fashion

Once in a while, a handbag is made that sings to your soul and calls out to you in a siren trill – “I am special. I am beautiful. Buy me and make me yours.” It’s the kind of item that grabs your eyes and won’t let go. To be able to see anything else again, you absolutely have to take it home.

Presenting the Longchamp Le Pliage “Arbre de Vie” (Tree of Life) Limited Edition for Spring/Summer 2011.

Longchamp Le Pliage Arbre de Vie LE Medium Long-Handle in Navy, 10 x 10 x 5.5 inches

This is one of those must-have arm candy bags that are also eye candy – how’s that for utter sweetness?

The front depicts a fanciful Tree of Life, painted or screened on in white. The birds are embroidered. Material is polyamide canvas.

Like other Le Pliage models, the Arbre de Vie has a zip closure with one interior main compartment and one large pocket at the back.

The handles are leather, as are the snap tab and tags at either end of the zipper. The zipper and pull are by YKK and are exclusive to Longchamp.

The flap is leather; there is a snap tab on the front that carries the texts “Longchamp”, “1948″, and logo of a horse-and-jockey; the logo is also embossed on the flap.

The back of a Le Pliage flap is embossed with the words “Longchamp” and “Modele Depose”.

The interior of the Arbre de Vie is dark and shows the reverse side of the embroidery. A plastic disc lies underneath the bottom of the snap.

Tag on interior of bag. The Arbre de Vie is made in France.

The Arbre de Vie also comes in fuschia pink with the Tree in white, and in white with the Tree rendered in black. Visually, the white is more eye-popping than the navy, but the white background would be too high-maintenance for someone with my slapdash habits – the same reason I didn’t go for the Darshan models in fabric canvas, although they are lusciously lavished with pink or yellow flowers on a white ground.

What attracted me so strongly to the Arbre de Vie design?

The tree is a powerful image in religion and mythology. In the Bible, Genesis mentions the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. The latter was quite another tree and upon the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden, was guarded by two angels with flaming swords. In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil, the “World Tree”, is considered sacred and is surrounded by extensive lore.

In Philippine mythology, a Visayan creation myth has the gods creating a giant bamboo from which emerge the first man – Sikalak – and woman – Sikabay. In Tagalog they are known as Malakas (Strong) and Maganda (Beautiful).

There are parallels to the myth in ancient Egypt, China, Japan, Israel, India, Armenia, and Turkey, to mention a few. In fact, the “sacred tree” motif can be found in many more areas around the world and across time.

We carry the same concept of a special tree to this day – the Christmas tree.

I might be reading too much meaning into the design of a highly commercialized luxury item, but that is what is fascinating about signs – that the meaning they hold for one person is different for another. Meaning is what we make of it.

And it’s a really pretty bag.

In the Philippines, Rustan’s Department Store carries authentic Longchamp items. Pink Darshan image here.

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I’ve written about how my LA-based cousin Ivy is bringing me some Tory Burch stuff when she visits Manila in June. One of the things I asked her to get me is this TB Nylon Ella Tote in Butterfly Pink.

It has arrived at her home and here’s a picture of it sitting on a stool in her pink kitchen in perfect color coordination and harmony:

It looks faaabulous. Can’t wait till it gets here. <3

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“Affordable” doesn’t necessarily mean “shoddily made”. When I came across the inexpensive Carpisa brand, I was pleased to see how well-made its bags are. An Italian leather goods and fashion accessories maker since 1982, Carpisa’s turtle logo is well-known in Europe. Their designers come out with fresh new designs every couple of months or so, linked to seasons and occasions – Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, Christmas, Valentine’s.

Many of Carpisa’s lines are created from manmade materials such as nylon and are made in China, which keeps costs down. They also have leather bags and accessories, but of course at a different price point.

The brand tends to be fashion forward, and that means “trendy”, not necessarily stylish. I’ve gone through their catalog and seen many of their actual wares fresh off the boat. I wouldn’t choose the majority of them – hoboes in thin nylon that look as if they could snag on a torn fingernail and rip, backpacks that might be Jansport rip-offs with the cheerful and childish patterns – but occasionally they have great bags in timeless designs and hues, and it pays to watch out for those.

They have a huge shop in London on Marylebone Road (photo above), which is where a friend got me this beautiful white-and-black nylon tote.

First off, the stitching in and out is excellent, and that’s very important in a good handbag.

Carpisa white and black tote on Ohio Rose quilt I appliqued with blanket stitch in black thread. Machine quilting was by Alice Wallenberg of Texas in January 2000.

The interior of the bag is roomy. It could aspire to be like Hermione Granger’s capacity-extends-into-other-dimensions beaded bag. It certainly receives our household’s imprimatur as a certified Bag of Holding.

Here it is in action, holding a ton of my junk. ‘Nuff said? You betcha.

The Carpisa tote pressed into action for work. Behind it is a katcha [muslin] bag autographed for me by writer Carljoe Javier.

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American designer Tory Burch burst upon the fashion scene in February 2004 and has been a success ever since. In the Philippines, her Reva ballet flat with the “T” logo medallion is a status symbol, worn by the moneyed and the stylish – sometimes to work, often on casual weekends at the mall.

Tory Burch can be said to have revived the popularity of the ballet flat and her simple yet elegant designs have contributed much to this resurgence.

Her Reva flats sell in Manila for around P12,000. They can be had for half the price in the US. Check out her website for items on sale.

As an impecunious writer, I rely on my California-based cousin Ivy Ortuoste for bargains such as those below, which she’ll be bringing to me in June:

The Reva in gray flannel is a refreshing alternative to the usual leather one sees everywhere in Manila, while the Anne Marie ballet flat in bronze, sans the large TB medallion, is simple and low-key – for me the essential components of style (as opposed to fashion, which is trendy and not always tasteful).

They both look very comfortable. I’m counting down the days till June.

Update, after an hour of posting the above:

Because it can be had for less in the US, I have succumbed to succulent temptation and asked Ivy to get me the TB Nylon Ella Tote in Butterfly Pink. As Ik commented, “Mama, it fufills your criteria for the perfect bag – it’s large and roomy, sturdy, and pink!” The nylon material reminds me of the Longchamp Le Pliage that I already have, and looks like it can take any rough-and-tumble times it’ll go through with me. The leather trim provides the perfect touch, the 7″ handles mean the bag can still be slung over a shoulder, and it’s PINK. Perfect perfect perfect.

June is still three entire months away! “Waiting is such sweet sorrow.”

Gray Flannel Reva Ballet Flat here, Anne Marie Ballet Flat in Bronze here, both on sale now. Nylon Ella Tote here.

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To complete a trifecta of Longchamp bagagerie, take a look at the Roseau Tote.

This one is in camel leather, with short handles and distinctive silver hardware – side snaps and a bamboo-shaped toggle that goes through a loop and keeps the bag closed. I love how discreet the placement of the logo is – on an unobtrusive embossed leather medallion below the toggle.

Side snaps allow the bag to expand to fit your things.

The jacquard lining fabric is woven with a repeating pattern of the logo. Note the even stitching on the leather.

One of the labels sewn into the inner seams is an embossed leather rectangle.

I love the simplicity of Longchamp designs, and the Roseau comes close to design perfection. As for functionality, it comes with a zipped inner pocket for little items, enough to make it useful as a daily carrier. The drawback of this particular leather is that it scratches easily. I just tell myself that the scratch marks add character and tell stories of where the bag and I have been together. The Roseau comes in other types of leather that may be sturdier, like crocodile-embossed calfskin. The short handles also mean that I have to sling this one over a wrist instead of a shoulder, which I prefer, but the Roseau is so pretty that I don’t mind that minor inconvenience. It’s available with long handles too.

The Roseau is very professional-looking and makes a great office tote, and works as well for casual forays where you want to be a bit dressed up.

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Funny how life works sometimes. From having nothing of something, you could suddenly have more than you expected. In this case, it’s Longchamp handbags.

Here’s a Longchamp LM (Longchamp Maroquinerie) Metal Medium short handle tote in Bronze. It’s made of coated canvas with leather (cowhide) trim. The front flap has the embossed horse-and-jockey logo, with the same logo in an understated criss-cross pattern all over the bag. It’s not as roomy as a medium Le Pliage, but it’s just the right size for going to the mall or somewhere you don’t need to bring a lot of stuff.

The exterior is waterproof coated canvas. The short handle means you have to hold it in your hand or sling it over your wrist – not very convenient for me, which is why I don’t use this one often. But it’s a very handsome bag.

With exquisite attention to detail, the zipper pull is heavily embossed. The interior of the bag is white canvas.

The tag is sewn into the lining.

Perfect stitching, well-placed zippers, attention to detail all spell quality and pay off in the long run.

Longchamp, established in 1948, enjoyed a small loyal following until the early ’90s when the brand’s popularity skyrocketed when it launched the Le Pliage line. Today, it collaborates with well-known designers to come up with fresh colors and designs every season.

This “Pokemonization” (“Collect them all!”) of the brand worries me. I loved Longchamp when it was a low-key maker of classy leather goods. Nowadays, it’s taking the Louis Vuitton approach to keeping interest in its brand by coming out with heavily hyped must-haves every couple of months. I hope it doesn’t become done-to-death like LV and lose its cachet.

The tactic seems to be working for the company, though, in terms of increasing sales. I’ve seen more Longchamp bags around lately compared to a couple years back. It’s carried by many women at the malls and even students at posh schools.

Its wide appeal is no surprise, because it is a quality brand creating elegant and timeless looks that will always be in style.

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Are you the kind of person who demands that a bag actually function as one and hold a ton of stuff, and not be just a convenient display for some overpriced brand’s logo endlessly repeated as a design pattern? Then the Longchamp Le Pliage is one bag to consider adding to your collection.

“Pliage” means  ”folding”. The bag is made of vinyl and leather trim, and it folds up to carry in a larger purse as an extra shopping bag. Since Longchamp first launched it in 1993, it has become hugely popular as a school bag and casual weekend tote.

Because it’s so roomy, I use mine for work. You’d be surprised at how much it can carry – wallet, two small Moleskines and a Muji plain notebook, two pencases full of fountain pens, a bottle of ink, a packet of wet wipes, a packet of dry tissue, hairbrush, makeup kits, key holder, Kindle 3, Nokia C3 cellphone, Sennheiser headphones in a case, Starbucks tumbler – you get it. It can hold your life and have room left over for your lunch.

I prefer the long-handle model to the short, so I can use it as a shoulder bag and have both hands free for holding a cup of Starbucks takeout coffee, waving hello to friends, and doing the biometric finger scanning when I come into the office in the mornings. Hey wait, that’s three hands.

Longchamp Le Pliage Medium Long Handle Shopping Bag in “Fuschia” from the Spring 2011 line. You knew I’d get a pink one. The styling is classic and timeless, and the horse-and-jockey logo appears only once on the exterior – embossed on the front leather flap – very discreet.

The logo is deeply embossed and appears above the button, which bears the text “Longchamp 1948″ with a jockey and horse in the center.

The back of the flap. The word “Longchamp” appears above a line of stitching. Below it is the model name and the words modele depose with the correct French accent marks.

The zipper is YKK and the pull is also embossed.

The snap inside the bag is reinforced with a plastic disc. The stitching all over the bag is of the finest quality.

Click here and here and here for tips on how to tell the difference between a fake and an authentic Le Pliage.

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A friend gave me this for Christmas *kiss kiss* and it’s proven to be versatile, sturdy, and stylish – the Lacoste M Shopping Bag in Orchid.

Made of PVC with a fabric lining, here’s how to tell the genuine item from the not. First, the overall quality is excellent. Look at the stitching – it should be even all over with no skipped stitches and loose threads. The crocodile logo is embroidered directly on the bag material, not appliqued on. The PVC material itself has a consistent all-over pattern. The reinforcement patches on either side at the bottom are symmetrically placed and sized.

The zipper pull should also be well made. Here, the pull strap is connected to a metal disc upon which the word “Lacoste” is clearly engraved in all caps. Stitching inside the bag is neat; the seams are folded in and top-stitched for durability.

The bag is lined with polyester fabric. This part I don’t like – this particular shade of green, which reminds me of hospital scrub suits. There is an inner pocket with a green zipper and zipper pull. Again, the stitching of the lining is of high quality.

The metal zipper pull should look smooth with no uneven or sharp edges. The font used for the brand name is a sans-serif. The weave of the lining fabric is fine and even, not coarse or with thin patches or ravels.

There should be a label sewn into an inner seam. The label should be white and bear the brand name in black and the crocodile image in red and green, and the label is woven, not stamped.

The reverse side of the woven label carries a sticker with the serial number, model, and place of date of manufacture; another fabric label bears more information.

Rivets and buckles must be properly placed and not crooked. Check also for consistent quality of stitching all over, even on the straps.

The Lacoste Shopping Bag, being made of PVC, is easy to clean – just wipe with a soft damp cloth or lightly scrub stains with a toothbrush and soapy water; rinse immediately. With care, it will give you years of good use and its classic color and styling will remain fresh whatever the season.

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Do you love shoes or handbags?

While every woman’s wardrobe needs both, there are those who lean more towards one or the other. Shoes catch my eye more than handbags. I can go out with my junk in a plastic bag and wearing a patchwork Nepali “duster”, but I have to be well-shod – it’s my personal style motto.

I’ve rocked sky-high platforms and heels (but not stilettos), gone tough in ankle and knee-high boots,  and rested my calves in wooden Happy Feet sandals and Havaianas flip-flops. But with work a bit more hectic lately, comfort is the priority so I’ve given up the high heels. I’ve come to rely on stylish-looking but practical shoes that allow me to run around and look good at the same time.

I’ve always been partial to Mary Janes, with their iconic instep or ankle straps, but it was hard to find shoes for grown-ups in that style, until lately. Now Hush Puppies carries several Mary Jane models, from playful to prim. Their “Body Shoe” technology combines fashion with comfort. They’re my Pokemon – “collect them all!”

Being a retro girl at heart, I love vintage styles. Rockport came up with a winner in this 1940′s-channeling two-tone Mary Jane with patent toecaps, instep straps with easy-on and -off velcro, and heels.

My Holy Grail is Fluevog. Their shoes are fun, and funky, and best of all, comfy enough to walk around in. I absolutely covet the Operetta Malibran. The polished leather, stitching detail, and unique style make them a must-have. The drawback is that they’re pricey. But compared to the equally expensive, mind-numbingly monotonous cookie-cutter signature shoes (cough Tory Burch flats cough) that fashion drones wear, Fluevogs with their quirky character and one-of-a-kind look are worth every cent.

Well, one can dream and offer prayers to St. Hubbins, the “patron saint of quality footwear”. Perhaps a pair is in my future. Meanwhile, my back and calves are thanking me for no longer subjecting them to the torture of tottering about in high heels. And I can go on with my hunt for Mary Janes.

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