Goyard

You've been admiring your most fashionable friend's new tote? It's simple, elegant, in the Hermes and Louis Vuitton school of understated, logoed accessories, but you can't quite work out what that chevron pattern print is or where she got it. Chances are then, it's Goyard. A real fashionista's secret, not least because it's so hard to come by - you have to go to Paris or New York to get it. So, what's the story? Goyard was founded in Paris in 1853 by Edmond Goyard, the son of an esteemed luggage maker and a royal coutourier. E. Goyard became synonymous with elegance and wealth, as Goyard's reputation for quality luggage spread throughout Europe, even reaching the French and English Royal Courts. Always the height of Parisian chic, it was still not considered a fashion label, until now - having been rediscovered by those in the know, it surfaced on the fashion scene when the accessories buyer at Barneys New York put the simple logoed totes front of store. Now trend makers carry their Goyard with pride - the chicest even have theirs monogrammed. Celebrity fans include the undisputed queen of quiet, downtown cool, Michelle Williams, and New York uber editor, Glenda Bailey.