Is there a brand that you can’t live without, a brand that inspires you to enjoy every moment in life, a brand that you just find an absolute pleasure to own and use?
When I love something I REALLY LOVE it and work hard to have it. Being a minimalist I enjoy purchasing things that I genuinely need and am confident I will use for a very long time.
It’s exciting to be able to share with you one of those items that I recently purchased; a Louis Vuitton Brea MM (Moyden Model meaning the medium size) handbag. I will explain my reasoning behind selecting this particular design.
Before deciding which handbag to buy, I created a mental list of all the things my new handbag had to cater for, such as:
- Being compact, easy to wear and discrete
- Having a zipper compartment which also includes small pockets on the inside for my personals
- Designed with a rectangular base; I prefer bags with structured bases over relaxed hobo styles
- It must have feet to protect the leather base of the bag from coming in contact with the ground
- Within my budget and be something I would love and wear for the next 5-7 years
Because of my background in art and design, I respect and have an appreciation for exceptionally well-designed products. I pay close attention to every single aspect of the item such as how it’s made, what it’s made from, its symmetry, its finish, the colour, the contrast, its history, etc.
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton was the only brand that came to mind. They are known worldwide to have pioneered the art of leather goods. Anyone who owns a Louis Vuitton can agree with me that owning something from this luxury brand is a testament to their century-old tradition founded on a quest for perfection. It’s no surprise that for six consecutive years, they were named the world’s most valuable luxury brand.
I have spent time learning, discovering and admiring Louis Vuitton’s designs both in store and via their website. However there is only one line that always grabs my attention, and that is their Monogram Vernis leather collection.
Monogram Vernis Collection
The Vernis line is a vivacious, sparkling, ultra-feminine collection available in a range of unusual colours that perfectly highlights the Monogram pattern without making too much of a statement. Unlike other Louis Vuitton Monogram lines, I appreciate how the Vernis collection appears more subtle and admire how it discretely shows of the famous Monogram pattern without being too loud (not that there is anything wrong with showing off the Monogram pattern) but for me I prefer something a little more discrete.
At first you may feel that the Vernis is perhaps too glossy for you, especially if you are not used to wearing a patent leather. However when you see it in person, in all the different colours you will notice that the lighter colours are very feminine, glamorous and easy to wear. It glistening under the light, but it is not overly shiny, glossy or overpowering in anyway. This is why I adore this line, because it is so glamorous, but at the same time discrete, elegant and classy that you can easily wear it all day, everyday and in almost any occasion.
For me the lighter colours are a bit too light and I don’t feel comfortable wearing dark coloured clothes in winter while touting a light coloured bag. Hence why I opted for a colour that I knew would suit my personality and wardrobe all year round.
TIP: Make sure to view your preferred colour under different light conditions as you will notice the colour of the Vernis line can look very different based on how the light hits it.
From the Vernis collection there was only one design that suited me perfectly and it was the Brea design. The Brea is available in two sizes the MM and the GM (Grande Model meaning large). The size up from mine, the GM, was too big and would have been perfect as an overnight bag or large on board travel bag. But it wasn’t a size I would comfortably be able to wear all day.
I like that the Brea design had a rectangular base, zip compartment, four feet as well as a detachable shoulder strap that allowed me to wear it on rare occasions over the shoulder. It didn’t bother me too much that the strap is not long enough to be worn across as ordinarily you’d carry this style by your side.
Unlike some of the other Vernis Monogram handbag designs, I also adored how the Brea featured and showed off the stunning light golden colours of the leather parts. The leather contrasts so well with the gloss of the Vernis leather and will look even more magnificent as the leather darkens over time.
Here are some detailed photos of the handbag.
Below is a video of me unboxing the Brea.
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