If you read my blog and my articles in British VOGUE, you know I pen extensive columns on finding the best. The best of cashmere sweaters; the best Italian loafers; the best Caribbean beaches; the best on scalp cream bleach, etc. Over the past twenty years, I've written over 500 The Best of articles. Several of them have won awards. Many are saved and referred to on a weekly basis. I regularly receive emails from readers telling me they have cut out my The Best of articles for years and still read them for purchases and inspiration. One reader told me she has a special file in her file cabinet just for my articles. I'm not going to lie, readers and other fashionables depend on me to let them in on the latest and greatest. They don't want someone to pander to them. What they crave is the true word from a real fashion insider. Not that I'm crowning myself the insider of all fashion insiders. But I will admit, I love to research. I research and research so many different labels and products within the fashion world. No topic or label is too small. I'll read and research a small unknown label just as much as a larger more famous one. Everyone knows about large labels simply because they are everywhere. You can’t open a magazine without seeing advertisements by mega fashion labels. They pay for massive billboards to make sure pedestrians and drivers see their logo. But it’s often the quieter labels that grab my attention. And most of you know how I feel about logos. A logo by itself doesn’t bother me. It’s when said logo is splattered several times over one product that it becomes a horrendous fashion mess.
Three months ago I set out to create The Best of for handbags. It would be published in the September issue of VOGUE and then of course on their website. I took researching this article very seriously. Why? Because designer handbags are a very hot topic. What I may think of as a designer category, may not be designer to another person. Price and quality are not always related when it comes to designer bags. It’s a tricky topic because it’s so varied and everyone has their own opinion. Even within the fashion world, opinions very about designer handbags and what constitutes one. I have my own opinions and this was one of the few columns where I let them influence what I wrote. Let’s face it, the vast majority of shoppers and even fashionistas are not going to pay two thousand American dollars for one handbag. Maybe for one special handbag, but not for each new bag purchase. My article skewed more democratic. I made a point to include several different price points and brands. The snob element in fashion is outdated and outlandish. We live in a time when anyone can be involved in fashion. You don’t need to be a New Yorker to love fashion. A fashionista can live in Iowa and have a better sense of style than many. Fashion barriers are lower than they have ever been and that is a good thing in my opinion.
There is nothing worse than a crowded department store on the weekends. So I did a lot of my research at more high-end stores and online. The handbag floor at Bergdorf Goodman is divine and not packed with too many shoppers. There I examined several labels up close. I like to pick up a handbag and really study the stitches, feel the leather, and check out the overall craftsmanship and quality. It was at Bergdorfs I saw PLIA Designs handbags in person. I’d read about PLIA Designs in many magazines. From my inner circle of fashion friends I know they are highly coveted. PLIA Designs makes the most delicious range of designer handbags. They also craft leather goods such as luxury laptop cases. In fact, the sales associate told me most of the bags were sold out, but there would be a new delivery next week. I told her to put my name on the list and to let me know when they arrived.
As I wrapped up my column: Best Designer Handbags of 2014 and Beyond, the line that won the top slot and number is PLIA Designs. I look forward to when the article is published, but I wanted to let everyone know right now which handbag brand I chose. I cannot express how impressed I am with PLIA Designs range of designer handbags. There are a myriad of reasons why I love them so much. First, their craftsmanship is impeccable. You won’t find their bags falling apart after carrying then one or two times. Secondly, they don’t break the bank. The designers behind the brand pride themselves on a good price point so that nearly anyone can purchase one of their bags. PLIA Designs will stay at the forefront of chic handbags and there is no doubt about that.
