In The Land of Muses, Agnes Baddoo

I met Agnes through her creativity. It began like a lot of friendships do these days, as I was scrolling through my Instagram timeline. I spotted this bag on a mutual friend’s page — its elegant classic style just stood out, and I could tell the materials used were top notch. I could just feel that the bag was made with care, and love, and pride.

It was enough to take another step; to do a double-take. This bag was worthy of a second glance. (I think we can all admit that anything that makes you veer off your timeline and click on the tag leading to a stranger’s page is akin to a stolen glance from across the room, one that catches your attention — and keeps it.)

And that’s what seeing Agnes’ creation did for me. It captured my attention, and this was the first step in getting to know her.

On her page, I glimpsed more of these stunning bags, all different sizes of the same design. I appreciated Agnes even more for confidently owning her signature design, allowing their different colors to invite everyone with taste to the party. I started out by liking some of her posts — not too many, because I didn’t want to appear to be obsessed… but I was.

Making this accidental meeting even more significant was the fact that this all conspired at a time in my life when I had vowed to myself to take a fast from consuming. I think we all have those days, weeks, or months when we decide to slow down, becoming “celibate” for as long as we can. (Plus I had just “hooked up” with a very expensive Balenciaga tote bag that I was loving… but I never forgot about that bag by Agnes, which I now know is lovingly called a “Sac.”)

I committed to following Agnes because, at around twelve photos in, I realized she was a Black woman. A local woman from LA. Stylish. Oh, and I loved her dress, and her hat, and the jewelry she was wearing. It all felt intentional and purposeful. That’s when I began having an Instagram crush on Agnes. That sparked our IG friendship. In an era when a haphazard glance at an IG feed can lead to a shared DM, we began liking each other’s pictures — especially the ones that revealed more of our respective styles and aesthetics, eventually evolving to commenting on shared politics and the discovery of mutual friends.

When I finally met her, it was her quiet, engaged confidence that solidified her as one of my Muses. Our in-person meeting happened three years later, right before the pandemic. It took place at an event held at The Wing, where she came to hear me in conversation with another mutual friend and author, Lalah Delia (@Lalahdelia).

And there she was, regal in the room, and bearing a gift. She was a woman of class, reminding me in that moment, that connecting itself was a gift. Finding like-minded people on the journey of life is a momentous occasion that is worthy of a thoughtful keepsake to remember each other. Meeting your future inspiration is worth an acknowledgment. In our case, it was a handmade leather journal from her own thoughtful line.