There are certain stories which resonate with you. That make you take pause and reconsider your thinking. There are brands that do that to, if you take the time to look. I have been giving the fashion industry and my place in it a whole lot of thought lately, and searching for brands that strive to do more than just sell. Brands that truly want to give their customer an amazing product and also make the world a better place in the process. Angela Roi is one of those brands. I was first introduced to this ethical luxury handbag brand last year, when I attended an opening of the new Amour Vert store in Palo Alto, CA. I hadn’t known much about the eco fashion movement then and what drew me to the bag I ended up purchasing was at first just its’ effortless and chic design. The lushest shade of grey, minimalist curves, and the perfect size.
It was only after I chatted with the store employees about the Angela Roi brand that I understood there was a lot more behind this stylish bag which was about to become the go-to in my closet. I learned that this brand was born with a great purpose. “To bring virtue to the world with the splendor of fashion.” And the belief that “the goodness of people has the caliber to alter the world for the better”. This motto resonates from each design’s conception, (which takes four months to perfect) to construction and testing (which takes another five months in total). From using only small (10 person or less) factories to hand construct each bag by a skilled artisan, to working with Exquisite Polyurethane Leather, which is “processed multiple times in order to attain the softness and smooth texture”, no detail is overlooked. Aside from creating amazing products, this brand indeed does good. They are an official partner of the ASPCA, donating a flat portion of proceeds to helping animals, and have previously led a “Donate by Color” campaign, helping survivors and fighters of serious illness. Suddenly the beautiful bag in my hands was more than just that. It was beautiful from the inside out.
So after almost a year of loving my Morning Cross Body in gray, I knew I would love it in every shade. Enter the Morning Cross Body in Powder Pink…..gasp! If you know me at all, you know I’m a sucker for anything blush, so this pink beauty naturally topped my wish list. But as much as I wanted to run out and get one, I also wanted to give myself a little challenge. If I indeed ‘needed’ another bag, could I make it my only bag for an upcoming four-day trip, mixing and matching from day to night, casual to dressy, in the fashionable city of New York? In fact, I was about to find out that less is more, when what you invest in is an amazing quality product which has versatility and depth.
May 3, 6:00pm Landed in NYC
It’s my Birthday and my lovely new powder pink bag is waiting for me at my brother’s apartment like the most perfectly timed birthday present. I want to immediately take it out for a spin. Tired but energized after the flight, we head out, exploring the Lincoln Center area. It’s cold and windy, but my blush tones are keeping me feeling like it’s still spring in NYC.
May 4, 4:30pm SOHO. ‘Pietro Nolita’
A much-needed late lunch stop after a day of blog shoots and a visit to the Eliza J Showroom (can’t wait to share more about that soon!) I changed into an embroidered pink dress, to match the uber pink Insta famous restaurant’s décor, my Powder Pink perfection in tow. We couldn’t have been a better fit. The owner Pietro, who happened to have been standing outside when we walked up said, “You must have planned this visit. I can tell by the colors. Come on in.” This blogger was busted 🙂
May 5, 12:30pm, Barney’s New York – Madison Avenue
Clad in my favorite color combo, with some furry texture added for good measure, I headed to meet my twin brother for a birthday surprise he had in store for me. A shopping adventure at Barney’s New York, to splurge on a pair of some amazing shoes. Don’t have to ask this girl twice!
May 5, 5:00pm Paramount Hotel
Checking into the Paramount hotel for the night and getting a little R&R before running back out to dinner and adventuring until 1am. This mama is not used to late nights out!
May 6, 11:30am Jack’s Wife Freda Brunch
A perfect brunch at My Wife Freda to wrap up an amazing trip. I only get to see my brother and Robert about twice a year, so having four days together, filled with lots of laughter, unforgettable moments and killer food has been much needed. And my blush purse was there for every moment of it.
May 6, 5:30pm Newark Airport. NYC to SFO
Clad in my comfy stripes from Amour Vert, I’ve got all my essentials and boarding pass packed neatly into my pink sidekick, already reminiscing on the adventures we’d had. We covered a lot of ground, I wore a lot of outfits and through it all, my Morning Bag was the perfect fit. From airport ‘casual chic’ to a fancy birthday dinner at “Eleven Madison Park” (I hope you saw all 11 courses in my Instagram stories! It was an epic meal) I felt like I had made the perfect choice. This was my new go-to bag and we would adventure together all summer long!
If you are looking for a new bag which will last and can truly go anywhere with you, I can guarantee from experience you will love this one. While I’m a pink gal though and though, I also love these styles and colors. And remember, when you are buying an item from a brand which cares about you and the world, you are giving a little piece of goodness back into the world as well. And that’s something that’s truly priceless.
Thanks for reading,
-V
