VALERIE TRIBES
The bag is not an accessory!
Fashion journalist and founder of the popular podcast "Chiffon", Valérie Tribes empties her bag.
Valérie Tribes needs no introduction! Three years ago, the journalist launched the podcast " Chiffon ", which has become a must, and which deciphers our clothing habits and our relationship with fashion. More recently, Valérie has also published a book " La Base " which contains a wealth of ideas and advocates "a relaxed and liberated fashion"; a refreshing discourse on our relationship to fashion, at the opposite end of the spectrum from diktats and injunctions! Very organised on a daily basis, the journalist considers her handbag as a real ally. For Valerie, the bag is "much more than an accessory".
Hello Valerie, what bag do you use on a daily basis?
I recently received a very nice gift: I was given Celine bag number 16. It's the bag I'm using at the moment, but I'm generally unfaithful when it comes to bags. I change it very regularly. I usually keep it for a few months and then I change it. Basically, I keep the same bag for a season.
Valerie's bag of the moment (© photo @valerietribes )
What are you carrying inside?
I am very meticulous. I organize the inside of my bags with pockets, it is divided into 3 parts:
. A huge companion wallet that holds my entire life, including my passport that never leaves my side.
. My medicine and make-up bag
. My keys: a huge plush key ring which itself is a collection of 3 key rings. With its size, I can always find it.
My phone is usually in my pocket. I've had it stolen twice recently so I'm very careful with it.
And I also have my iPhone headphones in the bag's matching pouch.
Finally, and very importantly, I have my Smythson diary. I choose a different colour every year. It runs from September to September and this year I chose red!
This way, everything is compartmentalised in my bag. What is unclassifiable goes into the pocket that matches the bag (in general, tote bags come with a small pocket), I slip in business cards, pens ... I accumulate until the end of the season and then I sort and transfer my pockets into the next bag.
What do you never part with?
I never part with my passport, whether in Paris or abroad, I always have it with me. For me it's a symbol of freedom, "just in case", the promise of a trip.
How do you distinguish between pro and personal inside your bag?
I don't carry a computer in addition to my bag. I write everything down in a notebook. When I record my interviews for the podcast, on the other hand, I carry all my equipment (about 15 kg) in a large travel bag.
What do you take with you on holiday?
If I go to a capital like London, I keep the same bag.
If I go to Asia in the middle of winter, I have a very large totebag that I use for the plane in which I put everything I need to travel (jogging, toiletries, stole ... ) and then when I arrive, I lighten it by carrying only what I need to go to the beach for example.
Which bag do you use in the evening?
My current bag, the Celine 16, is dressy enough to go out. So I can spend the day with it and keep it if I go out. Otherwise I love clutches. I take very simple clutches in which I just slip my credit card, my passport (always!), my key ring (which I have isolated from my other keys) and my phone.
I always keep my bag with me, I find that it gives me a sense of space to keep it and I take very good care of it. It's my whole life, my bag! Losing it would be a tragedy.
A bag is not an accessory. For me, it should not be neglected. I like it simple and elegant.
As the sociologist Jean-Claude Kaufmann says , the bag is an extension of oneself. This applies to me as well: I am a Sagittarius and I love to travel. That's why I never leave my bag!
Thank you Valerie!
The Chiffonpodacast
photos ©Valerie Tribes