The bag I am featuring today is a really weird one. I would probably not ever want to sell it, but it is likely I would not be allowed to either.
I love Proenza Schouler PS1 bags. They are the perfect design for my work – a briefcase in the shape of a woman’s handbag. They can fit everything, have lots of pockets, and look great. The lines are clean, the profile is professional, and the pocket constellation is amazing.
I bought a PS1 in Purple Rain on sale 9 years ago because I loved the colour so much. It remains the most expensive bag I have ever bought. For me though, the softer, lighter leather of the purple version was too delicate for me and I was always afraid of damaging it because I carry a lot in my bags and use them heavily. The thicker, tougher black version would probably have been a better choice for me, but it was never discounted like the seasonal colours.
In the end, I sold it because it was too expensive to risk damaging it in some way, and there were no PS1 distributors in Sweden who could repair it if necessary. It took a while to sell because people in Sweden were not familiar with the brand.
A year or so later, I was in a charity shop and found the bag below, for $30. It is exactly the same leather as the tougher durable black version of this bag. Every marking, rivet, label and detail is 100%. From personal experience of the leather and model, I would say that it was genuine. Except for one thing. The clasps on the straps are different. My own PS1 and all the others I have seen have straps that clip on. This bag has buckles. It COULD be an early prototype, but in Sweden I doubt it. For that reason, it is probably a very well-made fake. Meaning I could donate it back to charity or give it to someone but not sell it. I used it extensively for three years before covid hit and it wears like iron. Even the lining has really taken a battering and come up smiling. If it is a fake, it is a really good one, which is surprising, because I am not sure how widely these bags were faked, and fakes are normally not very good quality.
Right now I am not using big handbags anymore. I use a small bag and a backpack if I need to carry bigger things, due to my back and shoulders giving out after so many years of carrying teaching materials around all day. But if I do, this will be the one I use. I really really love it.