My life in a bag

WITH MAUD SCHELLEKENS

It’s Tuesday again and that means it’s time for a beautiful bag. And not just any bag… Today the Gucci love of Maud Schellekens, better known from the fashion blog Thirteen Tales of Fashion.

How many bags do you have?

‘At sixteen, I treated myself to my first designer bag, which was a Speedy 30 from Louis Vuitton. Almost six years later, the count is at eight designer bags. For many women, the quote applies: “Diamonds are a girl's best friend.” In my case, my designer bags are my diamonds. Buying a bag is a real project for me that can take months or even years. First, I fall in love with a certain it-bag, then I save for a few months and organize a day out with my mother to actually buy the it-bag.’

What is the story behind this bag?

‘I treated myself to this bag with my salary that I earned working for stylist Chantal Bles. I already had a few basic bags and wanted something different this time, so I chose suede in this beautiful orangish color. It gives me such a kick to buy a designer bag with my own earned money!’

How do you handle your bag?

‘Different. Sometimes I just throw it down somewhere and other times I display it like a showpiece in my room to proudly look at for a while. Normally, I go for colors and materials that can take a beating, but as you can see, this bag is already a bit worn since it’s more delicate. That’s why my mother, for example, prefers not to lend her bags to me unless she’s there to keep a close eye on it :-).‘

What about the content?

 ‘My bag is usually one big chaos. That’s why I find smaller bags handy, so I only take the useful items with me. Like my Saint Laurent cardholder, my Clarins lip gloss, the YSL Opium perfume, a brush, a pocket-sized agenda, and of course my phone. Less useful items include receipts, movie tickets (which I collect enthusiastically to the irritation of my roommate), and stray Polaroid photos.’

What do you always carry with you?

‘My phone is really the most important thing in my bag. This is of course because I work for Chantal Bles (stylist for celebrities and The Voice of Holland) and need to keep her social media up to date. Social media never sleeps, so I need to be reachable 24/7 (figuratively speaking of course). Additionally, I recently bought a planner, which I normally never used. But this year is quite a significant year since I’m working on my graduation thesis, so it’s important to put all deadlines and appointments in my planner to keep some overview.’

What do you think are the best features of a bag?

‘The most important part of my outfit is the bag. It makes or breaks your outfit. I love to combine my designer bags with items from, for example, Zara and Topshop, to give my outfit an instant upgrade. Besides my designer bags, I also like to buy cool bags for the summer from brands like Skinnydip London. I prefer an impractical catchy bag over a practical one that looks clumsy.’

Which one is still on your wishlist?

‘At the moment, I’m obsessed with a white version of the Balenciaga City Bag. I’ve already saved up a bit for it, so I hope to treat myself to it soon once I’ve finished my thesis. I think I’ve earned it… ;-)’