Review: YSL Medium Wallet on Chain: A Love/Hate Affair
The YSL Medium Wallet on Chain—let’s call it the "Classic Cassandre Chain Wallet in Grain De Poudre Leather" if we’re being fancy and website/product name correct is a bag that inspires from me equal parts adoration and frustration. For clarity, I’m specifically talking about the Medium size here (not officially called “Medium” by Saint Laurent, but let’s go with it). It’s the bigger size of the two, and in my opinion, it’s the only one you want.
Let’s Talk Authentication
Before diving into my personal review, a word of caution: this bag is heavily counterfeited. If you’re planning to buy secondhand, you need to arm yourself with knowledge. Saint Laurent’s small and medium wallets have subtle stylistic differences, and counterfeiters love to mix these up—clasps, chain details, proportions, you name it they just create a bag style thats never existed.
If you’re serious about getting the real deal, read my guide on how to authenticate a Medium Saint Laurent Wallet on Chain. Trust me, you don’t want to spend £1,000 only to realise later you’ve bought a fake. Imagine trying to resell it if you suddenly needed a quick cash injection in your bank account, only to discover it’s worthless. Eek.
What Does it Fit?
If you’re torn between the small and medium, let me save you the trouble: get the medium. The small is cute, yes, but it’s very small—only really useful for special occasions where all you need is a lipstick and a bank card. Even with the medium, it’s a squeeze to fit my essentials: Comb, lipstick, phone, AirPods, keys, and a bank card. It just about works, but overfill it, for example the Mason Pearson hairbrush - fits - but the snap closure constantly unfastens - so doesn’t really and the silhouette suffers big time.
But, look how overstuffed it is and the silhouette is suffering. That bag will unpop, realistically you have to lose the hairbrush and one of the make-up compacts.
My Personal Review
Now, here’s where it gets personal. For all my nitpicking, let me just say: I’ve somehow bought two of these bags. Yep, guilty as charged.
The first one was a pink YSL Wallet I scored for an absolute steal on Hardly Ever Worn It back in the mid-2010s. It had some minor water damage on the front, but honestly, I didn’t care. You can’t tell, and besides, your hand covers it when you hold it. It came with the box, bag, and receipts for literally 25% of the RRP. How could I resist?
The second one is my black-on-black version, which I picked up in 2020 this time from Designer Exchange. I spent slightly more on this one, but the noir-on-noir is undeniably chic and much more versatile than the pink. Between the two, the black is my go-to—it feels understated yet smart, and it suits my current style far better.
The Pros:
The chain length is spot-on. It doubles up beautifully, so you can wear it crossbody, over the shoulder, or as a clutch.
It’s hard-wearing. The grain de poudre leather is durable and robust, and the hardware resists tarnishing (unlike Celine leather, for example).
It’s sleek and elegant, making it perfect for special occasions like weddings or evenings out. It goes from day - to - night easily.
The Cons:
It’s a wallet on chain. By design, it’s not meant to hold much, and it doesn’t, if you overfill it, the snap closure constantly unpops—infuriating.
It doesn’t feel special anymore. A lot of people have it, and the sheer number of fakes out there kind of ruins the magic.
The silhouette doesn’t handle bulk well. Even the medium size struggles to fit my essentials without looking stuffed.
Final Verdict
This is a nice bag, but I don’t love it. I think that’s partly because my style has evolved, and what felt aspirational in the mid-2010s doesn’t feel as exciting now. It’s a durable, versatile piece, but for the price, I’d definitely recommend exploring other options.
If you’re set on Saint Laurent,
I’d suggest going onto Vestiaire Collective and looking at the Manhattan Bag or the Sunset Bag. Both offer more functionality and feel a bit more elevated.
So, is the YSL Medium Wallet on Chain worth it? If you’re buying it for special occasions and find a great deal secondhand, maybe. Probably not. Save your money and opt for something with a little more personality and practicality.
