Jacquemus Valérie Bag Guide: Sizes, Materials, Prices and the Story of the Name

The Jacquemus Valérie bag is a soft folded shoulder bag in Italian leather, closed by a magnetic metal half-donut and lined in lambskin. La Valérie measures 32 x 20 x 11 cm and starts at $2,470 at Coveti, while the Small Valérie measures 24 x 14 x 7.5 cm from $1,990. It shares its name with the mother of Jacquemus founder Simon Porte Jacquemus.

Key facts

• La Valérie measures 32 x 20 x 11 cm and, according to Jacquemus, holds a card holder, a smartphone, headphones, keys, a small water bottle and a paperback book.
• The Small Valérie measures 24 x 14 x 7.5 cm and holds a card holder, a smartphone, headphones and keys.
• The Valério is the largest daily style at 38 x 26 x 14 cm, with room for a 13-inch laptop.
• Every Valérie bag closes with a magnetic metal half-donut and carries an embossed JACQUEMUS logo on the front.
• At Coveti the Valérie costs $2,470 to $2,630, the Small Valérie $1,990 to $2,630, the Valérie clutch $1,840 to $2,150, the Valério $2,630 and the Valérie travel bag $4,070.
• The Valérie cardholder measures 10 x 9 x 2.5 cm, has 6 card slots and costs $770 at Coveti.
• Most styles are made in Italy; the Small Valérie in Blue Grey, in lamb wool and lamb leather, is made in France.

Why is it called the Valérie bag?

Jacquemus was founded in Paris in 2009 by Simon Porte Jacquemus, who grew up in the south of France and named the label for his mother, Valérie. The bag carries her name, which makes La Valérie the most personal title in a line of house shapes that also includes Le Chiquito, Le Bambino, Le Grand Bambino, Le Turismo, Le Rond Carré, Le Salon clutch and Le Bisou. The spelling matters: the house writes it with an acute accent, Valérie, and the masculine Valério sits alongside it as the larger messenger. If you want the wider story of the designer and his label, start with who is Jacquemus, and for the house name itself, our guide on how to pronounce Jacquemus.

What is the Jacquemus Valérie bag?

Where Le Bambino is rigid and boxy, La Valérie is soft. Jacquemus describes it as a folded bag: a slouchy leather body that folds over at the top and closes with a magnet hidden behind a metal half-donut, in gold-tone on some colours and silver-tone on others. The JACQUEMUS logo is embossed into the front rather than applied in metal, which keeps the face of the bag clean. A metal foot on the base protects it when set down, a leather patch pocket sits inside, and the lining is lambskin. An adjustable, detachable strap lets it sit on the shoulder and across the body. The result is the house language of sculptural minimalism in its gentlest form, a curve rather than a corner. For the whole bag line in one place, read our Jacquemus bags guide.

The Valérie family, model by model

La Valérie

The main bag is 32 x 20 x 11 cm and is sized, in the house’s own words, for everyday wear. The Valérie Bag in Burgundy is in grained calf leather with gold-tone hardware at $2,470. The Valérie Bag in Brown and Brown is in suede with an embossed python detail on the flap and strap at $2,570. Live colours include The Valérie Bag in Black, The Valérie Bag in Terracotta and The Valérie Bag in Dark Burgundy at $2,630.

The Small Valérie

The small version keeps every detail at 24 x 14 x 7.5 cm. The Small Valérie Bag in Burgundy and The Small Valérie Bag in Orange are in grained goat leather at $1,990. The Small Valérie Bag in Blue Grey is the textural outlier: an embossed suede with a woven-effect surface, listed as lamb wool and lamb leather, made in France and priced at $2,150. The Small Valérie Bag in Brown and Brown repeats the python-embossed suede at $2,090, and The Small Valérie Bag in Black is the plain classic.

The Valérie clutch

The clutch drops the shoulder strap for a leather wrist strap and measures 27.5 x 14 x 6.5 cm. It keeps the magnetic half-donut, the embossed logo, an inner leather patch pocket and a lambskin lining, with a metal base stud underneath. The Valérie Clutch in Leopard Beige and Black is in a viscose and polyamide leopard-print fabric at $2,150, while The Valérie Clutch in Black is $1,840. More hand-held shapes sit in our clutch bags edit.

The Valério

The Valério is a large soft messenger at 38 x 26 x 14 cm, priced at $2,630 at Coveti. It has two compartments, a main one under a magnetic flap and a second with its own flap and magnetic clasp, plus 5 metal feet on the base and a strap with 14 holes, 7 on each side. Jacquemus lists a 13-inch laptop, a wallet, a smartphone, headphones, keys, a small water bottle, a notebook, sunglasses and a small pouch among its contents. Choose from The Valério Bag in Burgundy in grained calf, The Valério Bag in Brown in suede calf and The Valério Bag in Greige and Black in a linen-effect suede.

The Valérie travel bag

The Valérie Travel Bag in Black is the largest piece in the family and the most expensive at $4,070 at Coveti. Its measurements are not part of our product data, so check the product page for the exact size.

The Valérie cardholder

Described by Jacquemus as inspired by the Valérie bag, the cardholder is a double-compartment design with a snap-button closure and a metal clasp, 6 card slots and a size of 10 x 9 x 2.5 cm. The Valérie Cardholder in Dark Burgundy is in glossy croc-embossed calf leather, and The Valérie Cardholder in Black is in grained goatskin. Both are $770 at Coveti, and both appear in our Jacquemus gift guide.

Jacquemus Valérie sizes, materials and prices compared

Which Valérie size should you buy?

The packing lists make the choice unusually clear. The Small Valérie is an essentials bag: phone, cards, keys and headphones, nothing more. La Valérie adds a small water bottle and a paperback, which is the difference between an evening bag and a day bag. The Valério is the one to choose if a laptop comes with you, since it is the only style in the family with a 13-inch laptop on its list. The clutch is for evenings and occasions, and the cardholder is the entry point to the family at $770. For a side-by-side view of every Jacquemus price point, see our Jacquemus bag price guide.

How to wear the Valérie

A soft bag suits soft clothes. La Valérie on its strap sits close to the body and moves with it, so it pairs naturally with a fluid trouser, a long knit and a relaxed coat; our Jacquemus knitwear guide and coats and jackets guide have the pieces. The Small Valérie works across the body for weekends and travel days, and its brighter shades, orange and blue grey among them, add colour to a neutral outfit. The Valério, worn on the shoulder, gives a tailored look a practical weight. Keep the clutch for evenings, held by its wrist strap, with simple jewellery in the same metal as the half-donut. For more outfit ideas, read how to style Jacquemus, and compare the structured alternative in our Jacquemus Bambino bag guide. You can also browse the full shoulder bags edit.

How to care for a Valérie bag

Jacquemus notes that each piece of leather is unique and selected by its team, and gives the same care advice across the family: avoid direct overexposure to light, keep the bag away from cosmetics, water and heat sources, and store it in its dust bag in a dry place. Suede and python-embossed suede need extra caution with rain, so keep those for dry days. A soft bag holds its shape best when it is stored lightly filled, and the metal foot on the base is there to take the knocks, so set the bag down on it rather than on its side.

How the Valérie compares with other Jacquemus bags

Against the Large Bambino at 23.5 x 13 cm from $1,410, the Small Valérie is close in footprint but softer and more relaxed, at $1,990. Against Le Turismo, another soft shoulder shape, La Valérie is the cleaner design, with its embossed logo and single magnetic fold. If you are weighing the investment, our article on whether a Jacquemus bag is worth it sets out the arguments, and the full range lives in our women’s bags edit.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the Jacquemus bag called the Valérie?

Simon Porte Jacquemus founded his label in Paris in 2009 and named it for his mother, Valérie. The bag shares her name, written with an acute accent as Valérie, and sits in a line of named house shapes that includes Le Chiquito, Le Bambino and Le Turismo.

What are the dimensions of the Jacquemus Valérie bag?

La Valérie measures 32 x 20 x 11 cm. The Small Valérie measures 24 x 14 x 7.5 cm, the Valérie clutch 27.5 x 14 x 6.5 cm, the Valério 38 x 26 x 14 cm and the Valérie cardholder 10 x 9 x 2.5 cm.

How much is the Jacquemus Valérie bag?

At Coveti, La Valérie costs $2,470 to $2,630 and the Small Valérie $1,990 to $2,630, depending on material. The Valérie clutch is $1,840 to $2,150, the Valério $2,630, the Valérie travel bag $4,070 and the Valérie cardholder $770.

What fits in the Small Valérie bag?

Jacquemus says the Small Valérie holds a card holder, a smartphone, headphones and keys. At 24 x 14 x 7.5 cm it is an essentials bag; for a small water bottle and a paperback, step up to La Valérie at 32 x 20 x 11 cm.

Does a laptop fit in a Jacquemus Valérie bag?

Jacquemus does not list one for La Valérie. The Valério, a large soft messenger of 38 x 26 x 14 cm, is the style Jacquemus lists for a 13-inch laptop, alongside a wallet, a notebook, a small water bottle, sunglasses and a small pouch. It costs $2,630 at Coveti.

What is the Valérie bag made of?

The edit includes grained calf, grained goat leather, suede with embossed python detail and a woven-effect embossed suede, all lined in lambskin. The clutch also comes in a leopard-print viscose and polyamide fabric. Most styles are made in Italy, one Small Valérie in France.

How does the Valérie bag close?

Every Valérie bag and clutch closes with a magnet set behind a metal half-donut, in gold-tone on some colours and silver-tone on others. The Valério adds a second flap compartment with its own magnetic clasp, and the cardholder uses a snap button.

How do you care for a Jacquemus Valérie bag?

Jacquemus advises avoiding direct overexposure to light and contact with cosmetics, water and heat sources, and storing the bag in its dust bag in a dry place. Keep suede styles out of the rain and store soft shapes lightly filled.