Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/715599
photography by seth olenick clockwise from above left: With the perfect blend of portability, storage, and style, the black leather clutch from Haist's new collection is sure to grace the gala circuit this fall; Haist's logo is imprinted on all of its bags, which feature hand- crafted design elements. Haist Handbags prove tHey're wortHy of tHe Hype. By Samantha Grant ClutCh Play There's no doubt it: Anne Gill is a handbag girl. "I would always style my outfits around the bag I wanted to carry," she says, a habit she formed as a child growing up in the UK. She's even more of a handbag girl now as the founder and designer of Haist Designs, which debuts a collection of structured, high-end clutches and satchels this fall. "A handbag tells a story about the person who carries it," says Gill, 42. Her own story includes falling in love with fashion on the streets of London. "I was obsessed with London street style, and how people used fashion as their truest expression," she says. Hockey rinks would later have her travelling all over the States—she's married to former NHL payer Hal Gill, a Boston native— and eventually settling in the Boston area. When it came time to create her own collec- tion, Gill looked to her own life for inspiration. As a woman-on-the-go, she focused on simple lines, practical function- ality, and an urban-chic aesthetic. That she'd use super high quality leather—natural grained US leather, sourced in New York—she consid- ered a given. Gill's clutches are just spacious enough for a wallet and phone, perfect for an easy-to-carry compan- ion for nighttime revelry, while roomier totes are on-point for daytime business. From day to night to the hockey rink—and beyond! haistdesigns.com . 78 bostoncommon-magazine.com Style embellish