in a time when money is tight, and people aren’t spending as much as they used to (including me), it’s important that you buy things that aren’t disposable–pieces that will stand the test of time and can be altered to any mood or trend. usually when the season starts, i’ve already picked out some of those key pieces i need, especially when it comes to shoes and bags, but recently, i haven’t been as inspired by what is out there. it’s been more of the same, or not completely functional.
jack mccollough and lazaro hernandez of proenza schouler are the kinds of designers that have always done things their own way. staying independent (until recently), teaming with target for a go international collection early in their careers (and promptly selling out), and being slow and steady with their line–really focusing on developing a singular voice and adding pieces to the puzzle when it feels right. even though it has been declared that the “it” bag is over, jack and lazaro took their sweet time in developing a bag collection, wanting to make sure it was right for them and felt true to who they were and true to the brand.
i’m looking at pictures of their spring show, and the red carpet pics, and i see mary-kate olsen with a gorgeous, slouchy python bag. it looks like a messenger bag, but also like a briefcase. then i see other pics of her in the same bag, but in tobacco suede. i can’t i-d the bag, but i love it. it has a cool, nondescript look that i know can last beyond this season. then i get my november vogue, and there’s an article about the bags, called p.s. 1. of course it’s from proenza schouler–i can see all of their signatures: it’s masculine yet feminine, functional yet not boring. in this video, they talk about doing a bag that “feels familiar, but looks completely different.” they hit the nail on the head.
after popping into barneys one day after work, i was amazed to find an entire case devoted to the p.s. 1, and the most stunning of them all was chartreuse. it was so bright, almost too bright, but i couldn’t take my eyes away from it. i peeked inside–multiple pockets! i realized it was my one thing, the perfect thing for fall, and i couldn’t be happier.
mk olsen, olsen fan.net; bag pics from barneys.com
