Marc Jacobs Stam

Marc Jacobs Stam Jessica Stam must be thrilled that the bag Marc Jacobs named after her continues to thrive. The Marc Jacobs Stam is back again, for another season after about four years of being in the spotlight. The Stam has not yet made its way into my handbag collection. Sure, I love the bag, … Read more

Halle Berry Style: Bulgari Ostrich Bag

halle berry bulgari bagBulgari (usually written “BVLGARI” in ancient Roman style) has been setting the pace for over 100 years now on the most elegant and stunning pieces of jewelry. The Italian design house has ventured into the realm of handbags and has done so exquisitely. Halle Berry, who is expecting her first child with model boyfriend Gabriel Aubry, was spotted shopping in LA carrying a Bulgari Bag in olive ostrich. Halle was glowing and looked very happy while she shopped at Minotti, a store famous for their exquisitely-designed sofas and chairs. Her handbag really stands out, which features black patent leather shoulder straps with gold-plated ring detail. The handbag also features two outside pockets on either end. The handbag is elegant and classy, just as Halle Berry is. The price is quite steep, but that is to be expected from the Italian luxury house. $8,050 at Bvlgari (1-800-BVLGARI).

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Purse Blog in Numbers

The Purse Blog in Numbers. 35 months of blogging. 12 writers contributed 2144 posts containing 513,702 words. These posts attracted 14,004 comments, totaling 464,716 words. This month Resident Purse Blogger Meaghan wrote 63 posts with an average of 254 words per post. The conversation rate was 8 comments (254 words) per post. Last Wednesday, the … Read more

Tod’s Pockets D-Bag Piccola

Tod’s Pockets D-Bag Piccola Everything is going to be a tad slower around here for the next two weeks. Vlad and I are currently and finally (officially) moving from Ohio to Florida. The amount of ‘stuff’ that has piled up over the years is disgusting. Really, you should purge your closet, it feels good! The … Read more

Introducing: April in Paris

april in paris
Beatrice, owner of April in Paris

There is something about Paris that changes people. If you have been, you will know what I mean. If you have not, you must go. Beatrice Amblard, the designer behind April in Paris, was only 16 when she visited Paris for the first time, but it was love at first sight. “The smell of the leather, the glue and the wax went right to my nose. I decided right there on the spot that I would become a master artisan in leather.”

And what better place to work with leathers than Hermes in Paris? Beatrice was hired as an apprentice where she learned the art of creating handbags. At Hermes, she worked on the famous Hermes Kelly for 14 years. The craftsmen and women of Hermes are famous in their own right; as they are able to perfect the double stitch and meticulously create leather masterpieces.

Beatrice took all that she learned and opened her own boutique, April in Paris in the San Francisco in 2000. She focuses on classic and contemporary pieces. Being the only Hermes leather artisan to open a store in the US, Beatrice is able to bring something to the table that is lacking in this “it bag of the season” market, timeless elegance. She spends 60 hours a week using centuries-old tools to make wallets, belts, briefcases, and handbags. While her products are not ‘cheap’, they are a fabulous option to Hermes, the brand that is hard to come by and whose prices are going through the roof. It is very evident that Bea has a Hermes background, as her craftsmanship is divine and some of her bags have a feeling of Hermes.

Every piece is made-to-order, so there is a waiting period of 4-6 weeks. Yet this insures that you can choose a design, color, and material, to make a tailored finished product to your liking. Currently, all handbag orders can be placed via phone, 415.750.9910, or you can Beatrice directly at [email protected] . Right now, there is a shopping option for small leather accessories and belts (all to die for also!)

With every big fashion house pushing out trendy bag after trendy bag, we sometimes forget about the delights of smelling the beautiful leather of a new bag and inspecting every fine detail of a well-made bag. Because of this, I find April in Paris to be a refreshing and delightful line, brought to us by a top-notch artisan.
Visit April in Paris online or at her store located at 55 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94118.

Below are 4 of the latest designs by Beatrice:

april in paris celeste alligator bag
1) Celeste, black millennium alligator $6500

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Kirsten Dunst Miu Miu Campaign

kirsten dunst
Miu Miu’s Spring/Summer 2008 ad campaign.

The new Miu Miu Campaign has surfaced with Kirsten Dunst as the face of the campaign. The Miu Miu Spring/Summer 2008 campaign was shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott in Los Angeles back in November. Kirsten is following in the footsteps of Selma Blair, Kim Basinger, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Lindsay Lohan, by being the face of the campaign. The handbags sport fun colors that pop and the photos have a great artistic touch.

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Fendi Selleria Pencil Case

Small accessories make great gifts for the girl who has everything. If your budget will not allow for you to buy a handbag, go for an accessory, because most of us have handbags that can carry tons of accessories. Whether you are in school or just the gal with the agenda that is attached to … Read more