After the Apple - Trailblazer

I have recently come across "After the Apple" handbags, and been won over by the concept for their latest collection, "Trailblazer":

Trailblazer is inspired by a dozen remarkable women who travelled the world with a sense of adventure, across different lands, at different times, in the late 19th and early 20th century. These female pioneers faced epic challenges and unimaginable dangers as they criss-crossed the continents, often armed with little more than an umbrella, a handbag and a good thick skirt.

My favourite bag, The Everyday Bag, is inspired by Nellie Bly:

Nellie Bly went undercover in 1887 into The New York City Lunatic Asylum for Women on Blackwell Island. The Asylum had been accused of committing crimes against humanity. After convincing medical professionals she was insane she was sent to the asylum where she got to experience the mistreatment first hand. After a short time Nellie could not take anymore and was released only to expose the asylum and have them trialed in supreme court. The entire mental health system at the time was reevaluated and funds to improve the patients conditions came pouring in from the embarrassed medical institutions involved. Later in life as a greatly respected journalist she traveled the world in 72 days beating the fictional 80 days for a popular magazine - she completed her journey almost completely unchaperoned which was extraordinary for a woman to achieve in that time.

As well as being an utterly gorgeous bag, I love the romantic notion of it representing a historical character. In fact, the two things I most wanted to be growing up were a writer and a detective, so it seems fitting that this were the bag that most appealed to me. I think it has overtaken the Chloe Marcie as my lust-have bag, although actually, it probably has more in common with the Chloe Darla:

Chloe Marcie

Chloe Darla