Nicole Warne, CH Carolina Herrera’s International Influencer 2016, carrying the CHCH Baret Bag.
From the Hamptons to the Greek Islands, luxurious destinations set the tone for the collection. Voluminous separates, prints, and bright colours define the endless summer and boast a playful yet classic feel often found in Carolina Herrera’s designs, reflecting her passion for travel. In collaboration with CH Carolina Herrera’s Spring/Summer ’16 collection, Nicole Warne, founder of Gary Pepper, was crowned as the brand’s digital influencer, continuing her stride as a social media trailblazer who wears many other creative hats. Ever wondered how Nicole Warne prepares for her trips across continents and cultures? BAZAAR brings the exclusive Q&A.
What kind of bag do you like carrying?
I love carrying small bags that I can use every day or oversized bags that I use as carry-ons as I travel so much for work.
How do you prefer carrying your bag?
I love wearing a shoulder bag as I’m constantly on my phone and need both hands.
Do you usually fill your bag or carry only what is necessary?
I only carry what is necessary, which is still a lot.
Tidy or chaotic?
I’m tidy. I was chaotic for a while, but now I use digital receipts so I don’t have overflowing bags of paper when I’m traveling.
How do you choose the right bag to travel?
My travel bag is always of the highest quality as it needs to survive the amounts of flying I do and has to fit my laptop and chargers in so I can work on the plane.
What items are essentially in your bag?
I never leave the house without my phone, battery pack, wallet, business cards, lipsticks (in case I have to go straight to an evening meeting or event), sunglasses, and sunscreen. I’m all about SPF 50+ sunscreen.
Do you like to change or are you faithful to one bag?
I like to alternate between my bags depending on my mood. Bags are like perfume to me – it always comes down to how I’m feeling that day.
When choosing a bag, which features do you pay attention to?
The quality of leather or construction, the length of the strap, the overall size, and the hardware as I wear gold. I always keep an eye on where the branding is as well; sometimes, it’s too intrusive when I prefer a discreet look.
Tell us an anecdote attached to one particular bag.
I’m always cautious when I’m traveling but I’ve had people try to steal my entire bag from my shoulder in Paris, or caught people stealing money from it in Barcelona. I put up a good fight, though!
CH Carolina Herrera Baret Bag, inspired by the wonders of the world.
What do you like the most about the Baret Bag?
I adore the construction and the luxurious suede, as well as the size for traveling. The personalised strap makes this bag different to any others I own. I chose the colour of the strap and had “Paris, Je’taime” embroidered on it, after one of my favourite places in the world.
Jeanne Baret, a woman who disguised herself as a man in order to travel the world, inspired this bag. Do you somehow identify yourself with her?
I do. I quit my full-time job and internships at Grazia and Harper’s Bazaar to pursue my own business from scratch, so I can relate to Jeanne as she also took a risk to follow her heart and expand her mind. She didn’t let her circumstances hold her back, and that is truly inspiring.
