The Cult Favorite Handbag Label

Every so often I get wind of a favorite cult fashion label.  It's not that I always need to purchase what is popular or what fashion insiders love, but I do like to know these sorts of things.  As a buyer for a well known boutique in Paris, it's important for me keep my ear to the ground and my eyes wide open.  After all, my customers depend on me not only for the latest and greatest, but for new labels that truly deliver an amazing fashion punch.  Our customers, many of whom have become great friends over the years, don't want to look like fashion victims.  Their lives demand a wardrobe that is wearable, but creative at the same time.  They are women with their hands in many amazing endeavers;  several are lawyers, a few work in fashion, and others work with tech startups.  It's in their best interest to look put together without wearing a label from head to toe.  Many of our customers have stated they need looks that are easy to put together, but have an element of personalized fashion as well.  Translate:  They don't want a boring corporate look, but they can't look like Lady GaGa either.

Our boutique is more of a mini department store.  It takes up half a block and is well stocked over 4 floors.  The below ground level houses a cafe, small wine bar, and a newsstand with magazines from all over the globe.  This is the heart of the boutique and is packed daily with people stopping in before work for coffee and customers grabbing a wine at the end of the day after shopping the floors above.  The first floor houses one of the most beautiful beauty spaces I've ever seen.  And I'm not stating that because I'm biased.  The combination of marbled floors and walls with chrome and steel trim is jaw dropping.  It's not overpowering, but it's slick and gorgeous providing the best backdrop for shoppers to explore some of their favorite beauty brands.  I'm fairly certain in my past life I was a beauty editor.  This is one of my favorite floors.  I'm always searching for the perfect eye cream and treatments on a nearly weekly basis.  Most of my paycheck goes here.  These aren't normal beauty labels.  They are some of the most sought after in the world and extremely hard to find.  

The second floor is probably our most popular.  It's the accessories and shoe salons.  In fact, it was rated the number one accessories assortment in Paris.  That's a major honor as we beat many well known and famous department stores.  We have customers fly to Paris just so they can shop our boutique.  It's amazing actually what loyal and devoted customers we are able to serve.  I am lucky that I get to see many of our devoted customers on the accessory floor as this is my buying department.  My main goal is to always stock the floor with beautiful accessories.  From those brands that are well known to those that are coveted in tight knit fashion circles.  I have been with this department for over ten years and I love it.  It doesn't even feel like work and I've made so many incredible friends.  I've also been lucky to make friends with some of the designers behind the labels we cary.  The accessories floor is always buzzing with activity and it's my job to make sure it's well stocked with the best and brightest in the industry.

One of my best friends is a fashion editor and we agreed to meet for dinner one night after work.  Not only did I want to catch up with her, but she wanted to introduce me to the new handbag label that already had a cult following.  Finally Friday evening came around and we met at a nearby café.  It's a world famous eatery and great for celeb and famous faces spotting.  I found her back in the corner.  Our favorite table and perfect for people watching.  She carried the most amazing designer handbags and it looked vaguely familiar.  As we sat down, chatter took us directly to fashion.  No surprise there.  We are best friends, but we also love fashion and love to talk about it.  She told me this is what she wanted to discuss-  the new handbag label with the cult status.

Her handbag is by PLIA Designs and they make a dreamy line of designer handbags.  I immediately knew this was a line the boutique needed and the bags would instantly sell out.  Their satchels were spot on and incredibly fashion forward while still being classic.  My friend said all of the editors were carrying designer handbags by PLIA Designs and they loved their satchel bag.  The boutique would be packed with customers once they got wind of PLIA Designs and their marvelous designer handbags.

Our Favorite Designer Handbag Label is Coming to London

This morning I read some of the most exciting news in a while:  PLIA Designs is coming to London.  In my in-box this morning was a fresh press release from PLIA Designs head of PR, Dante.  He was reaching out to all of his fashion colleagues and magazine editors informing us that a new PLIA Designs shop-in-shop would debut on the accessories floor in Harrods at the first of March.  I was so excited that I couldn’t finish reading the rest of my emails.  That gave me plenty of time to plan my trip across the pond.  PLIA Designs is renowned for their aesthetic and quality.  And compared to other designer labels, they are ultra affordable and always stalwart classical style with a twist.  You will never have to pay two thousand dollars for one of their handbags nor does the label aspire to those sort of exuberant prices.  It’s a democratic designer label that is available to everyone.  With PLIA Designs, nothing is in or its out; rather it’s all about how you carry their handbags.  You can team up one of their satchel handbags with your favorite moto jacket.  Their sleek lambskin Milton clutches carry you from day to evening.  These beautiful clutch bags are large, but not overly so.  The square shape fits perfectly under your arm and with the detachable shoulder chain, you can also wear it cross body.  There have been many occasions where I carry my Milton clutch to work and then go straight from the office to a cocktail party.  It’s the best clutch I’ve carried that transitions so seamlessly from day to night.  Londoners are going to be in for a huge surprise with PLIA Designs hits Harrods.  Many British fashionistas may already own one of their handbags, but there is nothing like seeing them close up in a department store.  Attached to the press release was an invite to the new shop-in-shop.  (As an aside, I’m so glad they didn’t use the term ‘pop-up.’  That term is so overplayed it needs to be put to rest.  I think many of you reading this will agree.)  I immediately emailed Dante back and told him I would make the grand opening and that I was already planning my outfits in my head.  Seriously, who doesn’t plan their outfits far in advance?  

Three weeks later I booked my flight to London.  It just so happened I needed to be there a few days later to interview two new designers debuting at London Fashion Week.  I’m a huge fan and advocate of British design and talent.  There is a freshness and a stronger will to take risks compared to New York and Paris.  I like seeing designers take risks in the fashion world.  It’s so stagnate when everything stays the same.  After all, the beauty of fashion is that so many different styles exist and people gravitate towards different ways of dressing.  It would be boring if everyone wore the same outfit and hate the same taste and style.  Fashion is about exploration and discovering.  No doubt Londoners will love discovering PLIA Designs.  Their edited collections of designer handbags are appropriate with colorful, over the top creations and also with paired down business basics.  

That same afternoon after booking my flight, my boss asked if I’d like to also cover the opening party for PLIA Designs.  Of course I jumped on the chance.  I work for an entertainment television network and I knew my viewers would love seeing this handbag label that is carried and adored by celebrities like Charlize Theron and Kim Kardashian.  I knew Dante would love the publicity and let me bring my camera crew to the festivities.  It looked like I was gearing up to be rather busy whilst in London.  But that is fine.  I love mixing work with travel and a side dish of fun.  Because I’d mentally laid out my wardrobe, I already knew what I was going to pack and I laid many of those outfits aside.  That’s how I like to back for work and vacation.  I like to lay out everything I will wear and that way the hard part is over.  Except for putting the items in a suitcase, the packing is nearly complete.

Over the weekend I prepped and studied up on PLIA Designs.  Actually, there wasn’t much studying as I know a lot about the brand.  PLIA Designs makes some of the worlds most beautiful and coveted designer handbags.  These designer handbags have a waiting list in many department stores and boutiques.  I knew there would be a long line snaking its way through Harrods for PLIA’s new shop-in-shop.  The world of PLIA Designs designer handbags is made up of craftsmanship, beautiful leathers and fabrics and most of all ultra-amazing leather goods and bags that are simply irresistible.  I could not wait for the grand opening party.  Keep reading for my reporting from London.  I may even be able to post video.