I’ve become a bigtime convert to the ways of Spanish leather good brand Loewe, mostly thanks to the genius addition of Stuart Vevers as creative director several years ago. Since then, Loewe’s handbags have become more modern and increasingly relevant to a fashion audience. It can be difficult to find these bags in a store to look at, but I’ve had the pleasure of trying on a few Loewe bags and I’ve been nothing less than impressed. The leather is wonderful, without exception.

Until February 3, US customers have an exclusive chance to preorder Loewe Pre-Fall 2012 via Moda Operandi, and although some of the color combinations aren’t new (particularly on the lovely Loewe Flamenco Bag), if you’ve been thinking about getting something from the brand, a pre-order is probably wise. Loewe’s bags tend to disappear from the Internet very quickly, particularly in much sought-after bright colors. We have all of the pictures after the jump, including several lust-inducing (and wallet-emptying) exotics. The multicolor ostrich Amazona rings in at a steep $14950, with the monotone croc going for $20,000 and the multicolor croc topping things out at a staggering $35,500. All leather, on the other hand, will run you a more modest $2150 or $2400, depending on whether the color is solid or varied. Flamencos? They’re also $2150. Pre-order through Moda Operandi.

No matter where I go in New York or who I talk to, once people find out what I do for a living, almost all of them ask me if I know where they can get a Celine bag, what I think of the Celine bag they want to buy and if I have a Celine bag myself. As we’ve noted over on BagThatStyle, it seems like a new celebrity pops up carrying one every day, and judging by the long pre-order lists in stores, none of the Celine hysteria is going to abate anytime soon.

Even stock photos of Celine bags can be difficult to round up in one place; stores don’t sell the brand on their websites, so product names and prices are often rumors at best. What we have here, though, is the best collection of Celine Spring and Summer 2012 (Celine splits the season into two separate groups of products) bags that we could find. If you have more to add, please let us know. If not, please enjoy the nearly 60 photos of Phoebe Philo loveliness after the jump.

Bright bags are big statement pieces and for this season, neon is all the rage. I’ve attempted to wear neon clothing items but I have never found the colors to be very flattering on me, and that is of course why I turn to accessories to take part of the trend in a way that works for me.

I scoured the interwebs to find the 9 best neon bags and I am certain I have a great selection. Including a taste of every color of the rainbow, our favorite designers are splashing their accessories with hues that are sure to be attention-grabbing bags for this season.

Mulberry Small Bayswater Shoulder Bag | $1,100 via Net-A-Porter
You can’t leave out purple and the iconic Mulberry Bayswater caught my eye. I love the smaller size with the longer optional shoulder strap which makes it both compact and versatile.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha Leather Shoulder Bag | $370 via Net-A-Porter
A very wearable shape in fresh bright-green leather, this bag screams spring and will transition to summer seamlessly. I’m not a green color girl, but if I were, I’d love this bag.

Lanvin Colorblock Happy Shoulder Bag | $2,090 via Neiman Marcus
Lanvin Happy Shoulder Bag is both elegant and feminine. Amanda and I are huge chartreuse fans and this Lanvin bag puts a smile on my face from ear to ear.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Snakeskin Clutch | $1,735 via Net-A-Porter
Proenza Schouler gets two spots in our round-up because the brand is just that good. What makes you feel warm and fuzzy more than lime-green snakeskin on day to evening clutch?

Emilio Pucci Python shoulder bag | $2,850 via Net-A-Porter
The moment I saw this bag, I fell in love. It has a sleek Celine feel on the outside with a fun printed lining hiding within. The size meets the ladylike structured bag criteria while being large enough to carry for daily use and the shocking neon pink python skin is perfectly girly.

Alexander Wang Prisma Leather Tote | $685 via Net-A-Porter
I’ve been wanting to scoop up this bag since the moment I laid eyes on it. The perfect azure-blue leather with rhodium corners can carry everyday essentials and look way too cool while doing so. The price is very reasonable too.

Proenza Schouler PS1 Medium Suede | $1,595 via Barneys
The more bags I buy and use, the more the amazing brands stand out. Proenza Schouler is one of the designers that sticks with what they know and does so extraordinarily well. The quality is top notch and the colors they constantly churn out are top of the game. The green hue is a bit muted but still works well for this trend.

Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Silk-moire Knot Clutch | $1,650 via Net-A-Porter
Bottega Veneta is known for its elegant Knot Clutch, and the elongated version with turquoise silk intrecciato will remind you and everyone that sees this bag of the Caribbean.

Diane von Furstenberg Mini Disco Stephanie Clutch | $365 via Neiman Marcus
Diane von Furstenberg released the Stephanie a few years ago and this bag has become a fan favorite. I only own the large version, but the Mini Disco is delightfully chic and the perfect small accessory option. Bright orange and silver leather will help get the party started.

Chanel’s 2012 Spring-Summer Ad Campaign combines a mixture of entirely majestic with a touch of athletic to showcase the upcoming collection. Shot by Karl Lagerfeld, the campaign focuses on the clothing and accessories being portrayed in a very elegant manner, as the models pose on different athletic (mostly gymnastic) apparatuses.

I adore these photos and think Karl was completely correct to deliver the photos in black and white. I was immediately drawn in and have yet to feel uninspired by a single photo. Chanel is known for its timeless appeal and not only does the clothing and bags show that they will stand the test of time, but just as equally the photos do.

Very few people will ever own a one-of-a-kind bag from their favorite designer. Under normal circumstances, you’d have to be a longtime client of the company with a history of lavish purchases to even have the chance of being given such an opportunity, and even then, one-off creations are usually rare and reserved for the Daphne Guinnesses of the world.

What if all of the proceeds from that bag were then to go to charity? Almost unheard of. But that’s exactly the opportunity that Moda Operandi’s Lauren Santo Domingo and the BeLive Wayuu Mochila Project have teamed up to do – Santo Domingo tapped eleven designers from Valentino to Maison Martin Margiela to design traditional woven mochila bags to benefit over 30 Colombian charity organizations.

At $5,000 apiece for woven bags, the prices are indeed steep, but it makes sense when you look at it as a charitable donation with a chic designer reward included. Although these bags might not be for everyone and most represent a significant stylistic deviation for their respective designers, the collaboration is a smart one where everyone – especially those served by the benefitted charities – wins. To purchase one of these pieces, sign up through Moda Operandi.

Roger Vivier is a company that never does quite what’s expected when it comes to handbag an shoe design, and for the launch of its online store, Vivier has chosen to go a bit left-of-center from your standard online shopping outpost. Instead of vending current-season pieces like every other brand on the planet, starting in September, RogerVivier.com will allow fans of the brand to shop must-haves from seasons past that are still available in the Vivier archive.

According to Vogue, all the pieces will be new and unworn limited-production items from seasons past, so if you’ve been kicking yourself for half a decade about a beautiful brocade evening bag that you should have bought in 2006, this might be your second chance for fashion redemption. But the better question is, why don’t more brands do this?

The fashion industry, being the lover of “the old way” that it is, has just started to scratch the surface of the ways that technology and the Internet can revolutionize business. In the past, opening the company archives would have only been possible for a very small group of high-dollar clients who had patronized a fashion house for years, if not decades. But not anymore; brands have the option of offering archival pieces to clients around the world without taking up valuable product space at brick-and-mortar retail stores.

Embrace of the new among fashion’s old guard moves at a snail’s pace, but perhaps one day we’ll all be able to buy vintage Balmain straight from the source. Or what of Chanel’s surely grand archives? Can you even imagine what’s in there? Think on that for a few minutes if you need a break from Monday morning monotony, and then let us know which brands and which pieces you’d want in the comments.

When I posted excitedly about the Loewe Flamenco Bag’s introduction last week, most of you felt as enthusiastic about the new addition as I did. Apparently Loewe saw our love for the design coming from a mile away, because the brand’s Fall 2011 ad campaign features the bag posed strategically over the gorgeous Mariacarla Boscono’s, err, intimate parts. Shot by Mert & Marcus and styled by Katie Grand of the Love magazine, the shoot took place at the famous Ritz hotel in Spain, as a nod to the brand’s Spanish roots. Add this campaign to the list of those that I’m digging for Fall 2011, without a doubt. More photos after the jump.

Images via Loewe’s Facebook Page

It’s rare that I get the urge to refer to a handbag collection as “tight,” but the more I look at 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2011, the more that seems like the most appropriate word to use. The color palette, shapes and materials are all limited to a very cohesive few, but the resulting designs are surprisingly varied and covetable, so long as you subscribe to Lim’s particular brand of contemporary minimalism.

The upright satchels strike me as a less expensive alternative to the much sought-after Celine Luggage Tote, and the smooth leather shoulder bags with bold metal closures and a witty puff of contrasting fur are an office-friendly option that would work even if you don’t work in an office. These designs are mostly neutral and functional without being boring or forgettable, and towing that line requires the sort of aesthetic confidence that makes these bags very much worth noting for the coming season.

Photos via Style.com

This spring think sleek shoulder bags if you are looking for an on-trend design. From Yves Saint Laurent to Fendi to Christian Louboutin to Valentino, the shoulder bag is my favorite predominant spring shape.

There is the perfect amount of structure paired with a fold over flap and long shoulder strap. The bag should give you ample space to store what you need while showing that the oversized bag has been replaced. Think sleek and sophisticated meets structure and feminine.

Shop Shoulder Bags via Neiman Marcus.

In a pairing of two of my favorite things, food and fashion, photographer Fulvio Bonavia released a book in 2008 titled A Matter of Taste. From handbags to shoes to jewelery, the photographs not only showcase food as fashion, but also shows that some still use their hands to create versus Photoshop. Each item in this book was created by Fulvio himself, who then photographed his creations.

I ran into this earlier this week and could not stop staring. As much as a broccoli handbag seems odd and smelly, the conceptual photograph makes it colorful and inviting. Other renditions include a raspberry clutch, blackberry Chanel-esque bag, a brick of cheese bag (I love cheese, this one is unexpectedly amazing), and a fresh blueberry clutch.

Which item is your favorite?

[more info via Fulvio Bonavia online]