CC 225: The Banker

"Life's too short to not be happy."

In today’s installment of Closet Confessionals, we meet a Banker from Seattle who started dabbling in designer when he came to the United States in 2014. A year later, CC 225 made a foray into the designer bag world by purchasing a Louis Vuitton pouch. Though not quite a bag, it was sentimental as it started his passion for collecting.

These days, this collector has an extensive collection of bags covering a wide variety of brands. CC 225 has evolved greatly during his decade of collecting designer bags, and he states that right now, he is incredibly content with his collection. At 31, CC 225 has begun to save for other facets of life, and his boyfriend has helped him keep his spending habits in check.

Read the full CC below, and don’t forget to share your own!

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Basic Bio

Your Age? 31
Your Gender Identity? Male
Where do you live? Seattle, Washington
What is your occupation? Banker
What industry do you work in? Finance
Your annual salary? $125,000
Total Household Income? $125,000
Are you a PurseForum member? No

Onto The Bags

How many bags do you own? About 33 bags

What bags are in your collection?

How much is your collection worth? I lost count …..

What is your most expensive bag? Dior Saddle Bag I believe is the most expensive. It was about $3,500 I think before tax.

Do you ever regret any of your bag purchases? If so, which ones and why? Actually I have no regrets at all. I keep liking all of them so far.

What age did you get your first designer bag, and what was it? When I first came to the US in 2014, my first designer item was a Saint Laurent card holder case which was gifted from my ex-boyfriend. From that on, my love for designer started growing and I started buying designer stuff.

Until 2015, I purchased my first Louis Vuitton pouch. It wasn’t a bag, but it was like my first ever designer piece; that was expensive for me at that time.

Is there a specific bag you are looking to purchase next? As of right now, I don’t really have anything I want to buy. I think I have enough.

Do you have a ‘holy grail’ dream bag you’ve always wanted to own? Maybe I’m just like most people, I want a Birkin. Not a regular size Birkin, but the super-sized that Kim K has (dreaming dreaming dreaming).

Any particular bag that holds a special sentimental value? I like my Saint Laurent Take Away Box Bag. It’s so different from the others. As an traditional Asian, I always pack for take away after every party. I actually put pastry in my bag one time when I carried it. It’s a fun bag, I bought it in Paris. When I saw it the first time in person, I told myself ” There’s no way back, this bag definitely screams my name.”

Do you feel like your bags change people’s perceptions of you or how you’re treated? My friends always like to see what will I carry, what will I show up in. It’s kinda fun to have a little attention you know.

How do you take care of your bags? I put them on a shelf, and I put dust bags into them so the form will stay.

On Shopping

How often do you buy new bags? Maybe once or twice a year. When I went to Paris, I bought 5 at a time because if you don’t shop in Paris, what’s the point ?

Do you prefer shopping for bags online or in-store? Why? I like to check it in store first, then I find deals online to see if I can get it anywhere for cheaper. I love a good discount, it doesn’t have to be full-price for everything for me. As long as I can I get a good discount, and it’s reasonable for me I will go for it.

Which stores do you frequent the most? Nordstrom, SSENSE, Mr Porter, Saks, Grifo210, Italist, Barneys (I miss Barneys).

Have you ever returned a bag after purchasing it? Why did you make that decision? Not bag, but a wallet. I went to Portland, Oregon in September 2014 and bought my first LV Multiple Wallet in Monogram because there were no sales taxes.

I remember I was still fresh in the US, saved money from working part time and bought myself the first designer wallet. Then when I got back to Washington State, I returned it because I realized it was too expensive for me at that time (when I made $9/hour part-time at Starbucks as a barista). I told myself eventually I will buy it, but not now.

Do you ever buy second-hand bags? Where do you buy used? Yes, I bought a Louis Vuitton Amazon Bag on Fashionphile, and I bought a Celine Triomphe Bag from my best friend.

Do you sell old bags to pay for new purchases? I think I sold 2 or 3 of them.

Do you ever donate or gift your old bags? If so, to whom? No I don’t. I just keep it there to look at it.

Do you ever feel societal pressure to purchase more bags? I’m actually the one who pressures other people to buy.

Do you consider your bag purchases investments? The bags I’ve bought I don’t think are for investment.

Do you follow the latest fashion trends when deciding on your next purchase, or do you prefer classic styles? At this point, I think I’m done. Been saving money for different purpose in the future. I am happy with what I have now. It’s already April and I haven’t bought any designer items this year. I’m so proud of myself.

Are sales associate relationships instrumental to your shopping? I like when a cute associate helps me. I tend to buy more.

Do you enjoy shopping beyond just acquiring something new? As of right now, I think I’m done with shopping. But before, I love shopping. I love going to department stores just to look and feel the items.

Have you ever felt you received inferior service at a store or boutique due to your appearance, ethnicity, or gender? I don’t think so.

What are some factors that may dissuade you from buying a bag, even if you like it? “Money money money, must be funny”

Is there a brand you outright refuse to buy? Why? Not at all.

On Budgeting & Perceptions

Who pays for your bags? Me, myself and I.

Do you set aside a budget for your bag purchases? No, I buy whenever I’m in the mood. Usually I try it first, and if I go to sleep and dream about it. That’s the sign I need to have it.

Have you ever purchased a counterfeit because you couldn’t afford a designer item? No

Do you ever hide purchases from your significant other? No

Have your friends or family ever criticized your bag-buying habits? If so, how did you respond? My mom keeps telling me I need to save more money. So I bought her bag so she stop saying it to me :))

Have you ever made a significant sacrifice to afford a bag? If so, what was it? No I’m not. I don’t want to be in debt.

Do you think your shopping is ever a problem? Have you ever felt like you were struggling with a shopping addiction? Yes I did. I went to Paris last year in November 2023 and dropped $15K on shopping for myself alone. After the trip, I felt good but then I felt guilty.

My boyfriend literally had a talk with me about my spending habits. I guess that talk was helpful so I am good still today. Went to Vegas in January 2024 but I had no desire to go into the store to check anything at all.

Let’s get personal…

Any other expensive hobbies or passions? I love travel. I’d rather spend money on traveling now instead of shopping.

What is your greatest fear? Lose everything that I have at the moment.

Which living person do you most admire? I don’t have one person I most admire. In everyday life, whoever can teach me new things, I admire them.

What or who is the greatest love of your life? I guess there’s nothing as “greatest love” to me.

What is your favorite journey you have taken so far? I’m happy for all the trips I have taken. I am 31 years old now and I’ve traveled to 31 countries so far. My goal is to hit 35 countries by the end of this year.

Any parting words you would like to share with our readers? Thank you for reading my confession. If you feel happy doing something, do it first and regret later. One way or another, you will learn something from it. Life’s too short to not be happy.