Essential LV

...essential? How essential is essential? Fashionistas know that in fashion speak essential means MUST-HAVE or ...just go crawl under a rock...don't come out...don't show your face TILL YOU HAVE IT!!! (Ok maybe I'm overstating it just a teensy  bit but I'm sure you get my meaning). This essential means DON'T travel without it!

The LV holdall (LV call it the keepall) is without a doubt one of my very best value purchases. If you've ever dreamt of owning one, let me tell you, it lives up to it's promise at all levels. It's roomy, (all you need if you're going for a weekend break..and then some), its squishy so can be easily stowed away when empty and always gives a veneer of elegance and style even if all you;ve got inside is dirty underwear!

I bought my first .....in Uni (in another life!), where I used it to stylishly haul my law books around.. It served me well for like...ever, then my daughter took it over at the age of 17 and rocked it for a few more years before she had the pleasure of receiving her very own with her initials engraved on it for her 19th birthday.

Long before then I had moved on to what Louis Vuitton calls the Pegasse roller and what we affectionately in our house call, the dragee bag. I guess my lifestyle had changed. Long gone were the slapdash impromptu weekends where you just threw one or two things into you're hold all  and then you were off or maybe its 'cos

So you want LV luggage?

…You’re not alone. It’s the secret desire of many. It was my secret (err, maybe not so secret …I’m never quiet about what I want), desire for a long, long, long, looong time! 

My first purchase was a travel bag (we’ll talk about that later), then I managed to buy a soft back suitcase. It was soft all round with kind of card boardish inner panels that you inserted to keep its structure, (a bit of a pain), then I graduated after some time to a semi soft back suitcase with hard leather corners and straps

…ummm, these were all nice …but what my heart really desired was a full set of HARD BACK LV LUGGAGE STACKED SKY HIGH!!! inclusive of hat box and vanity case. 

My wishes FINALLY  (AND I mean F-I-N-A-L-L-Y, ‘cos I’ve been wishing this wish since the age of 12!!!) came true  when my husband overcome with joy at the birth of our ‘miracle’ baby, decided to surprise me with the unexpected gift of a set of Louis Vuitton luggage.

Starter LV

…the iconic Speedy was my first purchase ‘back in the day’… (Oh ok!1980), I know… and it’s still going strong. If you have a limited budget, or just want to buy your first designer bag, you can’t do better than to buy an LV speedy. It’s iconic, it’s classy, its classic. It will last forever!

It transcends the vagaries of the ever changing fashion landscape and is great value for money. You can carry it all seasons and for all occasion…it travels well!

It also passes the ‘Look’ test. Whenever I see someone carrying an LV speedy it tends to make me look again. To me the speedy spells understated style.

Louis Vuitton describes ‘The Speedy' as,  ‘An iconic Louis Vuitton design. Its simple lines and chic Monogram canvas immediately appeal to women with an eye for fashion. The perfect bag for the city...’

At   approximately $665  the Speedy is certainly not cheap, but that’s the beauty of luxury ….it’s not for everyone! You’ve been dreaming of buying a genuine Louis Vuitton? There’s a way to get an ORIGINAL NEW Speedy at an affordable price ….just watch this space.

Don’t fake it! Always buy genuine designer products …the pleasure is in the price!

My Love affair with Louis...

 Like most love affairs it started off passionately, stolen glances, long lustful looks…I confess mostly on my part – I was only 12. The object of my desire didn’t even know I existed but I didn’t care. Like all unrequited lovers part of the agony was the rapture. I was in love and nothing was going to deter me from my pursuit.  I would engineer chance meetings. Communication was unnecessary. I was happy to just stand and stare in wonderment. This went on for some time but my love never wavered. Throughout my teens I would carry Louis’ picture in my purse and would spend countless hours lying on my bed day dreaming of our ‘togetherness’.  Life with Louis meant mystery, glamour, sophistication…luxury travel to far flung continents – all the things I wanted my life to be.

FINALLY..at the age of 19 I DID IT!!!..

I was staring in lustful wonderment and Louis was saying ‘take me home, take me home”. So handsome, sooo stylish, how could I resist? I couldn’t! So I stepped daintily into the flag ship store and bought my first Louis VUITTON bag. It was also the moment I received my first love note. The sales girl handed me a peite envelope and nestled inside was a crisply folded receipt…I have been smitten ever since…a lifelong love affair receiving countless love letters and notes in the form of beautiful bound brochures of the latest collections, special invitations to pre sale sales, cocktail parties, events… 

     "  I Love Beautiful Things" 

There I’ve said it phew! I feel like an alcoholic anonymous “I’m HPA and I love beautiful things” picture the scene in the film Shopaholic where she finally admits. That’s where the similarity ends though. Shopaholics spend compulsively beyond their means, whereas I would like to believe that loving beautiful things means: You have a discerning eye for the divinely, elegant, exquisite, delightful, dazzling…