We caught up with Mischa Barton to discuss her new collection

The actress-turned-designer is back with her latest collection of handbags and we love them! Practical, affordable and on-trend, it’s everything we want. In a hidden corner of London, we stole a few minutes with Mischa to chat bags, style and body-image.

Hi Mischa! We’re loving the new collection of handbags, which one’s your favourite?
Hi! it’s difficult to pick- i love all the bags so much! The satchel styles are probably my favourite though, and the most roomy and useful for everyday.

What kind of things do you always carry around in your bag then?
I am guilty of throwing a lot of things in my purses a lot of like. I carry lip gloss, mascara, eye liner and my iPhone. Oh, and a book usually. My bags are usually big enough to fit my book in.

So what was your inspiration when you were designing them?
I’ll buy a stack of magazines and whatever the runway collections are in the magazines and then take out my favourite pieces of inspiration. Which is everything from vintage bags, I take a lot from Japanese style, I take a lot from brands like Miu Miu and Prada. Some stuff from vintage fairs and things that I own.

Cool and have you got a muse or an ideal person you would like to see with your bag?
It would have to be Kate Middleton because she’s a good, current fashion icon and I like that she’s got class to her and that’s the kind of image I want.

Yeah she always looks so stylish. Do you find that hard when people analyse everything you wear?
I hate that aspect of things. I mean I haven’t been purposefully in the public eye for a long time and I haven’t been going out but paparazzi shots you see of me I’m wandering around LA just living life. I hate the public scrutiny about clothes. I think it’s stupid. If it’s not gonna be positive I think it shouldn’t be there at all because I like clothes at much as the next person. I like risk-taking when it comes to clothes and also just trying different things, whatever makes you feel comfortable.

Do you feel confident when you go out?
Yeah I’ve got a good regime of like working out and a good balanced diet and I’m pretty comfortable with the way it is.

Would you ever consider having plastic surgery?
It’s really not something that, god, I mean you never say never do you but it sounds horrific so I don’t know but who knows maybe when you get older what you’ll want to do.

And what trends and bags do you like now it’s getting into autumn/winter. Although I don’t suppose it’s that cold in LA…
No, it’s still hot to be honest. It’s really hot over there. But I like all kinds of stuff – big chunky scarves, lots of V-neck sweaters, lots of t-shirts and layering stuff, long-sleeved t-shirts.

So what are your favourite brands from the UK then, are there any that you really like?
ASOS and Topshop I would say kind of top the list. I’m a huge ASOS fan and I’m really happy that they carry as much of the line as they do. They’ve upped what they bought for next season which is a big deal because I really do love their stuff I buy it myself.

We love ASOS and Topshop too! Thanks for chatting to us, Mischa.

Head over to Mischa Barton Handbags to check out her new range.

Article via More Magazine.

Mischa appears in the current issue of LADYGUNN magazine with the most in-depth interview we’ve read from her in quite a while. It’s a great read with some beautiful photos.

On what makes Mischa happy:
“I would have to say music. Music and books. My vinyl collection is imperative to my happiness.”

On the last movie that made Mischa cry:
“The last film I cried in was Harry Potter when Dumbledore died. That’s the kind of thing where I get attached to these characters.”

On the kind of people Mischa is drawn to in her personal life:
“Characters. People who are strong and independent. A little off-beat.”

On the projects Mischa is currently working on:
“It’s strange. Everyone keeps asking me about what I’m working on right now. But it’s quite the opposite. It’s about what projects I’m turning down, which identifies me as the actor I want to be. I’m in this funny phase in my career, where it’s super important to not do a project unless I’m super passionate about it. Because what you choose to take is how people are going to view you. It is hard, though. The way you want to go isn’t necessarily the way you get to go as an actor. This industry is run by fear. When you go too long without working, you have people hassling you. The jobs I choose to do will form who I am.”

On Mischa returning to television:
“Yes, for the right role. Although I’m more interested in guest star roles…During The OC, I was so young, it’s really a shame how these adults in my life and the media were able to portray me. So yes, now that I am adult and know who I am, I would return to television for the right role. But I definitely would keep more control on the environment. Television has been good to me, but it’s so overly publicized.

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The full interview is available in the current issue of LADYGUNN. Stockists are available here. Amongst conversation including Mischa’s handbag collection (mischabartonhandbags.com), her thoughts on Kindle, Mischa’s childhood crush, and her life/future in general, Mischa also goes on to talk more extensively about the topics listed above.

Story: Heather Seidler | Photographer: Joshua Spencer
Stylist: Natalie Toren | Hair: Ramsell Martinez | Makeup: Dina Gregg

To celebrate the seventh collection of Mischa Barton Handbags we caught up with the fancy dresser to talk the art of accessories, her plans for a clothing collection and what really happened with Rachel Zoe…

She’s still only 25 but Mischa Barton has lived a lot since we met her as Marissa Cooper in The O.C. There’s been highs and lows but her this season it’s safe to say she’s on the up and so is her handbag line, which is now in its seventh season no less.

With experimental fashion flare, it’s her individual approach to dressing that keeps us hooked on her look so we grilled the girl on how she sees her style and where she’s taking it to next.

What’s your style at the moment?

Recently it’s changed. People have seen me grow up in the public eye and so my style has grown up too. I went through a heavy bohemian phase but I cleared my whole wardrobe about eight months ago, and got rid of everything that was even kind of hippyish or even slightly floaty and paisley. It’s all in storage; I would never get rid of my clothes, a) It may come back, I may want to wear it again and b) I might want to give it to my kids, or friends. Now I’ve gone back to my New York-ey roots and these days I’m wearing streamlined things in mostly black, white and beige with accessories, and gold accents.

Do you work with a stylist?

No. It was well known for a long time that I worked with Rachel Zoe, but I never really ‘employed’ Rachel. It was more that she was a friend at the time – years ago. That’s the only stylist I ever sort-of worked with, she helped me pull clothes for red carpet events but she never dressed me; I was never dressed by anyone on a daily basis. I’ve always bought my own clothes and done my own thing when it comes to fashion, I do all my own wardrobe and I enjoy it! My thing with fashion is I genuinely love it, I love clothing and I love the way it makes you feel and I love design.

Do you follow any rules?

I’m tall so I don’t wear a lot of heels and I have huge respect for tailoring and getting your clothes altered so they fit right.

Click “more” or visit Cosmopolitan UK for the rest of the interview.

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