Gardenia

Lacey is going to buy a used Louis Vuitton Alma PM and then have Louis Vuitton restore it. But should she buy one from the 1990’s or 2000’s? …Should she just buy a new one?

No. She wants to restore an old one.

Will they put feet on the restored Alma? Maybe.

Lacey’s Speedy 25 is aging. The canvas is getting cracked. It still looks nice. The leather is in great shape. But the canvas is cracking slightly near the zipper.

Lacey anticipates having to buy a new Speedy. Her goal is to have those three monogram Louis Vuitton bags in her collection. They’re elegant, beautiful, refined, but also very casual and relaxed.

She’d ideally like to add a vintage Kelly and another Launer bag. And then she’s done. That sounds excessive but compared to many handbag collectors it’s not.

Lacey uses a Le Pliage and her Speedy most often. When she felt good enough to hike she used her beat-up Mark Cross leather bucket bag.

“This is exactly the kind of thing I wish I’d talked to you about but I was too insecure.” says Nancy to Lacey.

Silence.

“How much did you pay for them?” asks Casi suspiciously.

A few minutes later.

“I paid $500 for the Speedy 25 bag in 2018. $800 for the Noé I had restored. $700 to have the Noé restored by Louis Vuitton. And I’ll likely pay around $500 for the Alma and $600 or so to have it restored. …I spent around $3,000 at Launer for the Traviata. $60 for my vintage 1960’s leather Coach bag. $100 for the Mark Cross bucket. And there are others. The Le Pliage was $175?” She thinks. “I don’t want to spend more than $10,000.00 on a Kelly.”

“Do you wear J. Crew?” asks the pencil skirt wearing perfume hater.

“Not anymore. I have old pieces I wear. But I don’t shop there anymore, unfortunately.” says Lacey.

“I was depressed after you told me you could buy a house for over a million on Summit Avenue.” says Nancy.

“Why in the world did you compare yourself with me? Do you do that obsessively with everyone?” asks Lacey.

“Not as much, but yes!” says Nancy.

Silence.

“Do you feel superior or do you just feel ownership?” asks Nancy.

“Yes!” says Lacey. “I feel ownership.”

“Oh okay. Like…you own yourself in God.” says a feminist.

“Yes. Like I own myself in Christ.” says Lacey.

“So we own our better selves in Heaven?” asks Nancy.

“Yes! And I’m loved, Nancy.” says Lacey. “It’s a fallen world.”

“So she has a shit life in the most meaningful way outside of what she is able to fight for. And yet you’re bitching her out over handbags? And houses?” asks Casi.

“She did have cancer. I’m sure she feels that that’s an excuse to be so gross.” says Lacey.

“Do you think you were gross?” Casi asks Lacey.

“Yes! Not necessarily evil. But it’s gross to feel the need to explain your wealth so carefully.” says Lacey.

“Do you think explaining wealth is gross in and of itself?” asks a French woman.

“It wouldn’t have to be. It’s actually fascinating.” says Lacey.

“To you or others?” says a perfume hater rolling her eyes.

“To anyone and everyone.” says Lacey. “Who sees what I do?”

“So to you it’s relaxing? Like…analyzing how they make butter?” asks a French woman.

“Yes!! It’s actually a very elegant process when it’s made appropriately. The ebb and flow. The drama. The intrigue. The beauty. The…sadness.” says Lacey.

“So you think, ‘Stop accusing me of not having butter! …And as your punishment and for your edification…I’ll now explain how the butter I own…was made. …Follow me!’” says a French woman.

“Possibly pretty close.” says Lacey.

Casi laughs. “When you don’t have a background it’s…not as fascinating.”

“It’s much darker and more hopeless. But…I bet it’s still fascinating. Sorry.” says Lacey.

More later.

“Time for bed. More tomorrow!” says Lem.