Last month, just as NYFW was winding down and PurseBlog was amping up to head across the pond, I snuck away to Paris for a vacation with my mom to celebrate her 70th birthday. We arrived in Paris on the 11th of September and stayed for a week, and IMHO, the timing was *chef’s kiss.*
While being in Paris during Fashion Week is an entirely different ballgame, we were traveling strictly for pleasure. We did not want to be in the city when the traffic is worse than it is on a typical day, lodging is more expensive, and getting dinner reservations is like trying to snag the latest It-bag. We wanted to enjoy the nice weather and not sweltering heat, and the timing of mid-September was just perfect.
Paris by Day
It was not my first time in Paris, but it was my mom’s, so while she wanted to do a few touristy things, we also wanted to sneak in some time to experience the city as the locals do. We stayed in the 6th arrondissement, which I found to be an ideal location. Every morning, we’d wake up and head out of our boutique hotel, which was located on the fairly busy Rue Bonaparte, and watch Parisians rushing to work, and I really felt the hustle and bustle of real life in Paris.
Almost immediately, I began bag-watching, and while in some cases it was hard to tell who was a tourist and who was not, for the most part, I found it easy to differentiate. I enjoyed the people watching and taking in the fashion of regular everyday Parisians before the fashion set touched down.
The Balenciaga Moto Bag Lives On
The bags that I noticed time and time (and time) again took me back to the early aughts. I could not go an hour without seeing someone toting a classic Balenciaga Moto Bag. From City Bags to Work Bags, Sunday Bags, and more – Vintage Balenciaga is currently IT in Paris. I noticed them a lot during the day on the streets, but I also noticed it at night, too. I have family in Paris, and thanks to my cousin’s great advice, I dined at a few local spots, which made the fashion spotting much more authentic. Even my mom began to point out the Balenciagas by the end of our trip, and I was left running to the resale market, wishing I had added a vintage Balenciaga to my rotation before leaving NYC.
Do you enjoy bag-spotting while on vacation? What bags have you seen?
The vintage Balenciaga bags are the best!! So lightweight and durable and the ultimate cool chic! I currently own 5. The newer styles just don’t compare and I don’t think have the longevity that the original ones have.
So. Is this the softly softly approach to getting Balenciaga back in the good books?
They nvr actually left. Ppl stopped wearing them for like 2 months last year and then everyone went back to business as usual. It’s Balenciaga, they’re not going anywhere.
Would never support this brand, period.
That is such a myopic viewpoint. Just because the current designer is terrible, doesn’t mean that should cancel everything a great designer (Nicolas Ghesquiere) did at Balenciaga in the early 2000s. Here’s an example, let’s say you got fired for something not so great…are you not redeemable as a person? Should you also be cancelled?
Everyone has skeletons in their closet and for people to act high and mighty is… interesting to say the least.
I have always like Balenciaga, clothes, shoes, and bags. I will continue to wear the items that I have, I truly like them. I do however agree that the current designer is ruining the brand, my opinion has nothing to do with the recent controversy. There are a few bag exceptions but as a whole the recent designs in clothing/shoes are so odd and unwearable it is disappointing. I used to buy multiple items every year but not now.
Love my balenciaga day bags. Never stopped wearing them!
I really like the Moto bag, old and new!
I just want them to start making them again. I used to go into Barney’s and droll over all of the colors they came in. Bought a few too, and boy would I buy a few more if they would just make them again. Absolutely hate what they have been doing for the past few years. Nothing to see there.
What do you consider a vintage Balenciaga?
In my opinion, when Nicolas Ghesquière was the head designer. I would say from 01-08 were best leathers. Others can chime in that have better knowledge.
Yeah for it to be vintage it would have the be his era although I feel like Alexander wang also had some well made bags during his short time at Balenciaga.
I second that! Nicolas Ghesquiere was amazing and made Balenciaga what it was. My favorite collections were Spring/Summer 2002 and 2003. I have three pairs of his cargo pants, as well as a scuba dress and several bags. He is one of the most talented designers ever.