Sezane vs. Polene: Which brand should you buy? [2026]

Sezane offers a complete Parisian-inspired wardrobe, including romantic ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and handbags, while Polene focuses exclusively on creating minimalist, high-quality leather handbags with a timeless appeal. Sezane caters to those building a feminine, vintage-influenced closet, whereas Polene is for the shopper seeking a single, durable, and understated luxury bag as a long-term investment.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right French brand for your style and needs.

Sezane: The Complete Parisian Wardrobe

Sezane is a French fashion label known for its chic, romantic aesthetic that captures the essence of modern Parisian style. The brand offers a wide range of products including ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, accessories, and handbags, all designed with a vintage-inspired, feminine touch. Their target customer appreciates quality craftsmanship and versatile pieces that feel both timeless and contemporary, perfect for building an effortlessly elegant wardrobe.

• Product mix: Extensive collection of women's apparel (dresses, knitwear, blouses, trousers), footwear, jewelry, scarves, and a popular line of leather handbags.
• Price point: Mid-range and accessible. Most clothing is priced between $50 - $200, while their well-regarded handbags typically range from $150 to $400.
• Quality & Materials: Focuses on natural and high-quality materials like cotton, silk, linen, and quality leather for their accessories. The construction is solid for the price, delivering good value.
• Style & Aesthetic: Romantic, feminine, and vintage-inspired with a distinct "French-girl" vibe. Expect delicate details, flattering silhouettes, and classic patterns.
• Sizing/Fit: Garments generally run true to size. The brand provides detailed fit notes and sizing guides on each product page to help customers find the perfect fit.
• Sales: Holds seasonal sales, known as "Archives," a few times per year, offering a good opportunity for discounts on past-season items.
• Sustainability: The brand emphasizes sustainable practices by using eco-friendly materials, reducing its carbon footprint, and maintaining transparent sourcing through its B Corp certification.

Sezane excels at offering a comprehensive and stylish wardrobe with a romantic flair at a fair price, making it a go-to for shoppers wanting that quintessential Parisian look.

Shop Sezane: sezane.com

Polene: The Minimalist Handbag Specialist

Polene is a Parisian brand that has earned a cult following for its singular focus on creating high-quality, architecturally inspired leather handbags. Founded in 2016, the brand blends minimalist design with artisanal craftsmanship, resulting in bags that are both elegant and functional. Polene appeals to a modern consumer who prefers understated luxury, clean lines, and accessories designed to last a lifetime.

• Product mix: Tightly focused collection of women's handbags. Popular styles include the Numéro Un, Numéro Neuf, and Béri. They do not offer clothing or other accessories.
• Price point: Positioned as accessible luxury, with bags ranging from approximately $200 to $600. The pricing reflects the high-quality materials and European craftsmanship.
• Quality & Materials: The brand's signature is its use of premium, full-grained Italian and Spanish leather. Each bag is handcrafted, ensuring meticulous attention to detail, durable construction, and a refined finish.
• Style & Aesthetic: Minimalist, modern, and sculptural. Characterized by clean lines, unique curves, subtle hardware, and a sophisticated neutral color palette. The designs are timeless and not driven by fleeting trends.
• Sales: Polene very rarely, if ever, holds sales. The brand maintains its price points year-round to preserve its premium positioning and focus on evergreen designs.
• Sustainability: Polene's approach is rooted in creating durable, long-lasting products that discourage throwaway culture. They emphasize responsible sourcing of leathers and ethical European production.

Polene stands out for its high-end craftsmanship and timeless, minimalist designs, offering an excellent value for anyone seeking an investment-quality handbag without the traditional luxury markup.

Shop Polene: polene-paris.com

Sezane vs. Polene Comparison

Price Comparison

In the handbag category, Polene is generally more expensive than Sezane, with prices starting around $200 and reaching up to $600. This reflects their focus on artisanal production and premium leathers. Sezane's handbags are more affordable, typically sitting in the $150 to $400 range, making them a great mid-tier option.

Overall, Sezane is the more accessible brand because it offers a full range of products, including blouses for around $100 and dresses for under $200. Furthermore, Sezane holds seasonal Archive sales, while Polene does not offer discounts, meaning your only option is to purchase at full price. If budget is a primary concern across your entire wardrobe, Sezane offers more opportunities and price points.

Quality & Materials

Both brands prioritize quality, but their focus differs. Polene's entire reputation is built on the exceptional quality of its handbags. They use top-tier, certified Italian and Spanish leather, and the construction is meticulous, often compared to bags from much higher-priced luxury houses. A Polene bag is designed to be a durable, long-lasting investment.

Sezane also produces a beautiful quality product, using natural fibers for its clothing and good leather for its handbags and shoes. While their bags are well-made and stylish, they are not crafted with the same level of specialized, artisanal focus as Polene's. The primary difference is specialization: Polene is a leather goods expert, while Sezane is a high-quality ready-to-wear brand that also offers great accessories.

Product Selection & Style

This is the biggest distinction between the two. Sezane offers a complete world of fashion - you can build entire outfits from head to toe. Its aesthetic is feminine, romantic, and often incorporates vintage details, bold prints, and delicate textures. It's a brand for someone who enjoys a more expressive and charming personal style.

Polene's selection is strictly limited to handbags. Its style is the opposite of Sezane's romanticism: minimalist, sleek, and architectural. The designs are understated, relying on their unique shapes and premium materials to make a statement. Polene is for someone whose style is clean, modern, and prioritizes timeless simplicity.

Shopping Experience

Both brands offer an excellent direct-to-consumer online shopping experience. Their websites are clean, visually appealing, and provide detailed product information. They both ship internationally and have customer service teams that are generally regarded as responsive and helpful.

Sezane has a slight edge on physical retail presence, with more "Appartements" (their store concept) in major cities like Paris, New York, and London, offering a highly curated, personal shopping environment. Polene has fewer physical stores, making the online experience primary for most customers.

Sustainability & Ethics

Both brands are committed to responsible production. As a certified B Corp, Sezane’s commitment is broader, encompassing everything from using eco-friendly materials and recycled packaging to philanthropic initiatives. They are very transparent about their efforts across their entire product line.

Polene's sustainability is focused on its core principle: creating timeless, durable products. By focusing on longevity over trends, they encourage more conscious consumption. Their production is entirely based in Spain, ensuring high labor standards and craftsmanship. If your view of sustainability favors long-lasting investment pieces, Polene is a strong choice.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice really depends on what you're looking for. Both brands represent French style beautifully, but they cater to very different needs and aesthetics.

Choose Sezane if:

• You're looking to build a full wardrobe with a chic, romantic, and distinctly Parisian feel.
• You love feminine details, vintage-inspired prints, and charming silhouettes.
• You want high-quality clothing and accessories at a reasonable, mid-range price point.
• You enjoy the excitement of new collections and the chance to get a deal during seasonal sales.

Choose Polene if:

• You are specifically searching for a high-quality leather handbag as a long-term investment.
• You prefer a minimalist, modern, and understated aesthetic.
• Your top priorities are exceptional craftsmanship and premium materials in an accessory.
• You value timeless design over seasonal trends and don't mind paying a premium for it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sezane or Polene more expensive?

Polene handbags are generally more expensive than Sezane handbags, with prices starting around $200 and going up to $600. However, Sezane is a full ready-to-wear brand with items starting around $50, making it a more accessible brand overall if you are not just shopping for a bag.

Which brand has better quality?

Both have excellent quality, but Polene's focus is on artisanal craftsmanship for handbags. If you're comparing handbags directly, Polene's construction and material quality are at a higher, more specialized level. Sezane offers very good quality for its price across a wide range of clothing and accessories.

Do Sezane or Polene have sales?

Sezane has seasonal "Archive" sales a few times per year, where you can find past-season items at a discount. Polene is known for not having sales, maintaining its prices year-round.

Which brand is better for a timeless style?

Polene's minimalist and structural designs are inherently timeless and will likely look current for decades. Sezane's style is more of a "timeless classic" that embodies a specific romantic, Parisian aesthetic which also has enduring appeal, but can be more trend-influenced.

What is Sezane best known for?

Sezane is best known for its feminine blouses, perfect-fitting jeans, classic knit sweaters, and creating obtainable "French girl" style for a global audience.

What is Polene best known for?

Polene is best known for its sculptural leather handbags, like the Numéro series, which offer luxury-level quality and design at a more accessible price point.

How does Sezane sizing run?

Sezane's clothing generally runs true to size. They provide excellent, item-specific sizing advice and measurements on their website, which is very helpful for online shoppers.

Are Polene bags worth the price?

For most fashion enthusiasts, Polene bags are considered well worth the price. You are paying for premium European leather and craftsmanship that rival brands at double or triple the cost, making them a fantastic value in the accessible luxury market.