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Keeping The Row Leather, Suede and Raffia Bags the Right Way
Buy one of these bags and you quickly notice what is missing. There is no logo plaque to protect, no coated canvas to sponge off, no heavy hardware taking the knocks. The trade is exposed surface: calfskin showing its grain, lambskin linings, suede that marks at the smallest provocation, and a summer raffia weave with no seal on it. The care burden of The Row bags sits almost entirely on the material rather than on any finish laid over it. That leaves them simple to look after, and unforgiving of mistakes.
The organising principle is material, since the decisions genuinely break down that way. The same season can give you a grained calfskin tote and a suede top handle that need opposite treatment, while a sisal bag is different again.
Before anything else: a caveat about care instructions
No public care protocol exists for these bags, because The Row does not publish one. No manual exists, no cleaning chart is published, and no brand-approved product line is sold alongside them. Treat all of it as material-appropriate general guidance, built on how calfskin, lambskin, suede, canvas and raffia behave, not on instructions issued by the label. Handle it as a good leather specialist would: carefully, conservatively, always leaning toward doing less. A definitive brand-issued cleaning routine for these bags does not exist, so anyone presenting one is filling a gap rather than quoting a source. Ask a professional before applying anything at all to a piece you care about.
Behaviour beats product, every time
Most of what ruins a good bag is routine handling, and the remedies are behavioural rather than chemical. Overfilling distorts a soft silhouette faster than anything else, and it is the mistake owners make most often with the Margaux and the Park Tote. The belted side gussets on the Soft Margaux adjust the shape, and are not a licence to force more in. Sunlight both dries and fades leather; radiators and car dashboards do it quicker still. On unfinished surfaces, rain view collection does more damage than most people expect, and suede and raffia have next to no defence against it. Nothing on a shelf matches the effect of keeping a bag clear of sun, heat and water.
- Before storage, empty the bag completely, receipts and anything that can transfer colour included.
- Hanging a soft bag by its handles for long stretches will stretch the drop, so keep it off the hook.
- Pens, keys and cosmetics belong in a pouch, not loose against the lining.
- Handle pale calfskin and untreated suede only with washed hands.
Calfskin in its four forms: smooth, grained, saddle and polished
Calfskin is the backbone of the line and the most forgiving material in it. Scuffs and shine both show on smooth calfskin, matte grained calfskin hides them well, and polished saddle leather falls between the two. Routine care stops at a soft dry cloth after use, used with the grain and concentrated on the corners and base where dirt collects. Neutral conditioner is fine sparingly and infrequently, and both words matter, provided you test it on a hidden panel first. Over-conditioning darkens hide unevenly, produces a tacky surface and softens structure you meant to keep. Because dye moves from dark denim onto pale calfskin, keep light bags away from indigo and never scrub a transferred mark, since scrubbing spreads it.
Nappa and lambskin, mostly on the inside
Nappa and lambskin show up more as linings than exteriors, which alters how protection works. On the Margaux Shoulder the lining is lambskin, and the Bourse Clutch pairs a calfskin exterior with a nappa lining — which puts the softest material in the bag right where your keys sit. Exceptional softness, easy marking, and no tolerance for being worked on describe both. A dry soft cloth and nothing else is the correct answer, used lightly and rarely. Skip conditioner entirely, because they are supple to begin with, and over-treatment leaves a greasy sheen you cannot remove. A pouch inside the bag protects far better than anything you could apply.
Suede: the most demanding material in the line
Suede carries a consistent premium at this label and comes with a matching increase in care. Observed 2026 market prices make the gap obvious: India 10.00 sits at $3,850 in leather against $5,370 in suede, and Agnes 15 runs $5,000 in leather against $5,800 in suede. For the premium you get a nap that flattens, soaks up and stains faster than any finished hide. Caring for suede is mechanical, not chemical, which is the thing most owners miss. A dedicated suede brush covers most routine wear on its own, worked gently in one direction so it lifts the nap and clears surface dust. Past dry brushing, it is a professional’s job.
- Give it a light brush after each wear, working with the nap rather than scrubbing across it.
- Dry a wet bag naturally at room temperature, clear of radiators and hairdryers, and brush only when it is fully dry.
- Work dry marks away with a suede eraser and the lightest pressure.
- Send anything oily, coloured or set to a leather specialist rather than trying it yourself.
Never put leather cream, conditioner, wet wipes, soap or a water-based cleaner on suede — a short list, and an absolute one. Each of those mats the nap or leaves a ring that shows in every light. Regular brushing does more over a year than any treatment, which makes prevention, not repair, the realistic standard.
Raffia, sisal, canvas, nylon, silk and satin
Know before you buy: these are the least serviceable materials the brand works with. The sisal family and the woven raffia and linen totes are not tanned surfaces, so there is nothing to condition, and no way to refinish a stained panel. Hard scrubbing and solvents will distort the weave and leave a clean patch that reads as damage, despite how well both wear. On silk and satin, water and skin oils leave permanent marks, the small evening bags and knotted crossbody shapes included. A barely damp cloth, a spot-clean and a quick blot — that is the only home treatment worth trying on any of them. Prevention does all the work here, so keep them out of the rain and away from sunscreen.
| Surface | Routine care | What to never do |
|---|---|---|
| Calfskin, grained or smooth | Soft dry cloth; neutral conditioner, sparingly and rarely | Frequent conditioning; soaking a mark |
| Nappa or lambskin | A dry soft cloth under light pressure | Any conditioner or cream |
| Suede | Brush and eraser made for suede, with stains sent to a professional | Cream and soap, wet wipes, any water-based cleaner |
| The raffia, sisal, canvas and nylon pieces | Spot-clean and blot; air-dry | Soaking, solvents and hard scrubbing |
| Satin and silk | Professional cleaning; keep them dry | Any do-it-yourself cleaning |
Hardware, linings and the parts people forget
Hardware here is palladium-plated, matte or brushed, and that finish is the thing to protect. Metal polish has no place here: it is made for shine and will burnish a deliberately soft surface into something that no longer matches the bag. Clean buckles and feet with a dry cloth, and dry them if they get wet so moisture does not sit in the join. The engraving on the Margaux buckles and base feet holds dust, which a soft brush lifts far better than a cloth. Vacuum cotton herringbone linings, as found in the Soft Margaux 10 and 12, instead of washing them. Because catching a loose thread early costs a small repair instead of a large one, check the stitching at the handle roots occasionally.
Storage between wears
Most quiet deterioration happens in storage, and the fix is cheap. Put it back in the dust bag it arrived in, stuffed lightly so the shape holds without stretching the sides. Acid-free tissue works, as does a soft cotton scarf; newspaper does not, since the ink transfers. Because these silhouettes hold their shape when empty and lose it under weight, keep them upright on a shelf and never stacked under others. The space should be dark, dry and ventilated, and steer clear of sealed plastic boxes, which trap humidity against leather. Because a resting bag recovers its form, rotating what you carry does more good than owners realise.
Knowing when to stop and call a specialist
Crossing the maintenance-to-restoration line at home is how good row handbags are ruined, and that line is clear enough. Send colour loss, ink, oil, water rings on suede and stretched handles to a leather specialist. Structural jobs fall on the same side of the line, from loose stitching at a stress point to a lining torn away from its seam. Because coated-canvas technique does not carry across, ask whether the specialist has handled unlogoed luxury calfskin. The right specialist tests discreetly and says plainly when a mark will not come out cleanly, because untreated hide holds some marks for good. A botched attempt at home leaves a resale discount larger than the cost of one competent intervention.