3 Tastemakers Share A Peek Inside Their Métier Bags
The things we tote around in our bags can range from personal to practical – and often reveal a lot about our personalities and professional lives. Here, three Incredible Women from the worlds of acting, philanthropy and photography open their Métier handbags and share their career and style secrets
Anna Shaffer, actor
Anna Shaffer has lit up the small screen in shows including The Witcher, as well as the big screen in some instalments of the Harry Potter franchise. Needing a versatile bag that will take her effortlessly from movie sets to premieres, she shares what’s inside her Métier ‘Roma’ bag…
Tell us about the items that are always in your bag, beyond the essentials…
I’m a bit like a newborn baby in that I need to be fed every couple of hours to keep me happy, so there’s usually a snack of some kind. And always perfume; I’ve worn the same one forever – Le Labo Thé Noir. I also usually have a pair of sunglasses and lipstick. I’m a big believer in popping on lipstick when you’re not feeling so fantastic – my favourite brand is Pat McGrath Labs. When I’m out and about, I find it so hard to dip into a novel, so I like to read poetry books [such as Two Cures For Love by Wendy Cope]. Also, when I’m filming, it’s easier to read poetry or shorter stories, so you’re not totally immersed in another world.
What do you love most about this bag?
There’s a strap that goes over the top, but then there’s also a little gold strap that comes underneath, which turns it into a bit more of a night-time bag, so I love that it has versatility. I was drawn to it because it’s quite sleek and chic, and I’m not always very sleek or chic, so I like its aspirational element. You could pop it on when you’re just wearing jeans and know that there’s one part of you that looks sophisticated.
Can you describe a time in your life when you knew you had something ‘in the bag’?
The first job I ever did as an actor was Harry Potter, and I was 15 when I auditioned for it. My audition was for a different character to the one I ended up getting. My dad took me to it, and I was so nervous, but I remember it going quite well and feeling like, ‘That was positive.’ Then the casting associate took me into a room to meet all the other people in the casting team and I thought, ‘This feels like it’s probably gone quite well.’ I remember getting it and being like, ‘Yes, nabbed it – in the bag!’
“I love that [this bag] has versatility. I was drawn to it because it’s quite sleek and chic
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Noëlla Coursaris Musunka, philanthropist and model
Noëlla Coursaris Musunka is the founder of Malaika, a non-profit grassroots organization that empowers Congolese girls and their communities through education and health programs. As a mother of two, who travels often, she needs a multifaceted handbag to match her busy lifestyle. She shares what’s in her Métier ‘Private Eye’ tote…
How would you describe your style?
I’m on the advisory board of a lot of organizations, so I need to look smart and professional, but I don’t like completely formal, boring clothes. I like to have something special, whether it’s the accessories, the jewelry or the clothing. For seven weeks of the year, I go to the Congo, and if I’m meeting with government officials or donors, I have to dress formally, but if not, I’m very laid-back and relaxed, because I work in villages and in the office at the [Malaika] school. I can wear this bag with formal clothes, but I can also wear it with a dress, a skirt, shorts or jeans – I can wear it with so many different styles and I can definitely travel with it.
What do you look for in a handbag?
I’m always on the go, so what I love is a bag that is very functional and has lots of pockets, sections and accessories, so you can easily locate things. I also want something special – I think a bag completes your look and your style. I’m a mother, I have a dog, I work from home regularly, but I also travel a lot and like to be stylish, so I need a bag that makes me feel empowered.
What are some of your travel essentials?
My headphones – I love music. A charger, I always have a backup charger, too. I usually have lots of reports to read, so I’ll have my laptop. I love snacks like dried mango, or sometimes I’m naughty and have Haribo. And I always have a scrunchie – these beautiful scrunchies were handmade by the incredible women in our Mama Ya Mapendo [mothers with love] program. This is one of the life-changing initiatives at the Malaika Community Center, where mothers, young women and young men learn crucial skills such as literacy, computer skills, finances, family planning and more. All proceeds from the scrunchie and accessory sales are reinvested into programming, and so empower more individuals to lift themselves and their communities up.
“I’m always on the go, so I love a bag that is very functional and has lots of pockets, sections and accessories, so you can easily locate things
”
Zoë Zimmer, photographer and artist
Zoë Zimmer specializes in fashion and portraiture, as well as designing album artwork for major record labels. With a sleek sense of style that mirrors her aesthetic, she shares her formula for fitting all her essentials into Métier’s neat ‘Stowaway’ crossbody, plus where she’d take the ‘Perriand All Day’…
What first drew you to the ‘Stowaway’ bag?
I love the size and design of the ‘Stowaway’ as an everyday clutch bag – it’s small without being dainty. Plus, I think the phone-sized pocket on the back is a work of genius. A handbag must be big enough to fit a book and/or an umbrella, or small enough to be fun. I always have my tiny Mason Pearson hairbrush with me for my unruly fringe, a book (if I can fit one), headphones, plus backup headphones, because I can’t be on the tube without listening to music, lipstick (a neutral one and a red one, because you never know) and sunglasses for discreet people-watching.
What about when you travel?
If I’m going away for the weekend, the bigger bag is a really good size. All the pockets in it are great, and I like that the smaller one clips into it – it's a really great design feature. The woven material is beautiful, and the craftsmanship is amazing; it has a sort of summery, relaxed feel to it.
How about for evening?
The smaller bag is very chic and simple, but you could wear it out in the evening with a more over-the-top outfit, as it’s understated and elegant. I like to get dressed up in the evening; that’s something that was great about the ’80s – everyone dressed up. Why can’t we do that more?
“A handbag has to be big enough to fit a book and/or an umbrella, or small enough to be fun
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