Max Mara Bags: Whitney, Pasticcino, Archetipo and Marine Compared

The best known Max Mara bags are the Whitney Bag, created in 2015 with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art, and the Pasticcino Bag from Weekend Max Mara. On Coveti the Pasticcino starts at $380 for a mini, the Whitney at $1,730, and the Archetipo and Marine bags complete the range.

Key facts

• Whitney Bag: created in 2015 with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York.
• Whitney sizes on Coveti: from the Whitney Bag 2 Nano at $1,730 to the Whitney Bag 10 Extra Large travel bag at $5,800.
• Pasticcino Bag: the Weekend Max Mara bag, a soft clutch shape closed with a metal clasp, from $380 for the Tubo Mini.
• Archetipo: a MaxMara Accessori calfskin bag edged with a tailor’s pick stitch, from $1,930.
• Marine bag: a rounded bag with extendable sides and tubular handles, from $1,530.
• Two price tiers: Weekend Max Mara bags cost $380 to $2,400 on Coveti; MaxMara Accessori bags cost $1,430 to $6,000.
• Brand: Max Mara, founded in 1951 by Achille Maramotti in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Which Max Mara bag should I buy first?

Buy the Whitney if you want one structured bag for work and travel. It has a clean, architectural outline, it is made in smooth calfskin with a suede lining, and it comes in sizes from nano to travel bag, so there is a version for every use. The medium sizes are the ones to wear every day.

Buy the Pasticcino if you want a softer, more playful bag at a lower price. It comes from Weekend Max Mara, so it costs a fraction of a Whitney, and it changes fabric and finish every season, from suede and nappa to velvet and rhinestones. It is the bag to buy for evenings and weekends.

Choose the Archetipo if you like quiet, tailored leather goods. Its pick-stitched edges echo the finish on Max Mara coats, and the tumbled calfskin wears in well. Choose the Marine bag if you want a slouchier shape that changes with what you carry.

The Whitney Bag: history and sizes

The Whitney Bag was created in 2015 with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. The link to architecture shows in the shape: clean planes, a flat base and tubular handles that run along both sides.

Inside, the leather Whitneys are lined in suede, with a zipped partition, a ring for small leather goods and zip pockets. Max Mara numbers the sizes, which makes the range easy to read once you know the codes:

Woven wicker versions of the Micro and the Medium arrive for summer, from $4,580. For a first Whitney, the Bag 5 Medium in black is the most useful, and the Bag 3 Micro in camel is the one to choose for a smaller, dressier bag.

The Weekend Max Mara Pasticcino Bag

The Pasticcino is the signature bag of Weekend Max Mara, the line for relaxed clothes and accessories. Its soft, rounded clutch shape closes at the top with a metal clasp, and most versions come with a short strap and a long chain strap so you can carry it by hand, on the shoulder and crossbody.

The line changes fabric constantly. This season on Coveti there are suede, nappa, deer-print leather, cotton velvet, wool boucle, woven leather and rhinestone versions, plus clip-on Tubo Mini bags and Pasticcino charm necklaces. Sizes run from the Tubo Mini at $380 and the Extra Small with rhinestones at $530 to the XXL leather Pasticcino at $1,360. A numbered large jacquard edition costs $2,400.

The Small and Medium sizes are the most practical. A suede Small fits a phone, a card case and keys, and weighs very little. The Cubico, a deconstructed medium Pasticcino in soft nappa with a long chain strap, is the version to carry every day. Read more about the line in our guide to Weekend Max Mara.

The Archetipo and the Marine bag

Archetipo. This MaxMara Accessori bag is made in calfskin, light and unlined in effect, and finished with a tailor’s pick stitch and a metal logo. Some versions stand on a leather base with metal feet and an embroidered M Monogram. Sizes run from Extra Small at $1,930 to the trapezoid Archetipo Leather Handbag at $3,360, with a medium bucket bag at $2,940. The Extra Small comes with a 110 cm removable strap for crossbody wear.

Marine. The Marine is a rounded bag whose sides extend and fold in through straps and rings, so the outline changes with what you carry. It has tubular handles and a removable adjustable strap. The leather versions run from the Extra Small at $1,590 to the Medium at $2,120, and there are horizontal suede versions from $1,830. The Teddy Marine bags, in camel Teddy fabric on a silk base, start at $1,530.

The wider MaxMara Accessori range also includes the Margaux, a soft suede and leather bag with a twist lock, from $2,640, Teddy Boston bags from $1,630, and the Holdall bowler bags from $2,120.

Are Max Mara bags good quality?

The materials are the clue. The Whitney and the Archetipo use calfskin, the Whitney is lined in suede, and the Archetipo carries the same pick stitch Max Mara uses on its coats. The Weekend Max Mara Pasticcino uses lighter materials, from nappa sheepskin to cotton velvet, which suits its role as a softer, seasonal bag at a lower price. For a long-term investment, choose a smooth calfskin Whitney in a dark colour.

How do Max Mara bags compare with other Italian bags? They are quieter than many, with small logos and tailored finishes, and they sit with the brands in our guides to Italian handbag brands and old money bags. For other understated leather, see Valextra and Polene.

Where can I buy Max Mara bags in the US?

Coveti stocks the Whitney, Pasticcino, Archetipo, Marine and Margaux bags and ships to the US by DHL Express and FedEx International Priority. Orders ship Delivered Duty Unpaid, so import duties are usually payable on arrival. Shop every style on the Max Mara hub and in women’s bags.

The Max Mara bags to buy now

1. Whitney Bag 5 Medium in Black

The everyday Whitney in smooth, low-sheen calfskin, lined in suede with a zipped partition. The most useful first Max Mara bag. From $3,470.

2. Whitney Bag 3 Micro in Camel

The architectural Whitney shape at 20 x 9 x 17 cm, in the house camel. Small, structured and dressy. From $2,120.

3. Whitney Bag 7 Large in Camel

At 36.5 x 14 x 31 cm, the Whitney that holds a working day. A smart alternative to a tote. From $4,170.

4. Whitney Bag 2 Nano Lambskin in Silver

Metallic lambskin with a magnetic top clasp. The evening Whitney, and the lowest-priced way into the line. From $1,730.

5. Pasticcino Bag Small in Suede, Chocolate

Calfskin suede with a velvet-effect pinstripe print and an antiqued metal clasp. Light and easy for weekends. From $790.

6. Cubico Medium Nappa Pasticcino Bag in Tobacco

A deconstructed medium Pasticcino in soft nappa, with a long chain strap and a short leather strap. The everyday Pasticcino. From $870.

7. Pasticcino Bag Extra Small with Rhinestones in Black

Covered in rhinestones, with two chain straps that join for crossbody wear. The party bag of the range. From $530.

8. Archetipo Extra Small Leather Bag in Amber Brown

Tumbled calfskin with a tailor’s pick stitch, adjustable handles and a 110 cm removable strap. Quiet and practical. From $2,350.

9. Archetipo Medium Leather Bag in Mud

Natural grain calfskin on a leather base with metal feet and an embroidered M Monogram. A work bag that wears in well. From $2,750.

10. Small Leather Marine Bag in Black

A rounded calfskin bag with extendable sides, tubular handles and a removable strap. Soft and versatile. From $1,990.

11. Tmarin Medium Teddy Marine Bag in Camel

The Marine shape in camel Teddy fabric on a silk base. The bag to match a Teddy Bear coat. From $2,120.

12. Margaux Medium Suede Bag in Beige

Roomy calfskin suede with a twist lock that you can wear closed and tucked in. A soft, feminine everyday bag. From $3,870.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most famous Max Mara bag?

The Whitney Bag. Max Mara created it in 2015 with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop for the opening of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. It comes in numbered sizes, from the Whitney Bag 2 Nano to the Whitney Bag 10 Extra Large travel bag.

How much is the Max Mara Whitney Bag?

On Coveti, the Whitney Bag starts at $1,730 for the Bag 2 Nano. The Bag 3 Micro costs from $2,120, the Bag 5 Medium from $3,470, the Bag 7 Large from $4,170 and the Bag 10 Extra Large from $5,800. Wicker versions start at $4,580.

Is the Pasticcino a Max Mara bag?

Yes. The Pasticcino is the signature bag of Weekend Max Mara, the relaxed line from Max Mara. It is a soft, rounded clutch with a metal clasp, usually sold with a short strap and a long chain strap. On Coveti it costs from $380 for the Tubo Mini.

Are Max Mara bags worth it?

The Whitney and the Archetipo are worth it for buyers who want understated calfskin bags with small logos and tailored finishes. The Weekend Max Mara Pasticcino is a good choice for a seasonal, lower-priced bag. Choose a dark smooth leather for the longest life.

What is the difference between Weekend Max Mara bags and Max Mara bags?

Weekend Max Mara makes the Pasticcino and its variations, priced on Coveti from $380 to $2,400, in softer, seasonal materials. MaxMara Accessori makes the Whitney, Archetipo, Marine and Margaux bags, priced from $1,430 to $6,000, mostly in calfskin.

Which Max Mara bag is best for work?

The Whitney Bag 7 Large, which measures 36.5 x 14 x 31 cm and has a zipped partition and zip pockets inside. The Archetipo Medium and the Whitney Bag 5 Medium are good choices if you carry less.

Shop every bag on the Max Mara hub, read about the house in who is Max Mara, and find the matching coat in our Max Mara coats guide.