People With Bags is a series where I showcase fellow bag lovers and creators, giving you an inside scoop on their wardrobes. In every feature, I ask for three bags — their most special, most used, and most unexpected — to uncover the stories and memories behind the pieces they love. Bags carry our essentials, but they also carry memories - this series celebrates our community and the people behind the bags.
Meet Oksana — freelance fashion fairy, wardrobe magician, and all-around style spark. For People With Bags, she shared her most special, most used, and most unexpected handbags, giving us a peek into her playful approach to fashion, the pieces she treasures, and the stories each bag carries.
1) Hi Oksana! Thanks so much for offering us an inside look into your handbag wardrobe. Before we get into it - tell us a bit about yourself! This is your opportunity to plug any and every platform we can find you on.
I’m a freelance fashion fairy: which means I spend my time hosting live shopping events, curating content, personal shopping and helping clients sell their wardrobes. Basically a variety of shopping and playing dress up.
You can follow my personal life and styling content on @oksana_bach and if you’re looking to actually shop you can follow @anyacollective where I pop in stories with shoppable items!
2) Before we get into the bags, tell us - how would you describe your overall style?
It really depends on what mood I’m in, because I have about three different style personalities. But I love strong tailoring, interesting textures, and impactful hardware. I waver between ultra feminine and modern minimalism. You’ll rarely catch me in a pattern and 90% of my wardrobe is black and white.
3) Okay, the bags. Overall - I see a lot of silver! Is this a tone you find yourself often gravitating towards?
Love silver and it’s my preferred hardware. I will never mix metals though so I have half a wardrobe with gold accents and the other half is silver - but you’ll never see them together.
4) Your most used bag intrigues me - the all-silver Valentino! For many people this would be a statement bag, but for you - bold in style, it’s your every-day. Tell us a bit about what keeps you constantly reaching for this bag.
There’s so many things I love about this bag. It’s actually very durable and part of why I use it so much. I can throw it around and not be worried - which I can’t say for most of my other bags. It has a semi patent hard shell coating so it just feels indestructible.
Since I wear a lot of black and white, I like my shoes and bags to be metallic. So having a silver bag is very versatile for me. And she’s on a chain so I can be hands free or wear as a clutch - she just does it all. And looks fabulous at the same time.
5) The most special - The Chanel. It’s stunning. What makes this one so special to you?
I’m a sucker for a coco handle. And this light gold crinkle leather is so special - in the years I’ve been professionally shopping and hundreds of Chanel bags I’ve handled, I’ve only seen this one once. It’s also the most expensive thing I own so I’ll take her to the grave.
6) Okay - now the most unexpected - the Givenchy! Tell us why you think this is an unexpected piece for you, and why you gravitated towards it anyways.
If you couldn’t tell from the previous bags - I like structure. I’ve never been into soft bags, because functionally I like being able to sit my bag on a table and visually I like clean lines. I also don’t buy distressed things. So this slouchy, distressed, very casual hobo bag came out of left field.
I got it on a mega sale end of season at Saks because I needed a grey bag to match my jeans and now I gravitate to it a lot. It’s so easy and spacious and I get so many compliments every time I wear it.
7) Can you share any particular memory you have with any of these bags? Anything that stands out in your mind? Something funny, sentimental?
There is a whole back story with the silver Valentino and I thought I was going to get fired from my job trying to get it LOL. But that’s a story that requires a cocktail first.
8) And finally, as a fellow bag lover - tell us, what do handbags mean to you?
They’re the biggest investments worth making in your wardrobe. To me bags are a representation of your personality, style and character. I think your bag says a lot about you and it’s something I put a lot of time and effort into carefully selecting
Be sure to follow Oksana at @oksana_bach and @anyacollective
If you loved this article, you’ll love what’s coming next. I write about vintage luxury in a way that feels fun, approachable, and never pretentious. Stick around, ask questions, and make yourself at home — you’ve always got a seat at this table.
XO Bags For Breakfast by Shay Prasad