There are a lot of reasons that I’m a person who writes about handbags instead of a person who designs them, but one of the big ones is that when I think about a bag like the Alexander McQueen Skull Clutch, I have no idea how I’d move forward with it. Skull clutches have been done in basically every color, finish, embellishment and theme of which I can conceive, and it seems like we should have hit some sort of back corner of creativity by now.

And yet, we haven’t. The team at McQueen continues to churn out both amazing clothes and beautiful accessories at a rate that would surely satisfy the man himself, were he around to supervise. Spring 2012 brings with it an impressive array of box clutches from the brand, and we have a few of our favorites for your perusal after the jump.

Alexander McQueen Pearl Encrusted Skull Clutch, $8295 via Neiman Marcus

Alexander McQueen Woven Cord Box Clutch, $2075 via Neiman Marcus

Alexander McQueen Crystal Britannia Skull Clutch, $2645 via Neiman Marcus

Alexander McQueen Embroidered Satin Knuckle Skull Clutch, $2795 via Neiman Marcus

The first Monday back from a holiday weekend is so, so cruel. It’s like a little reminder of the immutability of life; no matter what we do, the calendar marches on while we cling to our leftover turkey legs and half-eaten pumpkin pies, trying to extend the avarice a bit longer. It’s Monday now, though, which means that it’s time for gluttony of a different kind. A handbag kind.

To make your return to real life as soft and comfortable as possible, we’ve assembled a gallery of the Alexander McQueen Spring 2012 Skull Clutches, which are always so much fun to look at. They don’t taste like stuffing, admittedly, but you probably don’t need another helping of that anyway. (Seriously, though, pass me that pie. I’ll eat it for breakfast.)

We’re readying a much more extensive guide to sparkly little bags for the holiday season, but while that’s in the pipeline, I couldn’t help but post about the Alexander McQueen Punk Skull Box Clutch – after all, it really deserves to stand on its own. Feathers and rhinestones and beads, oh my!

With the bag, McQueen manages again to do what it always does so well – successfully combine multiple heavy design elements in a way that doesn’t feel overwrought or silly. The company makes that kind of light touch look easy, but it’s not – just as whoever’s behind Christian Louboutin’s handbags. A clutch like this one is to be celebrated as something of an accomplishment.

As best as I can tell, that success comes out of the brand, even after the loss of its founder, having a very clear and unified vision instead of just a lot of ideas. When everyone involved in the design process has bought in to a single aesthetic ideal, it becomes easier to work toward fulfilling it everywhere, not just on the runway. The embellishment on this clutch would look right at home trimming the edges of a McQueen collection dress, and although the feathers might make this bag a little awkward to hold at times, I think that the attention to detail is worth it. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2720.

Longtime PurseBlog readers already know how I feel about Alexander McQueen‘s skull clutches. They’re easily my favorite line of evening bags ever, and the legacy of McQueen as a brand always manages to shine through in their design, even though a box clutch is an exceptionally tiny canvas. If I had unlimited income, I’d collect these bags, and I can’t say that about any other brand on the market right now.

Without question, the Alexander McQueen Cathedral Skull Box Clutch would be the crown jewel of that collection. If I were to carry it, the bag would serve as a tiny gilded cage for my belongings, but let’s face it – this is the kind of bag that I’d want to display instead of use.

I’ve has this bag in one of my browser tabs since it first appeared on Net-a-Porter on Friday, and I keep returning to stare at it, particularly with the site’s ultrazoom feature. The details of the clutch are absolutely exquisite, and they live up to the “cathedral” name – this is like a tiny purse church, and I’m here to worship. The only damper on my enthusiasm is that the bag is made of silver-toned brass instead of sterling silver, which we’ve seen Bottega Veneta use in the occasional box clutch. Even with that in mind, this little evening bag is pretty close to perfection Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2960.

When I opened up Net-A-Porter.com today, I got that same feeling of joy upon seeing another pretty blue bag. But this is not a Celine bag, it is an Alexander McQueen bag. To further my love, the Alexander McQueen Cites Chanter Hobo Bag is designed with supple matte python skin which is my favorite way to see the skin used. DROOL.

Unlike many Alexander McQueen bags, this hobo is rather subdued in its design, offering a very classic over the shoulder shape. The inside looks spacious enough for everyday use and the shoulder strap has a 9″ drop. Honestly, if the price were lower, I would have to keep my fingers from magically typing in my delivery information. Buy via Net-A-Porter for $4,645.

You all know that I’m an Alexander McQueen fangirl, but I love the entire line just as much as I love the company’s accessories. I’m particularly fond of the artistic direction that McQueen’s ads have taken since his company changed hands following his tragic passing, and the Fall 2011 ad campaign is yet another reassurance that Sarah Burton was the right choice to lead the brand. The ball gown above is just as astonishing in photography as it was in the fall runway show, which means that it’s the object of my lust for this week’s Want It Wednesday. Two more campaign images after the jump.

Designers seem to be trying to make velvet happen once again for fall, and despite being a child of the 90s and an unashamed fan of the era’s grungy, highly questionable fashion, I’ve been slow to warm to the almost-trend. I remember having velvet T-shirts and dresses too vividly in elementary school for velvet to be an automatic winner in my mind as an adult.

But I’m a McQueen fangirl of the highest order, which means that I’m willing to consider basically anything the brand designs with an open mind. As a result, I might kind of totally love the Alexander McQueen Wicca Velvet-Covered Leather Shoulder Bag. If only I understood exactly what “velvet-covered leather” means.

I’ve been at the whole handbag thing for a few years now, and in that time, I’ve seen almost every leather fabrication that you can think of. I’ve never heard leather be described as velvet-covered, though, and I have a few follow-up questions. Is the velvet somehow applied to the leather, or is it just a leather bag with a panels of velvet over it? Based on the pictures, it seems to be the latter, but I’d love it if someone could figure out how to make the former happen.

Either way, this bag appeals to me a great deal. The velvet is matte and lush, and thankfully it’s not the tacky crushed velvet that some brands have used (hopefully ironically). And you really can’t argue with this explosive shade of pink – heavily textured materials like velvet and suede tend to take rich color better than leather, and the end result is eye-popping. You win again, McQueen. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1365.

That would be the summer-to-fall transition, not the spring-to-summer transition that we’re all experiencing right now. Is all this talk about heading into fall driving anyone else crazy? Even though I’m the one doing most of it in these parts, it’s about to shove me right off the deep end, so I know that some of you have probably noticed. Fall seems like a distant dream with temperatures rising and the unofficial start of summer just passing mere days ago, but fashion waits for no woman, and Pre-Fall and Fall 2011 are everywhere.

The Alexander McQueen Calf Hair Crossbody might not ship until early September, but at the very least, it’s the sort of piece that you can wear immediately upon arrival instead of waiting for the weather to turn genuinely cold. That might be of little comfort, but summer in the fashion industry is deathly slow, and we have to talk about something. So fall it is!

Obviously, the best part of this bag is the fiery orange-red color. The color is seasonless and bold, and the gold hardware brings out some of the dept that would otherwise be lost. The haircalf texture also adds depth, and the result is a color so rich and attention-getting that I absolutely must have something in this shade in my wardrobe. I also wouldn’t be opposed to finding a nail polish in this color, and if my bank account is looking healthy when this little bag comes out, I might just add it to my closet as well. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $2345.

With the vast majority of handbags, I tire of a design almost immediately. So many beautiful options abound that I find myself in a constant state of “on to the next one,” and brands that rely largely on seasons-old products with only cursory changes from collection to collection grate on my nerves something fierce. (I’m looking at you, Chloe.) If a brand is going to charge four figures for its bags, I want something legitimately new.

But for some reason, I never get sick of the Alexander McQueen Skull Box Clutches. Part of that is because many of the new versions are wildly creative and do a great deal with the limited visual real estate of a box clutch, but that doesn’t tell the whole story; I love the plain leather versions too, even though I’ve been seeing them season after season for years. For me, these clutches are as close as it gets to a perfect product. Let us know which bags keep tickling your fancy, season after season, in the comments.

The Alexander McQueen Iris Skull Clutch is one of those bags that needs to be seen in the largest photo possible at all times; at a distance, you might mistake the detailed embroidery for printed fabric, and that would be a tragedy indeed. A bag like this can look like a hippie craft project without a very careful hand, but Alexander McQueen Spring 2011 took flowers and butterflies and someone manages to make them look beautifully transgressive. The juxtaposition of a skull with delicate flowers is something that only McQueen can pull off in a high-end way.

I’m surprised at myself for saying this, but I’m quite glad that the accessories designers at McQueen chose to use big, chunky embroidery instead of fine thread that would have created a more literal look for the flowers and leaves. The finished look has a note of craftiness to it that somehow manages to be endearing instead of off-putting, and that’s coming from someone who generally does not enjoy the arts-and-crafts look.

Not only does this clutch provide a unique evening look, but it connects very well to Sarah Burton’s first runway collection for McQueen, a vibrant, vital line of clothing that had fashion collectively breathing a sigh of relief over the future of the brand following its founder’s 2010 death. This clutch is not only an interesting extension of the company’s uber-successful box evening bags, but also a further indication that the brand we all know and love continues to be in very talented hands. Buy through Matches UK for $1912.