In today’s installment of Closet Confessionals, we meet a lovely handbag lover in her early 50s hailing from Australia! This collector began collecting bags just over 10 years ago when she was gifted a gorgeous Gucci Hobo for her 40th birthday. That Gucci Hobo was the one that started it all and these days, this collector has amassed an enviable collection of Gucci, Dior, and the big H! Her collection is perfectly curated, containing some true classics, like her white Chanel Flap Bag, which was a gift for her 50th birthday.
While her bags can definitely be considered investments, as her collection contains many classic pieces, CC 156 doesn’t plan on selling any of her bags anytime soon. Rather, CC 156 buys her bags with the intention of holding onto them forever. A true bag lover! Read the full CC now, and don’t forget to submit your own!
[sc_cc_callout]The Basics
Age: 52
Gender Identity: Female
Location: Australia
Occupation: Doctor
Industry: Medicine
Salary: $1,400,000
Household Income: $2,100,000
The Bags
Are you a PurseForum member? Yes
How many bags do you own? 22
What bags are in your collection?
- Gucci Brown Guccissima Hobo
- Louis Vuitton White Multicolore Alma PM
- Dior Black Patent LD Clutch
- Dior Pale Blue Be Dior
- Chanel Red Reissue 225
- Jimmy Choo Gradiated Glitter Tube Clutch
- Chanel Pink Boy Bag
- Balenciaga Green Mini City
- Céline Nano Luggage Souris
- Hermès Birkin 30 ostrich capucine
- Dior Medium Lady Dior Black Patent
- Miu Miu silver Lady Jewel Bag
- Gucci Padlock Lunchbox in Guccissima Canvas with Floral Pattern
- Chanel Medium White Classic Flap
- Dior Embroidered Mini Lady Dior
- Hermès navy and lizard Jige
- Prada yellow Reissue Nylon Gaufre Shoulder Bag
- Hermès Picotin 18 in Rose Azalee
- Hermès Mini Kelly in Vert Jade
- Ferragamo lilac Trifolio
- Dior Lady D-Joy in Raffia
- Hermès Constance 18 in Rose Sakura
How much is your collection worth? There are two ways to look at this: resale (approx. AU$160k thank you, Hermès) or retail (approx AU$175k).
What is your most expensive bag? That would be my Birkin.
What are the most important brands or pieces in your collection? I love all of my bags, but my workhorse is my Céline nano luggage. I USE IT FOR EVERYTHING!!!!
What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? I received my first designer bag as a gift from my sisters for my 40th birthday (the Gucci hobo). Prior to this, I purchased mid-range bags from David Jones (Australia’s version of Saks or Harrods, but not as nice).
Is there a specific bag you are looking to purchase next? Nothing in particular; if the Hermès stars align, maybe something might appear 😉.
Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? My white Classic Flap, which I received from my children for my 50th birthday. It was completely unexpected, and I was extremely touched.
Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? When I travel overseas definitely, however, people in Australia don’t care, so it’s quite good in that sense!
Have your bag-carrying habits changed since Covid? Not really.
The Shopping
How often do you buy new bags? 1-2 times a year.
Has the Coronavirus pandemic changed your shopping habits or overall attitude towards luxury? Not really, no.
Which stores do you frequent the most? Hermès, Dior, David Jones, MatchesFashion, and Savannah’s.
Do you ever buy second-hand bags? Where do you buy used? Nope.
Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? I love all of my bags and buy them with the intention of holding onto them forever. Trends might change, but I’ll still be wearing my out-of-date bags.
Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase more bags? Nope
Do you consider your bag purchases investments? They would be if I were to sell them, but that’s not happening, so no 😂.
Who influences your buying decisions? My son.
Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? Absolutely, I’ve been working with my SA’s for years, and they go above and beyond to help me find what I’m after. They know my taste and what works for my body and suggest things accordingly.
Why do you enjoy shopping, beyond just acquiring something new? I usually shop with my son, and I think the time we spend together is what I look forward to the most.
Have you ever felt like you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity or gender? I’m not a Caucasian woman, so I’m very blessed to have never received poor service at a store. I do feel extremely privileged to live in a country like Australia, as this is the norm, not the exception. If you have a bad store experience, they’re most likely rude to everyone.
The Money
Who pays for your bags? Myself and my husband.
Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? Nope
The Taboo Topics
Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item? No, the questionable production methods alone are enough to put me off, let’s not get started on the creative theft.
Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? I can’t. We have joint bank accounts 😂.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to afford a bag? I once worked out that if I worked an extra half-day every month, I could buy an extra pair of shoes and a bag. Guess who works that extra half-day now.
Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? Have you ever felt like you were struggling with a shopping addiction? No.
The Rest Of It
Any other expensive hobbies or passions? Travelling, dining out, clothes and shoes.
Yikes yikes yikes! What a gross comment full of microaggressions, and yikes how many likes it got.
Yes, white customers are treated better in retail and service on average. This is proven with STATISTICAL DATA and RESEARCH from various universities and advocacy groups. So you can save the martyr act.
Your individual anecdotal evidence does not negate the true experiences of us POC and definitely DOES NOT negate thorough studies done of this.
Yes, other factors like how you dress, gender, and appearance aside from race can affect how you are treated as well, but to that doesn’t negate being white can improve how you are treated.
However you want to perceive my experience does not change the facts. You can make it all about race, but you are wrong. I’m married to an Asian man so I harbor no ill will against anyone of color. This was only about my experience, period.
When anyone speaks out, Caucasian or otherwise, their experiences are negated if people don’t agree with them and attempts are made to silence them. I won’t be silenced because you don’t agree with my experiences as they don’t match yours.
You are the one who is racist and not acknowledging some one else who felt discriminated against be cause of her skin color or race.
You reported her to silence her? Censorship and cancel culture. What a slippery slope.
Oh look a dogwhistle. Are we surprised?
And censorship on a PRIVATE website? your freeze speech isn’t threatened on a website. Please
You have a super day Maria. 🙂
Get a freaking grip. Your experience isn’t “facts”. It’s literally anything BUT. It’s literally you misinterpreting a situation without the actual FACTS at hand. What are facts is the slew of evidence, studies, and peer reviewed data and studies that shows that YOU are WRONG. White people are treated better in service and retail. Stay mad.
Perhaps Asian SA approached an Asian client possibly because the client works with the SA and she prioritizes someone she is familiar with… Instead of your weird victimization tactic.
It’s frankly disgusting how to exploit your husband’s race as a means to make you seem youre not racist, very “I have black friends” like Maria said.
Who is silencing you Karen? I don’t see purseblog deleting your comment. No one is taking away your freeze peach. I swear to god it’s frankly even more disgusting how you choose to double down and refuse to take accountability of your tone deaf, racist comment.
You are the one who is tone deaf and racist
Your replies may have had some slight merit if you weren’t so overly aggressive in your language coupled with the yelling. You are so determined your opinion is the only right one which is arrogant. It’s disingenuous to be throwing the ‘racism’ word around like confetti.
@Laura @Baglover – I find it funny that even my ethnicity (mentioned in replies as “Asian woman”) is being questioned here bec I am siding with you guys & believe there is racism everywhere. Even reverse racism.
I also find it funny that it seems that no one can have a diff opinion than what one feels is right. But they are ok with calling people Karen, as if that is the right thing to do.
I have been a member of purseforum/purseblog since 2014. This is the 1st time I’ve responded/commented to a non-purse purchase topic and from what I am seeing on the judgmental comments from the “non-racist” people, this will be the last I will be reading any of the blogs here & commenting.
Doubting my ethnicity just Bec I agreed that I’ve seen reverse racism is just hilarious.
Yikes at the tone policing. Her opinion is suddenly worthless because she decided to add caps to emphasize some of the important words in her comment?
And her opinion is the right one. Literally backed by well-researched facts and data, not a single misinterpreted experience.
But I find your comment ironic, because what’s truly arrogant is YOU demeriting her opinion simply because of her tone.
So yeah it is racism.
I never once yelled. I’m on mobile and lacks bold option so caps is my substitute.
It’s very telling how my argument to you has less merit because of my tone. It stinks of white voices invalidating the voices of POC because they don’t speak or act like white people, therefore their opinions aren’t worth listening too.
And it is racism. I’m not the only one that sees it as racism either so that’s a you problem
What you think is “telling” is actually just your bias. Arguments and opinions always lose merit when people yell, use aggression, call others names or swear. So that is the sole reason your opinions to me have less merit. And it has nothing to do with any colour which, again, is your bias. But you can of course choose to see and believe whatever you like. That is freedom. I wish you luck getting through life with such a heavy burden of outright anger and arrogance on your shoulders. Wishing you live and light, I think you could do with some. Ciao
I find it so ironic how you choose to dismiss my alleged tone (god help how you’re able detect my yelling through text) but engage in condescension and a patronizing tone as if that helps your argument as if it doesn’t make you another Karen.
But you can of course choose to see and believe whatever you like. That is freedom. I wish you luck getting through life with such a heavy burden of outright anger and arrogance on your shoulders. Wishing you live and light, I think you could do with some. Ciao
Again I wish you love and light. 🙂
I find it highly disgusting how you continuously attack Winona over her comments of “yelling” when it’s literally impossible though purse text.
The fact of the matter is, it seems like you want to misconstrue and malign her comments because you got butt hurt. You have no basis against her arguments, so you choose to attack her alleged yelling which there isn’t any
Wish you love and light and perhaps some development of your logic
Thanks Kate. Have a lovely day.
Imagine making a person of color’s experience all about yourself as a white person. It’s giving Karen.
There could be several reasons why that Asian SA reached out to an Asian client, most not related to race, but this person chose the reason that allowed them to be racist against Asian people. It’s sad.
Racist? Not at all. I’m married to an Asian man and we have 5 children. I’m speaking about my experiences which doesn’t make me a racist no matter how you twist it.
As an Asian woman, I find it funny when people act like white people never face racism. If u watch TV, you’ll find that white people are often targeted as the butt of jokes.
Anyways, if @baglover felt she got prejudiced on, that’s her truth & her experience. Who are we to judge her?
I could see her being ignored and asians given priority. I’ve seen it on my travels to Hawaii. This may be stereotyping, but bec a lot of Asians like luxury items, SAs automatically presume that we’re buying something as soon we walked in. I must admit that I went to an Hermes store wearing a $2 flip flops, a Harrod’s brand tote bag and “I just came fr the beach” ootd. You would think they would ignore me. But, when I walked in, the Asian SA gave me full customer service. I ended up buying a handbag and complemented my SA for not judging how I looked.
My point is, maybe @baglover experienced reverse racism. I’ve seen it! I’ve seen it as Asian restaurants, too. Let’s respect her feelings too.
The comments section is getting disturbingly vicious on PB. Did you see the last confessional?
I’m a brown person, and I have no problem believing EVERYONE can feel discriminated against.
This is the 1st time I’ve read & commented on confessional. This is what the world has come to, I suppose. Everyone can be discriminated on except for white people. No!
I appreciate your understanding and kind words. The hatred I’ve received from sharing my experience and the personal attacks are vicious and not warranted. Perhaps, I didn’t word my experience to fit the norm, but it’s still my experience. I’m not any of the things I’ve been called and it’s fruitless to respond because the attacks will only continue to escalate.
“I’m not racist, I have black friends”
Why can’t you let a woman of color discuss their real feelings without trampling over them with your tonedeaf privileged gaslighting of your own experiences ?
So the comment of me calling a person a Karen in a different post was taken down within a day, but this racist af comment stays up?
This website is embarrassing.
Says a lot about the website that claims they are committed to curb racism but decide to allow comments like Baglover’s to stay up.
Always performative at best.
I quite enjoyed this CC, the collection is sublime!!!!
This lady is quite blessed to have such generous kids.
I find it highly racist of you to imply Asian SA only care about Asian customers.
This comment has taken the Confessors remarks out of context. She is clearly saying how she has never seen any form of bias or otherwise while at stores in Australia and how great that is. Why was there a need to throw in your comment? ‘Pick me’ much?
I’m in the wrong business.
I like that this lady unlike the previous CC called out the dubious ethics of counterfeit bags.
I’m just here for the confessional (which is the best one in a while), idk how it became so controversial. Let’s just look at purses, we don’t need to analyse every little thing!
I am DROOLING!!!
I love this confessors attitude towards buying and keeping bags, quite refreshing compared to a lot of influencers on YouTube. I think this is why these confessionals are great, they show us what REAL people are doing.
Great collection, like the directness of the answers.
Love this woman! Goals
While we certainly value a lively, constructive, and passionate conversation in the PB comments, we are not going to allow personal attacks made by duplicate accounts by the same person. Those will be deleted without prior notice.
If you have something to contribute to the comments, kindly do so with the same monicker.
“I can excuse racism, but I draw the line at duplicate accounts”
So interesting how you label racist micro aggressions and the condemnation against it as “lively, constructive, and passionate conversation”
but are we surprised?
The racism you allow on PB and TPF is disgusting and blatant, but I shouldn’t expect any less.
Right? And then the cheap doublespeak as if it makes it any better.
but then again, given how they run the forums, the likelihood they’d care or dare to condemn microagressions and racism is about the same as a Chanel price decrease
What an amazing collection 😍😍😍
Great CC!
There are many factors determining why SAs will help one person over another. SA could have had a previous relationship with the customer or at least recognized her from shopping there before. Or perhaps that person was dressed expensively and looks like a spender. Maybe you looked like you were just browsing or were dressed like you don’t often splurge. While everyone who walks into a store should receive equal service, SAs often judge a book by its cover when there is no other info at hand.