PS1, I love you

MANILA, Philippines - No bag makes my heart skip a beat like the PS1 does. My current bag-crush: a graphic print, black and white PS1 from the Proenza Schouler fall 2013 collection. My eternal flame: the classic PS1 leather satchel in navy. Its design harks back to the more carefree days of fashion, and for me personally, to the time when I only needed one good bag that would fit everything I need. Its “throwback” feel can be attributed to what the bag was originally inspired by: good old work-wear satchels, while its edgy, utilitarian design may be credited to its origins (Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez are both based in New York). 

The PS1 is the first handbag collection by Proenza Schouler and was launched in 2008. They reinterpreted the rather stiff traditional satchel in soft, luxe leather, which gives the bag its relaxed ease. Its name is a riff on the first Proenza Schouler bag and New York City public schools, which are abbreviated “P.S.” and followed by a number. It’s a very nonchalant bag (it has a knotted strap that’s intended to look as if you tied it yourself), but at the same time it is nothing short of dreamy. The materials they use, whether that’s leather, suede, or printed fabric, determine the bag’s relaxed stance –– as if it’s lounging — and its soft, touchable appeal.

The first time I saw an actual PS1, which was at Adora in Greenbelt 5, I had the disturbing urge to sniff and caress it. But aren’t we all that way when it comes to our bag-crushes, or crushes in general? When you find that one bag that makes you happy, never let it go, or it will haunt you in your dreams! That’s what they say. In my case, the PS1 haunts me via more modern avenues: celebrity photos on the Internet. It has been seen in-tow by Olivia Wilde, who likes to sling it over her shoulder, Jessica Alba, who holds it by the handle, and Reese Witherspoon, who totes it on her wrist like an A-list boss. Recently, Adora brought in three new styles in key colors of the season: royal blue, krishna (a sunny yellow orange) and piglet (a pale pink). This depth of color is achieved using all-natural vegetable dyes. The bags’ minimal hardware is custom-developed to have an industrial feel, including flat rivets and a buckle closure.

Proenza Schouler also debuted the PS13, which represents the transition from school bag to briefcase, during the pre-spring 2013 season. Bearing more structure and an older sophistication, the PS13 still maintains the same utilitarian feel and tough-chic vibe of the PS1 and comes in rich colors like gray and poppy.

In an interview, the Proenza Schouler boys’ description of the modern woman’s style explains why the PS1 is such a hit. Lazaro says, “She’s cool, a bit undone and definitely not perfect. She loves design, fashion and art — especially craft. She understands luxury but it’s not a precious thing for her.” And Jack adds, “Her version of luxury is a little less stuffy. It’s more casual but she understands the craft and respects the artistry.”

On the bag that everyone loves, Lazaro says, “We held off making a bag until we felt we had something to say. At the time everything was super blinged out. We wanted something anti-It bag — with no logos, no branding. And we wanted it to be slouchy. The secret of that bag was that we made it and sat on it.”

The PS1 sure feels like a bag that was given much thought. When delivering luxury, it’s easy to just bling something out, add rhinestones and hardware, slap a logo on; it’s much more difficult to simply insinuate it. Even without a logo, we would know Proenza Schouler’s “anti-It bag” when we see it, whether it’s lounging around on a bench at Central Park, or stopping traffic in the streets of Manila.

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Proenza Schouler is available only at Adora, 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati. Tel. no. (632) 217-4029.