Bag ladies

Men have their toys.

There’s the miniscule macho mobile in Heinz 57 red. There’s the 007 gadgetry. There’s the ubiquitous cdj’s and technics LP 1200s for those who play and play all day. Nevertheless, women have their top luxuries too. Namely, manicures/pedicures, DIs, shoes and bags.

I’m a bag fan. I mean some people have eyes just for shoes but for me, my heart belongs to totes, clutches and hobos. After all, bags do hold all the everyday things in life that we need such as lipstick, cellphones, palm pilots or if you’re a Neanderthal like me, bits of paper to remind me of the day’s events.

It’s a pain to lug around a bag that half of the metropolis is toting around. It’s really a blessing to know that there are some accessory mavericks out there offering us more than just the usual run-of-the-mill kili-kili bag.

Meet the new small designers making big waves.

Hooray For Heureux

If a rose colored day could be translated into a bag ... then Allana Lopez-Montelibano and Tippy Gaston’s label Heureux (it means happy in French) will be the perfect example. With its unapologetic use of crayola bold colors and almost Lego-like contours, Heureux bags bring out the fun side in us. Their most popular bag is the Ysabel which comes from their current collection. It looks like a sophisticated school bag with pockets meant to hold more than just pencils (now what could be small enough to slip into those pockets ... use your imagination). The good life like motorcycle rides at the beach, champagne in the afternoon and two men falling in love with you ... is what inspires each design of a Heureux bag.

"It’s function without sacrificing quality and style. I make it a point to breathe life into my bags by using joyful colors. I would never make a bag that I would not use," asserts Allana. Allana basically oversees the designs for each season since her partner has temporarily left the country. A shopaholic with an ample supply of business acumen and superlative fashion judgment, Allana has turned her lust for bags into a budding business venture. "I try to make only a few pieces of each design because I understand the pain of carrying around a generic-looking bag." I couldn’t agree more, after all in the fashion world, imitation is not flattery – it’s travesty. The only challenge that the Heureux crew is currently facing is the constant need to come up with innovative designs that bear the signature personality of their brand. In addition to the Prozac-like effect of these bags, Heureux recently introduced some ribbon belts which also shine with sunny delight. Heureux also takes special orders such as incorporating a specific color-combo or a variation in size in their existing designs. "For me, I make sure that I don’t overdo it in terms of quantity because I don’t want to take the fun out of making my bags," says Allana. With that said, you can bag happiness after all!

Drooling for a Heureux? Contact Allana at 0917-7956331.

A Bagful Of Style

Iwas at the pinnacle of my bag addiction when I chanced upon Ditas German’s shop a few years ago. I swear I almost had an orgasm as I sifted through the endless assortment of unique bags. It was so sweet and tempting that it was borderline pervy. Aside from its ingenious designs, the workmanship that goes into each bag is impeccable. "All my bags are manufactured abroad. I choose and help design bags that have unique shapes and experiment with new colors. I like to use different materials such as suede, synthetic leather and genuine leather as well. I try to incorporate the current trends for the season while maintaining a certain level of timelessness and versatility. Most importantly, all my bags are reasonably priced so women are not afraid to purchase one or two designs to use just for that season," notes Ditas.

Bagful’s eclectic collection is not focused on a particular type of woman, rather it’s a tool for self-expression instead of functioning simply just like another accessory. "Each bag is a statement. I guess it all depends on what you want to say," say Ditas. Ditas decided to go into the bag business after seeing its potential as a major money maker. "I got into the business by sheer coincidence. During one of my trips abroad with my mom, I noticed a shop that exclusively sold bags. The place was packed! I decided to bring in a few pieces and they sold out in less than a week. That started my bag business," Ditas reveals. Ditas hopes that Bagful expands into a chain of retail shops in the near future. What started out as a business idea has now become a personal passion for Ditas. "I draw inspiration from the things that I see around me. I read a lot of magazines and follow the trends from here and abroad." Ditas says. Of course just like with everything else, no matter how well a business is doing, there still has to be a soul edifying aspect to it to vindicate the long hours spent. Ditas confides, "What keeps me going on with my business is when I come across women using my bags. It still gives me a great thrill to this day."

How to get a bagful of Bagful: Bagful bags are displayed at the second floor of the new Greenbelt Shopping Plaza Mall (inside Tabu swimwear shop) and inside Woman the Store at Glorietta. For the interested wholesale buyers, call 910-50-30.

Style Inc.

For Cecily Mabasa, the designer for the newly born bag haven called Inc., stitching up bags of desire has always been part of her life. "My mom was in the handbag business ever since I could remember. I would watch her design and create. I was completely fascinated by the creativity and challenge involved. I always knew that I would follow in her footsteps," Cecily recalls. Cecily took an associate degree course in Accessories Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and took an internship with Coach and Bally before deciding to launch her own line. "Growing the business is my goal. To build a bag brand people will associate with innovative designs and excellent quality," Cecily says. "Creating my bags begins with a design inspiration, then you inject the functionability factor and lastly but necessarily, the cost factor," Cecily enthuses. It’s easy to see that the Inc. collection carries adventurous and inventive designs while maintaining a classic appeal that is sure to tug at the heartstrings of bag lovers everywhere. "The customer I have in mind definitely knows what she wants. She creates her own style. A woman who is adventurous enough to accessorize her wardrobe in a non-conventional style," Cecily discloses. The vast variety that Inc. offers in terms of design can take the modern gal from a.m. to p.m.. Inc. can bring out the glutton in us because once you see the collection you just want it all. Thank God, the prices are so reasonable that it’s safe to say that in this case, it’s not so bad to be greedy at all.

Itching for Inc.? Their first store recently opened at the upper level of the Greenhills Theater Mall.