One of my favorite lines from the movie Working Girl is when Melanie Griffith is telling a very eighties Joan Cusack the cost of the evening dress that she’s wearing, and a shocked Joan says, “It’s not even leather!” I had a similar reaction the first time I encountered a Longchamp Le Pliage purse. I couldn’t believe that something synthetic could cost so much. But a friend talked me into it and I have since been converted. Longchamp purses are light, totally packable and might be the easiest to clean bag ever.

The medium bag weighs mere ounces which is very helpful because you don’t have to add the weight of the actual bag to the weight of all the stuff you put in the bag. Also, it folds to be almost totally flat. I have found this especially convenient when traveling. I need the big, fit all of my junk, purse on the plane but the doesn’t mean I need to schlep that one around in my destination. So, I pack the Longchamp (which takes up almost no room) and pull it out when we arrive. Lovely.

Also, because of the material, Longchamp bags are virtually waterproof and a cinch to clean. When I bought mine, the cashier told me she uses the large size as a baby bag because not only is it super stylish, but it is so easy to wipe out if anything is spilled.

Longchamp is a French company that also has a beautiful line of leather bags, but the one I have and the one I see most often is the Le Pliage style. It comes in several styles and multiple colors. It is made of synthetic material and has cowhide leather trim. My one complaint would be that it only has one small pocket inside, but that just gives me an excuse to buy a cute little zipper pouch to put all my chapstick in.

Any other Longchamp lovers out there?