the making and coating of the low-grade alloy hardware that is harmful to humans and the planet. | Non-metal, plastic, and non-durable hardware that is harmful to humans and the planet. |
Design | A professional design language that is unique and consistent with the brand | A creative take on a classical design concept | Minimal changes to common styles | Almost copy of common/famous designs. Dysfunctional elements. | Problematic design elements affect the functionality, durability, and aesthetics of the product. |
Engineering | Highly organized, sophisticated shape and form engineering with high-quality materials inside the craft. | Clean and quality inner support materials and structure | Acceptable cleanliness of inner work with medium-quality support materials | Messy inside with low-grade support elements | Complete lack of inner structure and craftsmanship. |
Craftsmanship | Expert craftsmanship with flawless, hand or machine stitching, demonstrating advanced skills. No visible errors; edge paint is avoided using superior techniques. | Perfect machine stitching with excellent edge finishing. Immaculate inside and out, with no visible flaws, showing a commitment to quality. | Good overall stitching and alignment with minor flaws. Acceptable edge finishing, with fairly clean interior and exterior. | Noticeable misalignment and sloppy workmanship. Multiple errors affect visual appeal, with untidy interior work. | Poor craftsmanship with missed stitches, visible errors, and uncleaned residues. Major issues that may affect durability. |
Overall Score | An incredible value for money that I have no problem recommending to anyone | Very good example of great quality for a great price without any risk to try | A considerable offer with a relatively high price. Make your choice at your own discretion | Consider it well within your own criterion as the quality/price is not a decision point I can recommend here | Stay away! |
READING MY ASSESSMENT SCORES
SCORE | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
5 | Strong Yes | ⭐ This grade is given to brands that present great value for the price they charge you for their product. I have no problem confidently recommending you check their products. These are the brands I reach out to ask if they can give me an affiliate link so your purchases using my link can support my content efforts. |
4 | Yes | 👍 This indicates that the brand meets all my expectations from the perspective of price and information they have about their products. I would happily buy their products at this level of quality/value score. This is the only other category of brands I request an affiliate link to support this channel to improve my Leathertainment content. |
3 | Mixed | ➖ There are areas that I found less than desirable for the quality/price performance I appreciate personally. Some high-end luxury brands may fall under this category given I am looking for tangible value in the products, ignoring the intangible brand prestige they may offer as a value to their customers. I am not a customer of these brands and I wouldn’t recommend them to my audience if they do NOT value brand logos. |
2 | No | 👎 This indicates that the product and the brand failed my expectations in significant ways and I won’t recommend them to anyone. |
1 | Strong No | ❌ This is the lowest assessment and indicates fundamental issues in the product and/or the brand. I would say look somewhere else. |
LEATHERVERSE MATRIX
The Leatherverse Brand Matrix visually compares leather brands based on sophistication and pricing, helping consumers understand their market positioning.
Legend
Vertical Axis: Ranges from simple artisan crafts to exclusive, master-crafted items.
Horizontal Axis: Covers pricing from low (no brand premium) to high (perceived luxury), with 2x multipliers for basic products and up to 15x for heavily marketed luxury items.
Diagonal Line: Represents the balance between price and performance. Brands on the line offer good value, those below suggest poor value, and those above offer exceptional value.
AUDIENCE & CUSTOMER'S PERSPECTIVE
Based on these criteria, how would you rate Mansur Gavriel as a brand?
How would you rate Mansur Gavriel as a brand?
5
4
3
2
PRODUCTS REVIEWED
Less is More: Why Minimalism is Good for Business
Mansur Gavriel's Hera Shoulder Bag
Watch the videos here:
Have you ever wondered how a brand can grow and thrive using a minimalist design approach? Today, I'll explain how Mansur Gavriel harnessed the power of simplicity to create a compelling brand in leather fashion. This is the second Mansur Gavriel bag I'm reviewing, and the experience with both bags has been remarkably consistent.
DISCLAIMER: This is an UNSPONSORED review. I purchased all of these products myself and am not affiliated with the brand mentioned in any way. All statements and expressions made about the products are solely the opinion of Tanner Leatherstein and are not meant to be conclusive or definitive. The purpose of this video is for informational and educational purposes only. We recommend that as a consumer, you exercise your due diligence and research on the products before adopting the opinion of Tanner Leatherstein.
The Intentional Minimalism of Mansur Gavriel
Mansur Gavriel made high-quality, essential materials, deliberately avoiding anything unnecessary. Both bags I dissected from the brand, for instance, lack a lining—not that this is a drawback. Achieving meaningful minimalism in design is incredibly challenging. It requires a meticulous approach to design goals and material choices, ensuring that only the bare minimum of fabrics is used, especially in leather products.
This super simplistic approach piqued my curiosity, so I visited their website and did some quick research. It became clear that this design principle is intentional. Rachel Mansur, a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, and Floriana Gavriel, who studied at the University of the Arts Bremen in Germany, launched Mansur Gavriel in 2013. Their initial products, the Bucket Bag and the Tote, were well-received for their clean, utilitarian design and high-quality Italian vegetable-tanned leathers. That's how a great leather story began.
The Beauty of Vegetable-Tanned Leather
Last year, I reviewed the Bucket Bag, and that was a great example of choosing the right material for the design. As this bag had to stand up to keep its form, they picked the vegetable-tanned Italian leathers. Vegetable-tanned leathers have a stiff temper, holding their shape like wood, thanks to the tree bark-originated tannins used in the tannery. I'm in love with Italian vegetable-tanned leathers, and I use a whole bunch of it myself. My customers happen to love our Italian veg-tan collection a lot. So this intentional approach of the designers is actually what makes this brand very successful.
Dissecting the Hera Shoulder Bag
This week, I dissected the Hera shoulder bag, which I bought for $395. It's advertised as being made from 100% Italian lambskin and crafted in Italy. Indeed, the lambskin is of very high quality. However, one thing that seems off is the brand's recommendation to "apply conditioner to this leather" on their website. Given the minimal finish of this leather, applying a random conditioner could alter its look and feel. Instead, I would recommend using a protector to enhance its resistance and keep it clean. The lambskin is beautiful but very delicate, and a protector would help preserve its pristine condition.
Cost Efficiency of Minimalist Design
This minimalistic approach is also good business because it helps keep costs down. From my estimate, the leather costs a maximum of $15, the hardware around $6, and assembly in Italy approximately $45. This totals $66 to produce a bag of this quality. With a price tag of $395, the brand achieves a healthy multiplier of six.
Timeless Appeal and Brand Growth
This is a great recipe for brand growth. Their bags look timeless and classy, yet are not overly pricey, making them an easy choice for first-time customers. Once you receive and touch the bag, the quality of the leather is impressive. While some customers might question the minimalistic choices—like one reviewer who wished the bag had a lining—overall, the value for money is satisfying, encouraging repeat purchases. This explains the sustained growth the company has enjoyed since its inception in 2013.
Conclusion
So, how does a minimalist design approach drive business success? By focusing on intentional design choices, cost efficiency, and timeless appeal, Mansur Gavriel has created a brand that continues to thrive. I congratulate the talented minds behind this brand and look forward to their continued success, making the leatherverse a better place for all of us.
Scorecard
TANNER APPROVED!
★★★★☆ - 4.29
Criteria | Score | Results |
|---|---|---|
Leather | 4.5 | Good leathers for the application in hand. Coming from environmentally conscious tanneries |
Hardware | 4 | Common alloy or brass hardware with high-quality plating and thin protection that will last a good while. |
Design | 4 | A creative take on a classical design concept |
Engineering | 4 | Clean and quality inner support materials and structure |
Craftsmanship | 4.5 | Fair Value for quality with a brand premium: 5 to 6 x multiplier pricing. |
OVERALL SCORE | 4.21 | Very good example of great quality for a great price without any risk to try |
PRICE / COST MULTIPLIER | 5x | Fair Value for quality with a brand premium. |
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