I ordered the Strathberry Allegro Mini from Monnier Freres on March 30th and it took about 30 minutes to receive a confirmation email - some of the review complaints stated that they didn't get a confirmation email at all, but I got mine.  A few days later on April 10th, I got an email from DHL stating the package had shipped from Orly, France; and it was delivered all the way to the U.S. on April 13th.  I had to sign for it at the time of delivery.  I was very impressed with how fast the shipping was.

Monnier Freres' customer service did acknowledge that it took longer than usual to fulfill the order - given the circumstances.  Their customer service would reply within 48 hours of when I checked in, but I found them to be somewhat short and cold.  I chalked it up to the stress of the situation in addition to the language barrier.

I opted for Standard Packaging because I was worried that it would come in a big branded box, and I didn't want to risk it possibly being left at the door.  When I opened the standard packaged box, I was greeted with Monnier Freres branded tissue paper, which was wrapped around a Monnier Freres Paper shopping bag.  Within the shopping bag was my little Strathberry Allegro Mini resting within a Strathberry branded dust bag.  I was a little disappointed that it did not come with a Strathberry box though.

Now for the photos!

Strathberry Allegro Mini Rear View

Strathberry Allegro Mini is secured via gold-tone metal bar over the handle.

Strathberry Allegro Mini has leather feet.  I would have preferred gold-tone metal feet though.

Strathberry Allegro Mini Side View.  Notice it tapers towards the top.

Strathberry Allegro Mini branded hardware.

Strathberry Allegro Mini has a removable strap.

Strathberry Allegro Mini strap top and bottom view.  You could possibly get a leatherworker to poke more holes in the strap and reposition studs since they appear to be screwed in and not rivets.

Strathberry Allegro Mini is lightweight and easy to carry!

Strathberry Allegro Mini is petite but roomy inside.

Strathberry Allegro Mini interior fits a Samsung Galaxy S9 (regular size).  Note that the bag width narrows towards the top.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I'm in love with my Strathberry Allegro Mini bag.  The calfskin leather is high quality and is slightly textured.  It is more durable than lambskin and swift, but it can scratch if you are too careless.  The gold-tone hardware is heavy and does not feel cheap.  As far as the size is concerned, some may find the Allegro Mini to be a bit small, but it is perfect for me since I only carry my phone, card holder, catch all pouch, tissue, keys, and gum.  I have back problems and was pleased to find that the bag is very light weight!  Strathberry does offer other sizes for the Allegro model including the micro (teeny tiny) and the midi (larger than the mini); so there is an option for everyone.

The interior pocket is very narrow and does not have a lot of slack.  So I think it is best for flat objects such as small papers or maybe even a card holder.  It's definitely too small for a phone.  I actually did sew my own bag insert so I can have a few more pockets as well as a section for my phone (Samsung Galaxy S9) to prevent it from getting scratched.

The bag is not convenient to get in and out of though.  You have to release the signature gold bar from the top of the bag every time, and it's not like you can just leave it open because it looks odd.  Even without the top bar secured, the bag will stay shut because of the magnetic closure on the front flap.  I am not sure if the metal bar will eventually wear out the leather on the top handle over time, but I did purchase a twilly to help protect the handle.  I actually do like the bar-closure feature because I like my bags to feel secure.

I wish I had the Strathberry Allegro Mini in every color but I prefer to have a more variety in my wardrobe.  At any rate, I think you get a great quality bag for the money.  It's actually on sale now on many websites - including Strathberry.com, though the Bottle Green color is still out of stock.  I saw they have a denim version now too!

Would I purchase from Monnier Freres again?  Yes, assuming it is an item that I am already familiar with.  I don't know how they would fare returns-wise, but given how bland their customer service is I just rather not deal with that.

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