February 2012 - Page 2

The Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM is simply lovely

Feb 24, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

The disdain that some people have for monogrammed handbags has grown exponentially over the years. Classic monogram patterns are some of the most sought-after and worn designs ever, but although everyone knows the Louis Vuitton monogram, for example, not everyone likes it. I don’t find it as abhorrent as others do, and seeing Louis Vuitton find ways to implement it on their bags without it being quite so in-your-face delights me.

I was browsing in the Louis Vuitton SoHo store earlier this week and found myself drawn to the Monogram Empreinte line. Luscious leather is embossed with the classic LV design which gives a touch of brand familiarity while remaining sophisticated. The bag I couldn’t stop coveting and keep returning to is the Louis Vuitton Lumineuse PM.

Fashion Week Handbags: Gucci Fall 2012

Feb 24, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Images via Vogue.com

For a dedicated lover of black (on black on black) like me, a collection like Gucci Fall 2012 is incredibly difficult to resist. Even though I tend to buy colorful bags to pair with my dark wardrobe, black will always be my first and only true love, and a good black accessory deserves its own place in the wardrobe of every woman. If you’re in the market for a new black bag, suffice it to say that Gucci will have some options for you come fall.

If your budget is particularly…creative, take special notice of the beautiful black crocodile bags that a few models were carrying. Want the full set? Check out the matching black croc riding boots over at TalkShoes.

Tibi Fall 2012

Feb 23, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

I so desperately want Tibi to start designing bags so I can talk about them non-stop on PurseBlog. This is one of my favorite brands whose designs are a complete match with my personal style. It only helps me love them more that they have a truly wonderful creative director, Amy Smilovic, who loves what she does and understands her customer.

Tibi’s Fall 2012 collection can be described as a continuation from Spring 12, as menswear-inspired womenswear paired sporty with feminine. From a bird-printed pants and tops to liquid leather-like skirt, the simplicity and beauty of the designs stood out. Layers and textures graced the runway as a nod to both the 90’s and the 60’s was felt.

Tibi is not known for overly intricate details, but this is the reason I love the brand so much. Its fall line, much like its spring line, is about simplicity and wearability. The Tibi girl is the perfect mix of casual and classy, she loves wearing pants but refuses to be under-dressed and she relies on comfort but does not neglect style. To be honest, the Tibi girl is me.

Fashion Week Handbags: Burberry Prorsum Fall 2012

Feb 23, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Images via Vogue.com

In two ways, I always dread the Burberry show at London Fashion Week. First, because I know that Christopher Bailey’s beautiful ready-to-wear, and his outerwear in particular (THOSE COATS.), will threaten to drain my bank account all over again with one swift poke the the pleasure center in my brain, which apparently really likes wool. Second, because I know I’m probably going to have to write something unkind about the handbags. Both fortunately and unfortunately, Burberry Prorsum Fall 2012 did not break from that pattern.

The collection was yet another that made plenty of references to the Downton Abbey era, which is particularly appropriate for a brand that’s so utterly steeped in British heritage, both by its own marketing and by actual history. You would think, then, that we’d be in for an accessories feast of lovely whiskey-colored leather satchels and smart, ladylike handbags with lots of structure. Instead, we got big striped and quilted totes with limited personality and clutches with animal-head door-knockers on them. The few satchels in play were the highlight of the handbags, but even they seemed a little bit unwieldy in proportion to be carried. You’ll notice in the photos, though, that many of the models are carrying their bags while wearing stunning gloves made of colorful python or studded black leather. Why didn’t we see any of those ideas carried into the bags? It would have made for a much stronger collection.

Kim Kardashian used an Hermes Birkin as a beach bag

Feb 23, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Image via PopSugar

Something tells me that you guys will have plenty to say about this photo, so I won’t say much. A few days ago, reality star and attention-seeker extraordinaire Kim Kardashian hung out on the beach in Miami with her bestie Jonathan Cheban, and what did she use to tote her beach essentials? Why, a black leather Hermes Birkin, of course. Birkin as beach bag? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

Want it Wednesday: La Prairie, Alice + Olivia, Lanvin

Feb 22, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

While all of us on the PurseBlog team love handbags, we also find ourselves constantly coveting a plethora of other items. We discuss a wide range of topics at the PurseBlog offices, from real estate to fur coats, and this week I can not stop staring at these three products in particular.

Beautiful skin, the perfect body-hugging dress, and a funky notebook are the items I find myself drawn to. From the highly decadent La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Set to an ivory Alice + Olivia Victoria Peplum Dress to a quirky Lanvin notebook, these are three things I want this Wednesday.

PurseBlog Asks: Which Proenza Schouler print do you like?

Feb 22, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

I have absolutely positively no qualms in declaring my never-ending love for Proenza Schouler. The schoolgirl bags with their downtown vibe have yet to lose traction in the accessory world. With new materials, patterns and colors constantly being released on the many versions of the beloved PS1, there an option for everyone.

I rounded up four new Proenza Schouler bags that feature different prints and materials to see which one you’d like the best.

[poll id=”86″]

Behind The Scenes at Oscar de la Renta Fall 2012

Nov 25, 2014Feb 21, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Every fashion week the biggest highlight for me is entering the world of a designer whose aesthetic is so composed, his collections always so utterly beautiful I have a hard time leaving at the end of the show. I am speaking of Oscar de la Renta, a man that is a permanent fixture of both … Read more

Fashion Week Handbags: Mulberry Fall 2012

Feb 21, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Images via Vogue.com

Unfortunate Lana Del Rey bag aside, Mulberry sent what seemed like dozens of fun, mostly awesome handbags down its runway for Mulberry Fall 2012 over the weekend in London. Not everything worked perfectly (I’m looking at you, trompe l’oeil flaps and buckles), but there were so many options available that it seems as though everyone should be able to find a covetable piece within this collection.

My vote goes to the bright orange (Pantone was right!) calf hair Alexa, but perhaps you’re more in the mood for a Mulberry buckle turned slyly into a turtle? A smart boucle shoulder bag? A leather satchel with a fur gusset? Enamel studding of both the tonal and non-tonal variety? Whatever you want, Mulberry has it, and most of it is pretty damn lust-worthy. When a collection features this many different ideas, that’s saying something.

Mulberry goes all in on Lana Del Rey with the Del Rey Bag

May 16, 2012Feb 21, 2012 by Amanda Mull

We discussed one Miss Lana Del Rey over at Bag That Style recently, but the advent of the Mulberry Del Rey Bag during London Fashion Week and Del Rey’s front row seating at the handbag powerhouse’s show over the weekend give us renewed opportunity for me to air my secret shame. (And of course, for us to discuss the bag and its particulars.)

If you follow pop culture or spend too much time on the Internet, you’re probably aware of how shameful it is to enjoy Lana Del Rey and her various crass marketing schemes. Listen to her album; it is truly stupid. Sadly, I know that because I listen to it. A lot. I just make sure that no one sees it pop up on my phone’s screen when I’m listening to it in public; I’m not sure if I could take the embarrassment. Similarly, I’m not sure if I could bring myself to plunk down $1250+ on a handbag that bares Del Rey’s name unless it was absolutely gorgeous, gorgeous enough to eclipse the Del Rey Shame, and this one isn’t. (Don’t worry, we have more pictures after the jump.)

Alice Dellal’s Boy Chanel handbag video makes its debut

Feb 17, 2012Feb 17, 2012 by Amanda Mull

I’m normally a fan of all the products of Karl Lagerfeld’s acute insanity, but I’m not sure how I feel about My New Friend “Boy”, the new short film (read: commercial) that Lagerfeld directed, starring Alice Dellal (little sister of Charlotte Olympia designer Charlotte Dellal) and Chanel‘s new Boy Chanel bag line. Does Instagram have … Read more

Fashion Week Handbags: Proenza Schouler Fall 2012

Feb 17, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Images via Vogue.com

If you only look at one set of detail shots from New York Fashion Week, make it Proenza Schouler’s. Not even for the bags, necessarily; most of these pieces will come to retail in a very limited way, with the well-known PS1s and PS11s dominating the Proenza handbag landscape. No, look at these photos for the closeup of what’s around them – the cuff details, the immaculate and inventive weaving, the tiny touches added that make a garment so special – and you’ll see why so many people lose their breath praising the brand.

The story of Proenza Schouler’s brilliance has always been in the closeup for me, and these clear, crisp shots from Vogue explain why. These are garments unlike ones that you’ll find at a mid-range chain in a few months because Proenza does things that are genuinely difficult to produce and expensive to design, even in the capacity of a Zara knockoff. The bags are fun too, don’t get me wrong, but they don’t tell the entire story.