Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Why Proenza Schouler’s PS1 Is the Ultimate Back-to-Work Bag

Why Proenza Schouler’s PS1 Is the Ultimate Back-to-Work Bag

In praise of the PS1.

The schlep from home to office is back. Sooner rather than later, we’ll all be carrying our bags as if they were sacks of potatoes, instead of totes filled with battered laptops, chewed-on pens, and soggy lunches. If that didn’t make it clear, I’m not a huge fan of commuting. Since I have to, I want to at least do it in style. I’m not a tote bag gal; I can’t deal with the flimsy and weak. Of course, a fun pochette is out of the question for corporate 9-5s. Sure, I love to consider a Louis Vuitton Saint Jacques Epi bag, but I need something to expand and contract with ease. The Epi’s rigid leather isn’t the best for stuffing running sneakers in! So what have I discovered? Well, the quintessential, chic back-to-office bag might just be Proenza Schouler’s PS1.

The piece is roomy with a devil-may-care attitude. It’s an elevated messenger bag that isn’t too stuffy, structured, or angular. Still, the PS1 is made from thick leather that can handle the daily wear and tear of a commute. Of course, there is also the nostalgia component. Like the Balenciaga Motorcycle bag, the bag encapsulates the tail end of the excessive noughties at the end of the 2000s.



The PS1 launched in 2008 and was discreetly seeded among designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough’s stylish coven of friends, including Mary-Kate Olsen who had a version in suede and python. The bag came at the right time, when a range of not-so-flashy but very durable bags started to make waves, like the aforementioned Motorcycle bag and Chloe’s Paddington. For the November 2008 issue of Vogue, Fashion Writer Florence Kane wrote an article about the boom of the bag. “‘This is the anti-It-bag,’ says Hernandez. McCollough adds, ‘It-bags sometimes lack a certain subtleness.’ So the two have veered away from the usual designer trappings; the pieces aren't ‘littered with logos’ or weighed down by hardware. It is details like the special moiré print lining or the laid-back knot in each strap that ID them.”



Vogue.com Editor Chioma Nnadi describes the bag as, “little bit schoolgirl but downtown….I remember getting a satchel bag, just because the shape was similar.” (She also brings up the rise of Gossip Girl, where Serena Van Der Woodsen notably toted the PS1. That likely added to the bag’s scholastic associations). Fashion News Editor Sarah Spellings remembers she became obsessed with the bag after attending a Teen Vogue panel featuring Hernandez and McCollough. “I just thought it was so cool. I loved that it didn’t have a label,” says Spellings. “It felt like a cleanse after coveting Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Coach logo bags. Made me feel ‘in the know.’” Senior Fashion Writer and Style Editor Janelle Okwodu notes that she had the yellow version, “which was glorious.” And Fashion and Style Writer Christian Allaire simply says, “it brings me back to Tumblr years.”



Looking at old forums on the beloved late-aughts site thefashionspot.com, I found a trove of threads coveting the bag in its heyday. The user Kimair might have said it best back in 2008. “I love how un-designer these look.” Thirteen years later, I want to scoop up an anthracite medium version for myself. It’s big enough to pack in my laptop and whatever else I need for the day. Sure, it’s a time capsule bag, but it still packs a punch and a lot in it.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
×