Confessions of a bag hag

It’s a good thing I’m already married because no guy will want to be with me after this confession: I love bags. I’m totally obsessed with bags. (Read: bag hag = high maintenance.)

I think of bags even when the lights are out. No wonder I’ve been called a bag lady more than once, because I am one.

I wish I had gone to bag-design school instead of fashion school, because the last thing I do before I go to sleep is think of bags. I have all these bag designs in my head.

When my life seems like a mess I change my bag, so I can’t stick to one bag for a very long time. Changing my bag helps me feel organized.

I do envy women who can use one bag until it’s broken. But technically you’re not supposed to use the same bag or shoes all the time because it will get laspag (worn-out).

I once saw a lady in Mass who looked like she’d been carrying the same handbag for the past 10 years. Okay, I felt sorry for her and hoped that her family would get her a new bag for Mother’s Day.

But I wish I could use the same bag for a whole month! I’m always thinking of the next bag I want to use.

To make my life easier, I decided one night to catalogue my bags. Inspired by Alicia Silverstone’s character in Clueless, whose wardrobe was computerized, I literally took all my bags out of the closet(s), took photos, and uploaded them to my iPhoto.

That way I can look at what I have without having to pull everything out.

I am reminded of what my friend Yodel once said: "Ako, I believe a girl can’t have too many bags."

By no means am I the Imelda Marcos of bags, but I do own more than a hundred bags, running from the cheap to the chic. I have to stress that I’m not one of them bag label hos who just collect luxury bags. I’ll take bags from Hello Kitty to Porter, Muji to Louis Vuitton, as long as I like it.

My taste in bags is very simple. It must have some sort of shape that keeps things organized inside. It cannot be floppy or have too many things dangling or happening. Too many pockets confuse me.

It must not be a replica. It must be easy to open with no painful zippers. I love wide-mouthed doctor’s bags.

I prefer big bags to little bags, and handbags to shoulder bags. As Marc Jacobs once said, "I like bags that look like it can hold a piano in it."

It must be in a color I like (brown, black, beige gray, off-white, or the occasional red). The lining must be good. I am attracted to see-through bags.

To sum it all up, my friend Michael once noted that my taste in bags is "very Japanese."

Window Shopping

It’s very rare that I find a bag I really like locally. Sometimes I check out the stuff at Rustan’s, like Kipling, Orla Kiely, Loop NYC, Lesportsac or Diesel. But I rarely buy.

So I was really surprised to find some cool stuff at the mall. At Rockwell’s Power Plant, I really loved this huge maleta by Amina Aranaz. This is part of her Tropical Jetset collection. As you can see from the photo, the bag is almost as big as the couch – you could almost bring your baby grand to Boracay.

It goes well with the latest trend in accessories, as seen in the June/July issue of Teen Vogue featuring woven accessories in raffia, easily made in the Philippines.

Aranaz uses straw to create luggage, carryalls and cosmetic cases. What’s even more amazing is this beauty is only P3,800, to order from Aranaz stores. (For inquiries call 890-7559 or 634-9043.)

At Paul Smith, Shangri-La Plaza, they have this really cute landscape-print overnight bag. I love it but it’s way over my budget (P50,050). The good news is, Paul Smith is currently on sale at 40 percent off, including the bag. But it’s still way over my budget. (For inquiries, call 636-0488.)

During the ’80s, my friends and I used to stare dreamy-eyed, from a distance of course, at Norman Crisologo, whom we thought looked like 1950s matinee idol Rogelio de la Rosa.

Well, one day he started dating this model named Astrud at Blue Café and he married her!

So much for that. Astrud is now living my dream of making bags. I’ve been seeing her eye-catching bags in magazines but never knew where to get them.

Astrud mainly sells them at Casa Amarilla in Muntinlupa and the occasional bazaar, but I found a couple of them at the newly opened Independent Lifestyles wing at the Power Plant.

Astrud makes tropical-print luggage in florals and happy. These range from below P2,000 for a medium-size bag to P4,000-plus for wheeled uprights. (For inquiries, call 807-1937.)

The last thing that caught my eye at Power Plant was this customized see-through closet by Philux (www.philux-inc.com).

If I had the money and the space, I could just have this and view my bag collection without making a mess. I love it.

Other Bag Ideas

Speaking of Japanese taste, award-winning, experimental Japanese designer Futoshi Tanaka came up with a bag dress I really love.

At his recent show in Osaka, Tanaka had three models walk onstage wearing huge bags as part of their dresses.

The models surprised the audience when they entered and fit inside the bag, and then helped each other get out of it.

I’ve seen bags that convert into pants or jackets, but never done this way.

Finally, I’m strangely attracted to the Louis Vuitton replica coffin bag made by the British company Crazy Coffins (www.crazycoffins.co.uk).

I find conventional coffins rather creepy with the metal and etchings and so not me. I figured if a bag hag has to go at some point, this might be the way to do it.