Tina Craig, the founder of Bag Snob— created around her coveted bag collection, complemented by a notable social media presence and a chic website—travels around the world to attend fashion shows, art fairs, beauty and lifestyle events, and more. But she always returns home to Dallas, where her knowledge of the hottest spots for culture, art, culinary experiences, and shopping, are unparalleled. If you aren’t following her on instagram (@bagsnob), take a moment right now to change that. Her stories are a mix of fashion, skincare, travel, and fun, that will have you buying a jade roller ASAP.
Whitewaller caught up with Craig this winter after her return from New York Fashion Week. Busy as ever, she chatted with us about her very first handbag, her love of Alex Katz, and what she’ll be doing around the Dallas Art Fair this spring.
Courtesy of Tina Craig.
WHITEWALLER: You founded Bag Snob in 2005. What is the biggest way it has evolved since?
TINA CRAIG: I think the social conversation is the most important evolution of Bag Snob since its inception.
Ian DavenportCobalt Blue (After Monet), 2017
Acrylic on aluminum
64 1/8 x 52 1/8 inches, 162.7 x 132.4 cm
Courtesy the artist and Paul Kasmin Gallery
WW: Beauty is also a big part of your brand. Has it always been?
TC: Yes, beauty has always been an integral part of the site. I think it’s more relatable than, let’s say, a $3,000 handbag.
Courtesy of Dallas Art Fair.
WW: What was the first handbag you bought that sparked your collection?
TC: The first handbag I bought myself was a Prada Nylon backpack in college. I carried my books in my hands; my backpack held my wallet and makeup bag. I didn’t want my books to destroy the shape of it. I was obsessed with Prada bags!
Laura Owens, Untitled, 2013.Acrylic, oil, and resin on linen.
Collection of Meir and Katya Teper.
Courtesy of Laura Owens and the Dallas Museum of Art.
WW: What are some of your favorite art events around the calendar year, and the globe?
TC: TWO x TWO is my all-time favorite gala and art event in Dallas. Cindy and Howard Rachofsky know how to throw a fabulously fun party while bringing awareness to its cause. I also enjoy Art Basel in Miami Beach and Hong Kong.
WW: Would you consider yourself a collector?
TC: I collect bags. They’re my art. My husband is the art collector. He loves the Old Masters—Picasso, Renoir, et cetera.
WW: Whose work are you drawn to?
TC: My dream is to own a life-size Alex Katz. I’m drawn to his highly stylized yet flat, bright figures.
WW: What are you looking forward to most this year during Dallas Art Week?
TC: My many international friends who fly in for the week! Also, it’s very exciting to see how it’s grown in the past 10 years.
WW: What do you enjoy most about Dallas?
TC: The people here are the warmest and most inviting I’ve ever met.
