I found it at an independent designers expo filled with tres chic clothes and accessories. It was made of the softest dove gray leather I've ever felt, slightly unstructured with handles and a shoulder strap. It was perfect. But I didn't buy it...maybe due to sticker shock, maybe due to jetlag. I gave it one last longing look and then left it at the booth.
But the bag haunted me throughout my stay. Finally on the last day of our trip, I dragged Matt back to try to find the shop through the winding streets of Marais. We finally found it after many laps around the neighborhood, but the building was closed. There was a sign for the expo which read 17 - 20 Septembre. It was 22 Septembre. Devastated over my loss, I glumly returned to the US.
I tried to find info about the expo and the handbag designer on French websites but I don't remember what it was called or what building it was in. And there's only so much googling you can do in French.
So I've spent the last two days on an online hunt for its replacement but even that is hard. I came up with the following but they are all not quite right and way too expensive. Woe is me.
This one is nice. The leather looks soft. The color is a liiiittle too dark but the main problem is that it costs $908. From Jerome Dreyfuss.
This Iro Boker Bag is okay, and a better price, but too dark and kinda dowdy.
This one from Banana Republic is nice too and the right price. But maybe too structured.
And finally, here's the Chloé bag. Oooh la la, c'est magnifique.
Still, these are all substitutes. I still think the one in Paris is destined to be mine. I'll just keep looking and maybe we'll cross paths again one day.
