Thursday, May 29, 2008

Style SOS: The Bag of a Lifetime

Hi! May I ask for advice on which designer bag you would recommend to a girl, if she plans to only splurge on 1 designer bag in her lifetime? I know there are so many bags out there, with different price ranges, but assuming you'll put all your eggs in one basket (well, because you aren't all that financially blessed to get more than 1), which one would you recommend? :)

- thw :)


Hi thw! Whew, what a challenging question! I mentioned your dilemma to The Baghag and the first thing she asked was, "What maximum price range are we looking at?" Ahhh, a true baghag indeed! After all, there are a couple of classic designer bags out there that will definitely fit within your maximum allowable spend. But let's assume that we are going for THE bag and you are willing to spend a huge chunk of your nest egg to make it yours, I think it's a no brainer to go for an Hermès bag (Birkin/Kelly/Victoria, etc).

But if you are not willing to take the hit, there's another alternative. Let me whet your appetite by quoting from J.J. Martin's Harpers Bazaar article on Bottega Veneta's creative director Tomas Maier :

"I don't like It bags, and we don't do It bags," he says firmly. "A bag doesn't become important because you put it in an ad campaign or on the arm of a celebrity or because it's the bag of the season and you say there's a waiting list. That's bullshit. It's just marketing. People always talk about these bags being unavailable, and it's total crap."

"The idea of creating either clothing or accessories that are cool now and destined for the back of the closet next year is 'completely contrary to my process', declares Maier. 'I tell a woman that something is good, and then six months later I tell her it's good again.'"

And with that, I strongly suggest that you invest in Bottega Veneta. As the article mentions, Maier's "products for Bottega Veneta are the ultimate understatement in a world of look-at-me luxury goods. With no logos, no unsightly hardware, no gimmicks, and certainly no gadgets, Bottega Veneta products do not whine for attention. Maier, who started at the 42-year-old Italian luxury-goods house in 2001 after working at Hermès, will not put up with a screamer."

Antithesis to the IT bag, these BVs.



Considering that Maier came from the bastion of classic bags, hey, I wouldn't mind "settling" for Bottegas!

Of course, there are more bags to consider beyond Hermès and BV. It really depends on what bag suits your lifestyle and how much you are truly willing to spend. If choosing THE bag is causing a lot of sleepless nights, just remember what MFO reader Emma wisely suggested, "...just don't get the IT bag of the moment because every one will know its old".

(Photo credit: bottegaveneta.com)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

that's a tough answer.... I don't even think I can decide on one!

Anonymous said...

hi. how do you pronounce hermes? im sorry but i just dont know.

Anonymous said...

Agree! I would splurge on a Bottega because it will always be a classic.

cd_mfo said...

I made a previous post on this =) It's "air-mez" with a hard s that sounds like a z.

Anonymous said...

hi! would you know how much the goyard croisiere 35 & jeanne pm & mm in HK are? thanks!

sumnboutme said...

i agree with the Bottega, although you can't go wrong with a Chanel flap bag either. I think you have to think about your lifestyle and personality when it comes to choosing THE handbag for you.

BTW, welcome back CD (I'm assuming your back from your trip). Hope you had fun!

cd_mfo said...

Hi Anon! Unfortunately, I don't know =( But I will ask around!

Yes, agree with you again there Debbie! I would suggest a Chanel flap made of caviar leather though, as it is more durable. Lambskin is prone to scratching and I wouldn't recommend it for everyday use. But if I had a Chanel as my THE bag, I would worry about using it so much though because they look so delicate! Then again, I wouldn't really know how they hold up because I don't have one...yet! Hehehe!

Anonymous said...

thanks, appreciate it! looking forward to it.

cd_mfo said...

It's about HK$18,000 for a Jeanne GM! Prices for the rest to follow! =)

trina said...

i just saw this post after running a search. i've been a tomas maier fan since forever!!! i adore his bikinis! ~trina

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