Helios Top Handle Bag

Was dying to buy this bag in the crocodile embossed oxblood and finally scooped it up on sale at $626.00 and celebrated. This bag is so of the moment and practically impossible to find at any price. Upon receipt my first impression was that the color was nice but not rich. It doesn't look like a deep dye. I have the Mansur Gavriel slingback pumps in aubergine and love them so much I bought a second pair as a spare. However after lifting the bag (which did was sealed in a plastic bag with no box though it does come with the signature pink fabric dust tote) I could feel it was unexpectedly very lightweight. I do love the overall design and concept. The handle drop and size are perfect for my 5' 2" slim frame. However the other elements disappoint. The hardware and zipper (the zipper has a bit of a ripple which is inexcusable) aren't of the quality they should be but the stitching is even. The crocodile embossing is also quite shallow. Most disappointing is that the bag doesn't fully open. Plus the super shallow interior "pocket" is a bit of a joke. It runs several inches along the back wall but if you laid an iPhone lengthwise, half of it would still be visible. I'm not sure my lipstick would stay secure. Maybe you could tuck some tissues in there? The pocket is practically non-functional and the edge on the pocket isn't properly finished as it feels a bit rough. Note all of the bags edges are not finished as they should be at this price point. The interior suede lining feels cheap, in fact the entire bag cannot justify even the sale price. There are many other brands offering similar east/west bags of truly superior quality that feature high grade leather, hardware, functional interior pockets, metal feet, rolled handles, etc. at a much lower price point. In fact, I ordered one last night in the same color (not crocodile) in the $500 range full price. As a side note I am begging these manufacturers to please place these mid-range bags in a nice box. Boots and shoes manage to do this routinely. It's just sad to find your expensive bag floating around in a generic cardboard shipping box barely wrapped in cheap plastic. You can do better.