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Casey Reid is not the most emotional of people, and trying to get her to open up about her love for her family is like getting blood from a stone. Casey normally forgets Mother’s Day and other such holidays; but not this year, she took the time to sit down with us here at MSL to open up about her mum and a treasured garment they both share.
Casey and her mum Tracey are unmistakably mother and daughter, in fact they are practically identical; and not just in looks it would seem. The two of them are also united by their innate love for all things Chanel.
The story begins when a 30 year-old Tracey bought a black and gold chain belt. But this wasn’t just any old belt, it was Chanel. It was expensive and it was gorgeous and Tracey felt a huge sense of pride as she sashayed up the Kings Road, cash in hand, to purchase the belt she had worked so hard for.
From the very first moment the delicate leather and gold chained belt graced her slender hips, it was destined to be a long and fabulous relationship for Tracey and Chanel, “(the belt) made all my clothes shine, black and gold have always been my signature colours and I bought a pair of matching boots to go with it”. It wasn’t long before the belt became her favoured go-to accessory to dress up any outfit.
Young and glamorous, these are the memories that are now evoked by the belt that was once a stable item in Tracey’s wardrobe. But fast forward a few years, styles have evolved and Tracey has had three children and although she no longer wears her beloved Chanel belt, it is still there ever present in her wardrobe. But fear not, relegated to a box it is not…
Youngest daughter Casey stumbled across the belt one afternoon while helping her mum sort through storage. Casey couldn’t believe that at the back of her mother’s wardrobe was a piece of fashion history. The second her eye caught the glint of gold and she realised what she had unearthed, it was love at first sight and Casey was sure of one thing, it had to be hers. After several back and forth bickering’s between Casey and her older sister Carlie as to who should inherit the belt, Carlie eventually gave in and Casey won.
It was her first real piece of Chanel and was a welcomed addition to her wardrobe. Reviving the belt as often as possible Casey teams the accessory with all manner of outfits and the item grabs attention, “whenever I wear it people comment on it, I wore it to Selfridges recently and the girls in Chanel there couldn’t believe I had such a beautiful vintage Chanel find”.
The belt sparked an obsession and it wasn’t long before Casey’s Chanel collection was in full swing; shoes, earrings, scarves and a 2.55 chain bag joined the vintage classic. It is a passion that continues to grow, but it’s the belt that once belonged to her mother that holds a special place in her heart, “I will never part with the belt” says Casey “I will have it forever even if it breaks. I might even make it into a few pieces of jewellery and a bag charm one day.”
Casey and Tracey share more than a love for Chanel though, they share a bond that will outlive any material item and much like the belt, with every gold link that runs the length of the soft, time worn leather, is a story intertwined – the story of the love between a mother and her daughter.
Tracey because it’s Mother’s Day and if you can’t say it today when can you say it, Casey wants to thank you, so here she is in her own words…
“I love you to pieces, no one will ever mean more. Thank you for never judging me and for teaching me that if you do it with style you’re bound to go far. Happy Mother’s Day Trace x.” Casey Reid
From left to right Casey, Tracey, Stuart and Carlie
Sophie Maguire
