Mulberry - Greenwich Village

One of the nice things about Mulberry is that they're not offensively branded with a logo visible from across the street, like so many bags are today. Perhaps this is the reason there don't seem to be many fakes around. Not trendy, but stylish and beautifully made, these bags could worn for a few years, which makes their cost-per-use quite sensible. That is, unless you decide to by the studded leather model, complete with attached cat-o-nine-tails.

387 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014O

Netto - Stamford Hill

Continuing with my series of weird budget grocery stores, I was drawn to Netto by the cute logo I've seen on bags all over town. Their motto is, "Why pay more when you can pay less?" It seems straightforward enough. Shoppers have to pay for their bags, but the prices on everything else are cheap, cheap, cheap.

The layout of the store is very strange, and doesn't seem to follow any logical order. Soap, next to canned fish, next to bread, next to lightbulbs, and so on.... This is fine for those of us who like to shop by going up and down each aisle, not so good, though, for those in a hurry who like to run straight to the item they came for, then leave.


and what's with the strange gate system at the entrance?

158 Clapton Common
Stamford Hill
London, E5 9AG

I'm not a plastic bag - eBay

I have to admit. I was initially attracted to the Anya Hindmarch "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" promotion. The shopping bag was cute, a beige canvas tote with a braided handle and the slogan, "I'm not a plastic bag," emblazoned across the front. The Anya Heinmark logo is understated but there, along with the motto "We are what we do" hidden inside. In England, it was sold at Sainsburys for £5, and sold out within hours. The same thing happened in the US at Whole Foods.

Then things got crazy. People started selling them on eBay for £30, £50, £100. Is there no end to greed? This seems contrary to the original intent. It feels like the bag has gone beyond environmentalism, beyond fashion, into elitism. Some would argue that fashion is elitist, but it doesn't have to be. Fashion often starts on the street, then is dropped when it becomes mainstream. The Lance Armstrong wrist bands are a good example of that. They swept American, but then, they were so cheap and easy to come by that they lost their cachet. Anya Heindmarch was probably trying to avoid that by manufacturing such small quantities, but I think it backfired.

A clever artist, Marissa Vandersee, is selling a bag at Sunday Up on Brick Lane, that looks almost identical to the Anya Hindmarch version, but sums up my current sentiments about the bag. It says "I'm not a smug twat."

Hideo Wakamatsu -- The Mission

Hideo Wakamatsu luggage and tote bags are more proof that form and function can peacefully and stylishly coexist. Modern lightweight design is mixed with traditional Japanese elements, such as the cherry blossom suitcase and the children's school bags made out of motorcycle helmet material. These suitcases certainly won't blend in with all the others on the baggage return and the ergonomic laptop carriers actually look nice.

Another nod to Hideo Wakamatsu's Japanese roots is the strange, automated greeting that goes off when you open the door to the store.

563 Valencia St
San Francisco, CA 94110
415.255.3029

Prada -- Soho

Prada often gets a bad rap. A favorite of label whores and counterfeiters alike, the streamlined, subdued nylon bag favored by these two groups is what many people envision when they hear the word Prada. True, some low-end bags still have that silhouette, but Mucia is so much more than that.

The New York flagship store in Soho showcases all that Prada has to offer. Much of the floorspace showcases architectural elements, not fashion, but as with all forms of art, isn't fashion also about context and setting?

575 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212.334.8888

Buffalo Exchange - Haight Ashbury

When it comes to recycled fashion, Buffalo Exchange is one of the best. I would go so far as to say it is the best second hand shop on the Haight for everyday wear. It's not full of cheaply made new clothes like Crossroads, or costumey like Wasteland, yet the selection is better honed, and of better quality than the Goodwill on Haight. In addition to a full range of clothes for all sexes, it has a good selection of shoes, bags, belts and other accessories.

1555 Haight Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
415.431.7733

Samsonite Black Label - The City, Sloan Square, Oxford Street

If Webstats are to be believed, Samsonite Black Label is more popular in the UK than the US, perhaps because of the collection designed by Alexander McQueen? It's certainly more expensive. Shoppers who want to buy this designer line of the tried and true workhorse of travel have several options in London. The boutique on Sloane is modern and minimalist, while the boutique in The City is a bit more traditional. The basement of Selfridges also has a nice collection of Black Label in stock.

The displays at Selfridges are, as usual, true to brand, adopting the decorating schemes of many Black Label boutiques.

8 Sloane St
London, SW1X 9LE
020 7245 8261

7 Royal Exchange
London , EC3V 3LL
020 7929 3944

Spitalfields Market - Spitalfields

It seems that much literature mentioning Spitalfields focuses on poverty and deprivation. Children of the Ghetto,
Jack London's melodramatic The People of the Abyss and then there's The Satanic Verses. True, it has been the site of large cemeteries, starting with the Romans. True, the name came from some illiterate pronunciation of hospital. However, now the area has become so gentrified that it is no longer a haven for the poor, the disenfranchised and the artists. They've all moved to Hackney.

There is one place, though, where artists abound: Spitalfields market. Open every day except Saturday, it's the place to buy and sell handcrafted clothes, bags and bric-a-brac, as well as vintage housewares, books, records and general truclaments. Usually the artists, themselves are selling their wares so if you need another size or want something in a different colour, they are often willing to accommodate you. Last time I was at the market, I bought a necklace that was a bit to long for me, so the designer sized it on the spot.

Old Spitalfields Market
105a Commercial Streeet
Spitalfields, London E1 6BG

Feria Ubana - Inner Sunset

This is more like it.

Held at the Canvas Gallery on Lincoln Way, this Urban Fair is what I expected at Pandora's Trunk last night. Those who like jewelry and accessories hit the jackpot. Handcrafted baubles with a modern aesthetic shared table space with Victorianesque pieces in strange proportions.

Among the gifts for wry children, stuffed monster dolls, made more for parents than their kids, were among my favorites.

The only things that were a bit dodgy were bags made out of reclaimed materials, straight out of ReadyMade magazine and pillows in burnt out velvet that may be good for those who like to decorate with gargoyles.

I went with good intentions of buying Christmas presents, but left with gifts only for myself.

Canvas Gallery
1200 9th Ave
San Francisco, CA 94122
415.504.0060

Liberty - Oxford Circus

If you happen to be stuck in London with someone who does not appreciate shopping, Take him to Liberty of London. (Note my sexist use of the word “him.”) Liberty is a fantastic Tudor building that was built with the beams two ships. A couple of the nice architectural details include commemorative carvings honoring the Liberty employees who died in WWI & WWII. This should give you at lest an hour to shop, while your companion reads the memorials.

I love Liberty prints. Hankies, tote bags, anything remotely naff with a Liberty print on it, I own it. I get lots of compliments from librarians and well-heeled American grandmothers who happen to spot me blowing my nose or using a Liberty bag as a briefcase. The boutique on the first floor is devoted to these types of inexpensive (for Liberty) Liberty print gift items.

Of course Liberty print dress shirts are gorgeous and difficult, if not impossible, to find anywhere else, but it's not all prim and proper. Liberty stocks a nice range of art house labels for the fashion forward.

Regent Street
London W1
020 7734 1234