Last week, exotic handbag designer extraordinaire Carlos Falchi had an event at Bergdorf Goodman in New York City. Naturally, I had to pop in to say hi and see the newest designs from the master. His area at Bergdorfs was filled with fans and shoppers picking out designs and having Carlos sign them. With the shopping mood in full force, I began to examine every Carlos Falchi bag I could get my hands on. Everyone including myself were buzzing about the superb quality and the fact that his bag are made in the USA.

Right now I am coveting the classic Carlos Falchi Hobo in both python and crocodile skin. As fall attempts to set in, I find myself drawn more and more to brown bags and both of these are stunning options.

Carlos allows skins to standout on his designs in place hardware, logos, and other extra fluff. A hobo is a must-have shape for every handbag collection and because it will be used often in your rotation, so investing in an exotic pays off in the long run.

Dimensions of both are 11″H x 13″W x 7″D with a spacious 10.5″ shoulder drop. All this leaves me with is deciding which option is better; python or crocodile. And truthfully, if that is all I worry about today, I say this is a great day. Python is $2,495 via Neiman Marcus and Croc is $3,995 via Neiman Marcus.

Snakeskin has been a staple of Falchi’s line for years, and the Carlos Falchi Single Strap Hobo Bag demonstrates exactly what I wish more designers would acknowledge: Python is a design unto itself. It doesn’t need much help to be beautiful, just stand back and let the leather shine. After all, that’s why customers are willing to pay a premium.

See, folks? Python. It doesn’t need to be colorblocked or overdyed or tricked into being beautiful and full of texture and visual interest. It just is. It’s the magic of nature and we shouldn’t fight it, because fighting it just means that nature is about to smite us. (See this post for proof if you don’t believe me.) Pale, blue-undertoned grey and a simple shape give this bag an opportunity to show off the lush texture of the skin, and if I’m going to pony up for exotics, that’s exactly what a design should do. Buy through Saks for $1750.

I am completely drawn to the Carlos Falchi Grande Boat Anaconda Hobo. This bag will clearly work for day-to-day wear and has a gorgeous grey-silver color combination. I am finding myself totally loving everything about this bag, including the sizable shoulder drop. But it is mostly about the color on the anaconda skin. And with this being Carlos Falchi, we know it will be divine in person as well.

I always speak of daily use bags – a bag you can wear every day of the week, easily have it transition it to night, and not get sick of it ever. One of the major joys of this bag is having the design speak for itself. You can just look at the bag and know it would be an instant wardrobe staple. The inside of all Falchi bags are ridiculously usable: a zip pocket, two open pockets, two pen holders, a center zip compartment, and two center compartments. Dimensions are 13″W X 10″H X 7″D. Start your year off right and buy a very practical and stylish hobo. Buy via Saks for $2,495.

Falchi’s bags often don’t stand out as obviously his because they don’t feature any sort of obvious logos, markings or hardware, but it wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of people were noticing the Carlos Falchi Shiny Moroccan Croc Bag being toted around the Upper East Side set very soon. It just has “Serena Van Der Woodsen’ written all over it.

Carlos Falchi seems to have no shortage of interesting ways to treat crocodile and other exotic skins, and this one looks particularly fascinating on closer inspection. Is the metallic effect painted on, or is the entire bag dyed that way? I honestly don’t have the answers to that question, but I want to have this bag in my possession immediately. Unfortunately, it’s a bit price-prohibitive, so I’ll have to settle for admiring it from afar – and hopefully, it will make an appearance on my television as well as on my computer. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $5995.

Since this blog is clearly not about practicality, however, let’s pretend for a moment that we can all afford to spend over five grand on this beautiful bit of grey crocodile loveliness. This satchel is certainly more affordable than, say, a crocodile Hermes Birkin, and in my mind, that gives me a little bit of hope. Or perhaps it merely strengthens my delusion…

Because the bag is so simple, it’s beautiful in a really obvious way. Gorgeous exotic leather + neutral, nuanced color = drool, in what may be the easiest equation this side of remedial algebra. In fact, Falchi’s nuanced dying techniques are usually what makes his bag’s a cut above. Exotic leather deserves a treatment that accents its natural variations and texture, and this bag does exactly that in a neutral shade that can be paired with literally anything. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $5295.

Ready? Great.

I have a little theory about exotics that I’ve postulated around these parts before, and it goes something like this: if I’m going to pay a premium for crocodile or python (or, in this case, both), then I want the skins to be featured in the most glorious way possible. Maybe it’s just me, but I think that the Carlos Falchi Caiman and Python Oversized Shoulder Bag is pretty much the definition of “glorious.”

What first caught my eye is that this bag is so slap-full of texture that I want to try and touch it through my screen. Predictably, that didn’t work so well, so I zoomed in on the pictures instead and things just kept getting better, the closer I got. Not only does the color variation highlight just how luxurious both the python and Caiman crocodile are, but it makes the bag far more interesting to look at than your average brown tote. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $3995.

I know that this isn’t a handbag that everyone will love, but that’s why I like it so much – it’s a distinctive statement of style and personality. The best bags are those that some people don’t quite understand, and this blue-and-white-on-chartreuse painted floral pattern certainly puts this satchel in a different realm.

The color combination is totally unexpected, but that’s why I love it. It takes a particular type of personality to pair chartreuse with royal blue, and fashion should be all about the reflection of something interesting about the individual that chose the pieces. This bag would probably be a little hard to pair with outfits (although if you wear a lot of neutrals, you could probably get some good use out of it), but just looking at it makes me smile. Sometimes, that’s enough, even if it’s not the kind of bag that you’ll use every day. Buy through Bergdorf Goodman for $1595.

Take the Carlos Falchi Gathered Python Pouf Satchel, for instance. Not only do Falchi’s signature gathers make the bag look touchable and luxurious, but the finishing of the python and the way that it’s used accents the natural beauty of the material in a really great way. We all know I think that there is no greater bag sin that disguising an exotic’s natural beauty, but Falchi passes that test with flying colors here.

Speaking of colors, let’s discuss this one. It struck me as decidedly orange, but it appears as though the Powers That Be would like us to think of it as “whiskey.” Since whiskey is one of the only shades of brown that I find tolerable (in addition to being one of my favorite adult beverages), I’m willing to split the difference with them – it’s whiskey with an extra scoop of orange in the mix. Not only is the color a bit unexpected and totally tolerable, but it’s light enough that the variations in the dye highlight the texture of the material beautifully. Buy through Bergdorf Goodman for $2995.

What: Leopard Totes

Where: Bloomingdale’s and Saks

When: Available now!

Why: These totes are cute, affordable, and lightweight. Carlos Falchi may be known for his exotic skin bags, but while these ultra suede leopard print totes are not exotic they pack an animalistic punch with the print. The small size is $185 while the medium size is $220. Colors available include black, chocolate, grey, rust, and purple.

Stop by and say hi to our friend Carlos and his daughter today from 1-5 PM on the main floor of Bergdorf Goodman.