Maide is a lady who has such an intimate relationship with her bag that the bag itself is named after her.

Ms. Maide keeps everything in it: the letters from her best lovers, the three shades of lipstick she prefers, two packs of matches and her slim cigarettes. The keys to her home and a bike lock, her chocolates, one of her perfumes, a silk handkerchief, her wallet and sunglasses.

Maide accompanies her from morning till evening, from Monday to Sunday, every month of the year.

Maide, to me, is the personification of this project, its essence embodied.

Maide is the quintessential 'lady,' not necessarily elderly, but of an age that has experienced the years of true and authentic elegance, of things crafted with care and quality, treated and worn as they deserved.

Indeed, there was a time when good taste was much more prevalent than now, as it was lived more closely. There wasn't as much choice, and authenticity and craftsmanship were one's calling card, making low quality more challenging to find.

Behind every purchasable item was the distinct face of the person who had created it, leading to a very careful quality and image control. Purchases were made only after long consideration, as that object or garment would last for many years to come. People bought less, but they bought better.

Consequently, Maide wears well-made and elegant clothes to go anywhere, seeking (and finding) beauty in every destination.

Our lady, having spent a life immersed in good taste, effortlessly masters the art of dressing well. She does it because it's what she knows, it's what she's learned, and she has no interest in changing. Why should she?

The ability to be so elegant without even realizing it is a skill I envy a lot. That's why she is truly authentic. Maide is genuine; she is herself effortlessly, unafraid to show who she is and unapologetic about it.

Even though the world around her has changed, even though one might expect something different from her, she remains true to herself. She doesn't need to please anyone; she only wants - with the modesty expected from an elegant lady - to fascinate herself.

That's why Maide, with her bicycle and her always well-groomed hair, is a totem of authenticity. There are no ulterior motives, no secrets with her, and nothing hidden about her.

 My purpose in designing this bag was to create a timeless, versatile model suitable for my Maide's life. That's why it had to be named after her.

Sofia