“Ok, enough with the bag” a friend complained to me regarding the same handbag I’ve been wearing almost every day for a year. The bag in question is Lundqvist‘s Faba in solar, a pop of yellow that has since sold out. Although only an honest and close friend could say something so rude to my face without risking the end of our friendship, I realized that I really was As a former accessories editor, others from my past are wearing this bag all the time gathering dust. Ultimately I didn’t care what my friend thought, but I had to understand why I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) stop wearing it.
Handcrafted in small batches from start to finish in East Providence, Rhode Island, founder Lindy McDonough’s line of handbags is responsibly produced using naturally tanned leather by a small but nimble team. is cut and sewn with less waste than I don’t live too far from there, so I visited their high end retail store which is the equivalent of their workshop and headquarters. The simple, well-crafted designs in the collection of neutrals and poppy brights are very appealing to the eye, but the transparency of their process to the consumer (thanks to the space’s open floor plan) undoubtedly helps seal the deal. For a four-year-old brand, his designs have graced the floors and e-commerce sites of an impressive group of like-minded boutiques, extending Lindquist’s reach beyond the Northeast, but into circles where Slow fashion resonates strongly.
This particular bag entered my world in the summer when I couldn’t trust my coat pockets to hold my phone, cards and keys, and it felt silly to carry a shoulder bag on a neighborhood dog walk. Almost a year later, I’m a new mom and Faba’s seamless simplicity is more precious than ever. I don’t even understand the concept of a “switching bag”, nor do I feel like I ever need one. The purpose of a handbag is utility and it fulfills that duty first and foremost – aesthetics seem like a bonus. The wavy “bean” shape is interesting and ergonomic, and I feel that the cheerful yellow color transcends all seasons perfectly, falling like the leaves change, adding a much-needed pop to a winter outfit on gray days. is, and mimics daffodils in spring. As a seasoned accessories editor, I have no qualms – this is a truly stunning bag.
Once I started wearing it, I noticed something unusual started to happen. At a restaurant in town, a waitress came to my table not to take my order but to ask, “Ha? That A Lindquist? I am obsessed with their bags. A girl who bought a shelving unit from me on Facebook Marketplace showed up with Faba in Olive: “This is my favorite bag.” Arriving for a lunch date, Brooklyn expat jewelry designer Faye Andrada picked up a Faba in Vachetta, a natural-toned color meant to develop a patina over time. My neighbor, photographer Jamie Arend, visited the store. Judith in Portland and revealed his booty, which included a faba in sumac., A rich burgundy color that has since sold out. The three of us went to lunch in January and when the check came we all laughed at our little rainbow of faba on the table. Here I was thinking I had found a low-key piece that really stuck, but instead I walked into a local status ring I didn’t even know existed.
When I lived full-time in New York a few years ago, I never blinked when I saw Chanel, Bottega, or Hermès handbags of all colors and sizes walking the streets of most Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods. had seen Many demographics. But once I moved to Rhode Island several years ago, these sightings became much more rare. Not to say these pieces don’t appear now and then, but the flex is very different. Power is expressed in other ways (primarily in second homes and club memberships), and handbags aren’t really one of them.
I polled a few friends in different parts of the country to find out what bags people carry. Outside of the aforementioned ubiquitous labels, each region also has its own brand of clique-y nondescript bags. My sources have revealed that Claire V reigns supreme in her hometown of Los Angeles (as reinforced by her legendary stories). Sample sale), Austinites love woven leather. BambiMochila bags like these ones from Goli Pomarijo are all over Miami, and depending on who you ask, the New Yorker is often spotted with a playful Luar or minimal Savvy style on their arm. While a lot of this makes perfect sense given the cultural and geographic context, I still find the “if you know, you know” secret society appeal of unmarked bags. Was interested.
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I can’t quite pinpoint the special sauce that makes Faba go, and neither can McDonough. “I don’t know what it is. I’ve designed a lot of bags, but Faba hit in a way I wasn’t quite ready for. It looks good and is so different on everyone.” But something tells me it’s a combination of a few things. She has a discerning eye for detail and sheds light when describing materials, such as the finest handmade brass hardware from Japan and sewing thread from one of France’s oldest thread manufacturers. She takes real pride and time (often upwards of two years) in sourcing her signature colors from her Argentinian leather supplier who uses vegetable dyes and no harmful chemicals. But hearing McDonough wax poetic about his team and workplace positively lit up the good jojo: “I love what we do here. This is the best version of what I’ve always wanted to do. ” I’m not sure if any staff at LVMH can really say the same.
Despite all the intentions behind the pieces, in terms of price, these bags are a fraction of other designer bags. Faba retails for $390. A comparable crossbody wallet-sized piece from other designers starts at around $900. Which makes it even more interesting. The care McDonough takes in creating the pieces, can it be compared to bags in the “luxury” sector? This raises the question of what exactly defines the term luxury for the consumer and where does the value lie. The process of how something is made is either lost or just some luxury houses that were once built on craftsmanship and trade for marketing. If one ultimately needs a bag, there are great choices that are closely related to the makers, especially if they are local. And perhaps it could represent a true luxury for some consumers, while challenging the notion that It-bags need a mandatory logo or distinctive hardware. It can come down to your environment and the people you surround yourself with more than the runways you feed. And it can be free.
Credit : www.thezoereport.com