One of my favorite bags of a few years ago is this Yves Saint Laurent Nadja rose, presented by Christy Turlington.It was available in smooth leather or suede, and the size I coveted cost about $900.
So I ordered it from Bergdorf Goodman in dark brown suede and counted the days till it arrived.
But alas, the edges were shoddy (hanging threads!) and the packaging was surprisingly slipshod for a luxury item, so I happily sent it back, having satisfied my fashion fantasy. (Sometimes I’m happy when the item doesn’t live up to my imagination; it saves me money and I can banish it from my thoughts.)
Earlier this week I was paging through a magazine and saw a gorgeous black-and-white ad for a Valentino bag with three visible rosettes. I tracked it down at Neiman Marcus and saw that everything’s coming up roses once more.
I like the draping on this bag (the one from the advertisement):
This is my favorite:
I find this one a little ho-hum, something I’ve seen before:
Black patent rosettes? Possibly. This bag reminds me of some Hostess cupcakes I devoured in Canada as a child. (I really had to reach to remember that brand name.) They came with pink, white, and chocolate rosettes. Delicious:
Thanks to inflation, these bags cost almost three times the amount of the “vintage” Nadja, but I’d be tempted to fly one in for an interview. Anyone want to join my HR team?
I'm on the hiring team for the red one! I find it so interesting that you order luxury bags online, Miss C. For better or worse, I'm not a luxury bag buyer (not really in my price range - I'd have to forego too many other things), though natch, I can appreciate them. And how intriguing that you've bought a few and then returned them for crappy quality. That really does surprise me. You'd think when they're charging 2K a bag, it would be perfection every time.
ReplyDeleteSorry to rain on your parade, miss cavendish: I saw these in Saks, and was fairly disappointed in the quality. The stitching, in particular. It wavered.
ReplyDeleteI infinitely prefer the large rosettes. Too bad about the Nadja! It looked so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one that is quite pleased when an item isn't as cool as I imagine. I walk away quite smugly, feeling as if I've myself saved money (even though I haven't at all).
ReplyDeleteK.line, I'm not a big luxury bag buyer either--they're often either too formal, too "old," or, ironically, too trashy for me. But now and then I do like a little temorary luxury at home!
ReplyDeleteenc, no worries; you've just saved me obsession and postage!
Wendyb, I still haunt eBay looking for a Nadja . . .
etoilee8, I like being able to reject an item too. It's almost a relief when something out of my range--or something highly touted but poorly crafted--doesn't work.
Dear Miss C...Let's talk "sandal hunting" again! I don't carry much around these days to warrant the price tag:-)
ReplyDeleteI could live on your blog...thank you!!
Kim, Welcome and thanks so much for your sweet words!
ReplyDeleteI love the red one too and the Yves Saint Laurent!!
ReplyDeleteOh how I too coveted that YSL bag years ago. Still wish I had bought it:(
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