Goyard’s tale began with the House of Martin which was founded by Pierre-François Martin in 1792, specializing in trunk-making, box-making, and packing. Years later, Pierre-François Martin gave his business to Louis-Henri Morel, and after Morel’s death in 1852, François Goyard took over.
The Parisian house is famous for being elusive, avoiding e-commerce, and releasing new designs without much fanfare. In a rare interview with Hypebeast magazine back in 2017, Goyard’s spokesperson shares, “Luxury is a dream, and revealing too much of what goes on behind the scenes would spoil the magic.” Despite shunning the various methods of marketing used by many luxury brands, Goyard has established itself as one of the oldest existing luxury houses.
The Saigon is a classic of Maison Goyard’s, and the story of its origin is one of love. It was originally designed as a special order in the early 1950s at the request of a French gentleman living in Saigon who wanted to surprise his wife on her birthday. The bag was re-edited in 2002, almost 60 years later, and has since remained a part of Goyard’s permanent collection.
Goyard Green Coated Canvas and Leather Saigon MM Bag
This green Saigon MM has a unique, trapezoid shape with a firm base. It is crafted from Goyardine canvas and leather. Goyardine, created by Edmond Goyard in 1892, is similar to leather in appearance but it is actually hemp, linen, and cotton mixed with natural coated cloth. Initially, the pattern on it was hand-painted, but now it has been replaced by layers of etching colors. The bag has pyramid-side gussets, a tuck-in flap, and a spacious canvas interior in a signature mustard yellow. If the question is on what sets the bag apart, it will clearly be the incorporation of wood into the design. The hand-carved wood handle on top and the two wood trims on the front are reminiscent of the brand’s history of family males who worked as log drivers, moving firewood by inland waterways.
Inspired by motifs and details from the archives, the beautiful Goyard Saigon bag is a creation of exclusivity and originality, from a brand that lays emphasis on being timeless rather than adapting to the times. Find more Goyard bags here.
Also read: 5 Investment-Worthy Bags from Goyard