BERGENBAGS:
Candice Bergen Paints
Kelli Conway • 04/03/2017
Sure, we all know Candice Bergen from her infamous portrayal of television journalist Murphy Brown, but these days you are more likely to find Bergen in an art studio than a newsroom. Enter, Bergenbags—
l
uxury handbags featuring customized and personalized works of art, hand painted by Bergen herself.
Created by happenstance, Bergenbags quickly became a must-have for those in the fashion-know, and w
e recently caught up with actor-turned-artist on her new endeavor...
l
uxury handbags featuring customized and personalized works of art, hand painted by Bergen herself.
Created by happenstance, Bergenbags quickly became a must-have for those in the fashion-know, and w
e recently caught up with actor-turned-artist on her new endeavor...
Have you been an artist your entire life? At what age did you start, or when did painting begin to capture your attention?
I do not presume to call myself an "artist." I used to do cartoony kind of drawings (off and on, and was pretty good at it), but rarely painted—just the odd watercolor kind of thing.
I do not presume to call myself an "artist." I used to do cartoony kind of drawings (off and on, and was pretty good at it), but rarely painted—just the odd watercolor kind of thing.
What inspired the Bergenbags idea?
I started painting bags because my daughter, Chloe Malle, came over and saw that I'd bought a bunch of Paint Pens (which paint on any surface). She asked if I would decorate her Louis Vuitton tote bag, which I did with initials and bunnies hopping around in grass and flowers. She Instagrammed it, and people responded that they’d like one. That is how it started. The Paint Pens smudged, so I switched to acrylic.
I started painting bags because my daughter, Chloe Malle, came over and saw that I'd bought a bunch of Paint Pens (which paint on any surface). She asked if I would decorate her Louis Vuitton tote bag, which I did with initials and bunnies hopping around in grass and flowers. She Instagrammed it, and people responded that they’d like one. That is how it started. The Paint Pens smudged, so I switched to acrylic.
What is the craziest request you’ve received, either to paint or to paint on?
I painted a Clydesdale horse on a big Goyard for one woman, and another woman asked for a hummingbird on a wallet. I've painted tacos and cheeseburgers and fried eggs and
radishes and carrots. I also painted a pair of shoes—one shoe had a blonde woman in a bikini looking at the other shoe which had a woman in a burkini, which is the Muslim swim costume.
I painted a Clydesdale horse on a big Goyard for one woman, and another woman asked for a hummingbird on a wallet. I've painted tacos and cheeseburgers and fried eggs and
radishes and carrots. I also painted a pair of shoes—one shoe had a blonde woman in a bikini looking at the other shoe which had a woman in a burkini, which is the Muslim swim costume.
What are the best bags to use (type, material, structure, and brand) and what bags are not ideal to use?
I've probably done about 60 or 70 bags by now (after starting last summer), and I love doing it. I put oldies on the radio and paint for hours. The best materials to paint on are the waxed canvas used by Louis Vuitton and Goyard. But any fairly smooth surface works. Raw canvas does not. So, no canvas totes.
I've probably done about 60 or 70 bags by now (after starting last summer), and I love doing it. I put oldies on the radio and paint for hours. The best materials to paint on are the waxed canvas used by Louis Vuitton and Goyard. But any fairly smooth surface works. Raw canvas does not. So, no canvas totes.
Do you have a Bergenbag of your own?
I do not have a Bergenbag of my own. That seems pushy.
I do not have a Bergenbag of my own. That seems pushy.
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Want your very own Berganbag? Grab a classic Louis Vuitton, Goyard, or the like (we picked some options for you below) and email [email protected] with your creative wishes...
