Balenciaga Handbags

If you were to ask me what one of the most coveted and famous handbag was I would tell you the Balenciaga City. Of course there are others, but from Balenciaga the black city is a classic. Of course Balenciaga is known for their colorful array of dyed leathers, but black is time-honored. Balenciaga was one of the first brands to start the huge craze in the handbag world. The Fendi’s and Gucci’s preceded, but the Balenciaga craze was entirely new. People scouring the world for the best color, the right seasons leather, and the perfect combination. Celebrities went into a B-Bag wearing frenzy as well, only making the buzz surrounding the brand grow more. And when it comes down to it, the house favorite size, shape, and color is perfectly combined on the Balenciaga City in black leather. Buy through Balenciaga for $1395.

And luck you! We have teamed up with Ideeli for our January giveaway. All you have to do is sign up at Ideeli and you will be entered for a chance to win a fabulous City. Contest runs until February 5th, 2009. Also, if you are already registered at Ideeli we will be providing a new link later today for you to use and sign up as well.

My love of Balenciaga continues to grow and I often find myself wondering why is it that I literally do not own one Balenciaga bag? I know, it is some sort of travesty that I do not own a Balenciaga bag. My collection is vast and covers many designers, but for an amount of time I could not see the craze behind the bags. When the giant hardware was added, Balenciaga got me right in the heart. As a self-proclaimed clutch lover, the Balenciaga Arena Giant Envelope is a stunning funky and edgy clutch. Designed with the signature lambskin, the wrinkled flap front with a magnetic closure offers a fun take on a fold over clutch. There is a zipper pocket and silver-toned hardware. I love this clutch and if I could figure out exactly what color to buy, I would (of course if in my small allotted bag budget for the year). Measurements are 7″ x 12″ x 1.75″. Buy through Barneys for $995.

I have a little secret that I most likely share with many of you… I am a reality TV lover. I don’t need the lectures because I agree. Many of the shows are scripted, watching the shows actually kill brain cells, the ‘drama’ is ridiculous, but I tune in every week to catch up. I speak about The Hills ’stars’ as if they are my friends. Like, they totally know me and I totally know them. And much to my drama loving dismay, I spotted something rotten in the state of LA and the hierarchy of dating. The lovely Amanda Bynes spent her night out on the town toting her Balenciaga City bag and a new fling.

Find out who after the jump!

Balenciaga Giant City in Charcoal Grey

Over the weekend Vlad and I made the journey up the state of Florida to Tallahassee, home of Florida State University, where my brother goes to school. It was family weekend, and we went up to visit him and go to a Florida State game. If you know me, Vlad, or my family, you will know that we are rather obsessed with college football. This was my first FSU game and we had a great time, who wouldn’t? Even better is FSU won. I did not own a FSU tee-shirt and had to head to the school store to FSU myself, Vlad, and my mom out. We got shirts and finally fit in with the rest of the school population. What worked out perfectly is that I took my Rebecca Minkoff Wine Nikki and my mom had her Linea Pelle Dylan Croco Shoulder bag in yellow. Perfect bags that showed off garnet and gold and we didn’t even plan it.

When I went to Ohio State I had a hard time finding the perfect red bag to wear to the games. Red bags are not always my cup of tea as far as the color goes, too bright, too dark, not enough oomph. So why not skip over the red and carry a grey bag to an Ohio State game (colors are indeed Scarlett and grey). I figured out the perfect college football game day bag, the Balenciaga Giant City in charcoal grey. This is the precise bag I would buy from Balenciaga, and next week while in NYC, we will most likely raid the Balenciaga NYC store. This Balenciaga bag is designed with soft vintage lambskin and accented with large palladium plated metal hardware. I have been a fan of the oversized hardware from its inception, so here it is, the ideal college football game bag. It is young, hip, funky, stylish, and comes in a plethora of colors that can suit your college team needs. Of course it would work for NFL, MBA, NHL, NBA, etc. And even if your school looses, a la Ohio State vs Penn State this past weekend, at least you will be cheering and feeling lousy over the loss in style. Buy through Balenciaga online for $1595.

Balenciaga City

There is this huge worldwide Balenciaga craze, and somehow I have never been part of it. It is not that I do not like Balenciaga bags, actually I like them quite much. I would go on to say I adore them even, as they are just my style. Is there a particular reason why I do not own one yet? I suppose the last few times we have been in NYC we had on our list to take a trip to Balenciaga, and we just never made it.

But our next trip to New York City will surely have a stop at Balenciaga and I will leave with a new BBag. Which one is not the question. Which color is the question. The color variety that Balenciaga churns out is so massive, so unbelievable, that it makes my super huge Crayola box look skimpy.

For one of the iconic Balenciaga styles, the soft vintage crafted lambskin looks sultry and stunning in black cherry on the Balenciaga City. The City is one of the most well-known designs from Balenciaga, and this color, well, I DIE! Love it. The deep black cherry is accompanied with aged brass hardware. The signature Balenciaga signs are evident; hand stitched handles, leather strings on zips, and leather framed hand mirror. Dimensions are 15” x 9.8” x 3.9”. Once I jump into Balenciaga, or even before my NYC trip, I know I will be coming to you all for suggestions! Buy the City through Balenciaga online for $1,295.

Balenciaga Giant Part Time

When Balenciaga introduced giant hardware on their already hit handbags, the accessory world was split. I specifically remember many not being fond of the large chunky hardware. The thing is, I always loved it, it fit my style perfectly. One of many top handle purses from the house, the Balenciaga Giant Part Time implements soft vintage crafted lambskin to give the perfect supple slouch that Balenciaga has become known for. The funny thing is, I am in no way a Balenciaga expert. You know who is? A huge group of BBag lovers on Purse Forum! This group can know the difference between a BBag because of the leather (some seasons has softer leather that people yearn to hunt down), color, and hardware. I just look and know what it is that I like. The Giant Part Time in pink bubblegum is a perfect mix of feminine colors with gold plated oversized metal hardware. There is a removable shoulder strap which helps with ease of carrying. Dimensions are 16.5” x 5.9” x 9.1”. There are quite a few colors offered, but the girly side of me has always loved Balenciaga Pink Bubblegum. Buy through Balenciaga online for $1,645.

Balenciaga Giant City

They say when away the mice will play. That was quite true during my last trip; as I traveled around Spain, Vlad broke into my closet and attempted to photograph my entire bag collection. He got most pieces, but did not find them all . One thing quite a few of you noticed is my lack of a Balenciaga bag. Truth be told, I do not have one stashed anywhere, I simply do not have one. I do not have a BBag because I have spent years literally racking my brain trying to figure out which color on which style I want. Bubblegum has always looked delicious or what about the baby blue all the celebs carry. So many choices. On our next trip to NYC I plan on purchasing my first Balenciaga bag. Typically it is nearly impossible to find BBags online, but not anymore. Balenciaga has opened up their website to online shopping for the US only! This means more learning about their bags and being able to indulge online, which I am all for. And Balenciaga does not do anything small, as they have designed an exclusive online, the Balenciaga Giant City with Coquelicot Japonais print. I fell for the Balenciaga Giant Seau bag with the floral print when I first saw it, and now this exclusive has my heart. The colors are perfect for fall and winter! There is lambskin offsetting the printed textile and palladium plated metal hardware. Enjoy what Balenciaga has done, opening up online sales through their site! Buy this bag exclusively through Balenciaga online for $1595.

After bringing you stunning pictures of the Balenciaga Crocodile Work Bag, I had to find out more information about Balenciaga crocodile bags. It seems Balenciaga does dabble in the art of exotics every now and again, and when they do the skins are stunning and the colors pop. From the Fall 07 collection, the Balenciaga Crocodile Weekender in yellow was released and it is quite the show stopper. The weekender is just as large as its name suggests, and this yellow crocodile version will be sure to capture every eye on your weekend getaways. If you are in the market for a crocodile B-bag, you can speak to the boutique as they are all custom made. Balenciaga is known for their wide array of beautiful colors, so imagine picking another bright bold color and placing it on a crocodile bag. The price will surely capture your attention, at $22,500.

I called Balenciaga America Inc, and experienced amazing help from the people on the other end of the phone. A special thank you to Anette for going out of her way to find out more on this bag for me. If you are interested, call the Balenciaga NYC store, +1 212 206 0872, or inquire about other Balenciaga items from Balenciaga America Inc., +1 212 279 4440.

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When most of us think of Balenciaga Bags, we think of the B-bag craze surrounding the leathers, colors, and celebrity following. Little do many know that Balenciaga does make exotic bags for our enjoyment. A member of our forum, Purse-Oooh, was lucky enough to snag a Balenciaga Crocodile Work Bag which sports a black crocodile body on the coveted Balenciaga Work’s style. Price is around $18,000, which is very steep but great for those that are die-hard Balenciaga fans.

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A hot spring trend is floral prints. Being able to implement the beauty and flourishing growth of spring in our wardrobes and accessories brightens our look and our day. Balenciaga, who is known for their slouchy handbags made with naturally distressed goat leather, has ventured into the floral realm for one of their Spring 2008 handbags. The Balenciaga Giant Seau Bag features the Fleur Fluo print which gives the handbag a unique and chic appeal. The large and bright floral pattern is eye catching and is set off with white leather, a perfect combination. I love the shape of this bag, like a bucket bag. This can slouch low and stay close to your body. Pair this with a simple sun dress, jeans, anything white, and you will look perfect for spring.

Inquire through Balenciaga or Neiman Marcus for this bag. The price is $1,325.

Via Style