IMAGE: GOYARD

Even though Maison Goyard was established back in 1853 by François Goyard, it was only in the 30s when the luxury brand started taking custom orders for handbags, one of which was the Saigon that was specially commissioned by a French customer living in Indochina. It came in a trapezoid-shape with beech wood elements that paid homage to the state-of-the-art trunks the house was known for, rendered in the perfect size which the ladies could easily take with them for the everyday.

IMAGE: GOYARD

Over time, it was officially introduced as one of the classic silhouettes in Goyard’s extensive line-up of bags and leather goods, identified by the leather side gussets, tuck-in flap and the mustard yellow interior which are all iconic elements that remain till this very day.

IMAGE: GOYARD

Today, the Saigon is sold along with a shoulder strap which the brand created back in 2015. The leather strap comes in the same colour as the bag proper, one that slides easily through the silver rings located at the handles, letting you wear it across the body or slung over the shoulder. Now, the bag is also available in various sizes and types which can be confusing for some of you, and this post aims to clarify them all.

01 – There are two styles to look out for, the Saigon Structured that features a sturdy (and literally structured) body. Then there’s the Saigon Soft which comes in a more relaxed silhouette without the two wooden lats running down the front.

02 – The Saigon Soft is only available in the Mini size which measures 20 cm by 14 cm, while the Saigon Structured is offered in 3 sizes including the PM and the MM which measure 28 cm by 20 cm and 35 cm by 25 cm respectively. Yes, the Saigon Structured Mini was only introduced in October 2019 last year, which could explain why you might have missed out on this if you haven’t visited the boutique in recent months.

03 – Aside from the trademark Goyardine linen and coated-canvas cloth offered for both styles in all 11 colours, the Saigon Structured PM is also available in full leather that comes in colours like Black, Grey and Navy.

04 – There are also limited quantities available in crocodile (Goyard refers to them as ‘prime materials’), precious skins that are derived from Australia’s Porosus or Africa’s Niloticus, which take ten to fifteen times longer to produce than calf leather.

05  – The good news? The price has remained the same since it was covered here back in 2017, but that can also mean one thing. There could be a price increment on its way. Interestingly though, the price for the ones in full leather have gone down, so if you’ve always wanted to get the Saigon in full leather, there’s no better time than now.

Saigon Soft Mini
SGD3600 | SGD4680

Saigon Structured Mini
SGD5590 | SGD7270

Saigon Structured PM
SGD6210 | SGD8070

Saigon Structured MM
SGD7280 | SGD9460

Saigon Structured Leather PM
SGD7300

Saigon Soft Crocodile Mini
SGD24,000

IMAGES: GOYARD