Happy 20th Anniversary to the famed Christian Louboutin! To celebrate 20 years of amazing bags and shoes, the Christian Louboutin Capsule Collection has been released that showcases 20 iconic shoe styles and 6 bags that have been redesigned to celebrate the occasion. The collection is being shown on the official Louboutin Facebook page.

Tomorrow we will show you the true beauty of this bag, but today here is a sneak peek at a sketch of one of the six soon-to-be-released bags. Behold, the Christian Louboutin Artemis Plumes. What are your thoughts?

Over on TalkShoes, I’ve mentioned several times that the paint-splattered natural python seen on several of Christian Louboutin‘s Spring 2012 shoes is my favorite exotic finish that the footwear master has ever done and one of my favorite python finishes ever, from anyone. The little splashes of color add just the right amount of signature Louboutin wit to the skin without obscuring its natural beauty, and I’ve been in love with it ever since I saw Blake Lively wearing a pair of the shoes at the Louboutin 20th anniversary party at Barneys a few months ago. Thankfully, Louboutin has seen fit to bring the material to handabgs with the Christian Louboutin Sweet Charity Python Shoulder Bag. Still, though, something’s a little off.

We’ve spoken at length about some of the speed bumps that Louboutin has found in handbag design; he’s the undisputed king of shoes, but being good at one type of accessory doesn’t always lead to success when it comes to designing others. I still love the python finish that makes up most of this bag, and the Sweet Charity has long been my favorite of Louboutin’s handbag shapes, but I seriously question the trim that steals a large portion of the bag’s visual interest away from the python.

The thing that I loved about the shoes in this paint-speckled snakeskin was that they were simple; the visual texture was allowed to speak for itself without other voices trying to drown it out. With thick turquoise and red leather also vying for attention, it feels like Louboutin should have gone one of two ways: Either totally amped up the design by using the added texture of suede instead of boring regular leather, or toned the whole thing down to just snakeskin. As it is, the design is missing a little bit of something that’s hard to describe. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2495.

A few months ago, I wrote a funny little post about bags that could be used as weapons. As fashion’s penchant for embellishment grows increasingly inescapable, it seems as though most high-end accessories can be repurposed for self-defense in an emergency, and with the prices that designers charge, it’s frankly nice that they have the extra utility.

If I had only known that the Christian Louboutin Marquise Clutch would be coming out, I would have waited to write that post. This bag may be the first I’ve ever seen that would actually allow you to stab a mugger, a cheating husband, that jerk in front of you in the line at Target, whoever strikes your stabbing fancy. I wonder if this bag could be classified as a deadly weapon?

With the length of the spikes, I wouldn’t be surprised if airport security pulled you aside to have an extra look at this bag if they were to find it in your carry-on. Keep that in mind for future travel plans – if you’d like to carry this clutch (or wear the matching shoes) at your eventual destination, they should probably be stowed in your checked baggage. Once you’ve reached your destination, stab people to your little heart’s content. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1295.

I miss a lot of things about college, and the crossword puzzle from the University of Georgia student newspaper is probably a lot higher up on that list than you’d expect. It was the perfect level of difficulty – I could finish it in about 45 minutes and feel challenged while still ultimately being victorious. Related: 45 minutes was approximately the length of one lecture class period at UGA. Over my four years there, I did hundreds of them.

Getting your news online brings with it a noticeable lack of crossword puzzles, which has left a sad little gap in my procrastination habits since 2008. The Christian Louboutin Cleo Sequined Satin Clutch isn’t literally a crossword puzzle in the same way that Louboutin has made literal tape measure shoes, but when I squint, it’s close enough for me.

There are a few things about this clutch that I really appreciate, above and beyond its at-a-distance resemblance to a word game that I enjoy. First, I like the square sequins. Fashion has been filled with paillettes and glitter and rhinestones for what seems like the last five years (but is probably more like the last year and a half), but the sequins chosen for bags have been almost exclusively round. Choosing square sequins in a range of shades between black and white seems completely fresh when compared to designs covered in the bright, round alternative that we’re all used to.

This design’s other redeeming factor is that it’s not absolutely clogged with embellishment. Every square or rectangle is carefully placed, and some of them perfectly match the underlying silk except for the difference in texture. That creates a very careful, elegant effect that’s often missing when sequins start being applied to a clutch. Christian Louboutin doesn’t always have the restraint to make a great bag, but this time, he’s succeeded admirably. Priced at $2095 via Net-a-Porter.

I searched PurseBlog and realized we only have a handful of posts on (most likely) my favorite color: cobalt blue. Blue has always been my color, but there is something about a bright shocking blue that is not overly aggressive but still lures me in so strongly. Celine did this wonderfully and I count myself as one of the few and one of the lucky to own a Celine Cobalt Blue Luggage Tote.

On the other hand, I’m in a love-hate relationship with Christian Louboutin bags, but the Bikini Pouch immediately caught my attention. The royal blue stands out beautifully against the watersnake zip top pouch which is offset by a silver-tone chain link strap. The interior of course features a red grosgrain lining with a slip pocket. Many times I show a bag that I think is absurd for our Fill in the Blank category, but this week I am changing it up by showing you a bag I adore. Do you too? Buy via Barneys for $995.

Fill in the blank: The Christian Louboutin Bikini Pouch is ___________________.

Or, I suppose, already calling your bag “trash” is one way to set accurate expectations of what it will look like for your customers. That’s the optimistic take, I suppose.

Christian Louboutin has long been making “trash” shoes, which are traditional pumps or slingbacks made out of the patent-covered material that you see here. Because the shapes are classic and there’s not a great deal of surface area, I’ve always thought that the shoes worked, at least for a certain customer. The Christian Loboutin Lou Trash Bag, on the other hand? Not so much.

Louboutin’s company is known for its cheeky take on luxury goods, so I can see why it would want to translate the success of the Trash shoes to a Trash bag. The problem with this execution, though, is that even though the bag is relatively petite, the trash material is just one big, square piece. There’s nothing to break it up, so all you see is bits of string, what might be a shoelace, some gold foil and a torn piece of an envelope. Perhaps the material would work better as a trim so that it would be more difficult to identify its contents.

The scalloped leather edges, shiny gold chain and leopard haircalf strap also don’t do the design any favors. I’ve long been a fan of the idea that too much is never enough, particularly when it comes to accessories, but this bag is just too much. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $895.

Have you ever seen a bag with studs implemented in the way Christian Louboutin did on his Artemis Python Shoulder Bag? Because I have not. In fact, this bag both intrigues me and worries me.

First off, I wonder about the reasoning for naming this bag the Christian Louboutin Artemis Studded Python Shoulder Bag, as Artemis comes from Ancient Greek Mythology. The daughter of Leto and Zeus, and the twin of Apollo, Artemis is the goddess of the wilderness, the hunt and wild animals, and fertility. So this bag’s gorgeous body and skin represents the beauty of Artemis while the massive spiked studs symbolize her being a huntress.

Christian Louboutin Artemis Shoulder Bag, $1,995 via Net-A-Porter

Imagine Artemis gallivanting through the wilderness with this metallic python shoulder bag with intense spiked studs all over the shoulder strap. Come to think of it, this bag gives intrigue while showing power, which is fitting.

In everyday life, the idea of this bag seems somewhat cool but I truly feel like it would hurt. I have a big head and what if I turn my head to the side and it lands on the shoulder strap? Or the fact that you truly can not hold the bag by the shoulder strap without putting yourself through some pain. I know Mr. Louboutin loves spikes, but I still don’t think they work in this fashion on a bag. Buy via NAP for $1,995.

If you’re a regular PurseBlog reader, you know how I feel about fur bags, even though I’ve softened enough this season to allow fur accents without too much griping. And then I see something like the Christian Louboutin Anastasia Clutch and I remember why fur bags are a bad idea all over again.

Only one word came to mind when I saw this bag: Pomeranian. Because the bag is made out of fox fur, it already has the look and color of a canine to it, and the coppery shade and length almost exactly match the tiny dogs beloved by people who want to carry their pets in their handbags. Unfortunately, this clutch looks like you’re trying to carry your pet as your handbag. I’m just waiting for it to poke its little head out from under the fur and start begging for a Snausage.

My gripe with fur, other than the well-know ethical issues surrounding its use, has always been that it’s generally too long and lush to work in the structured, functional world of handbags. And this clutch proves just that – despite obviously having a frame under there somewhere, the bag looks like nothing more than a giant furball that you’ll have to carry around by hand all night. And actually, that’s exactly what it is, not to mention that it probably looks like your pet’s long-lost cousin. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $2345.

We’ve heavily covered Christian Louboutin‘s hit-and-miss record when it comes to handbags in general, but when it comes to the footwear master’s clutches, I rarely have a negative review to report. Something about the small size and structure of an evening bag lends itself well to Louboutin’s design sensibility, probably because the scale and rigidity make clutches more similar to designing a shoe than other types of bags. And we all know that Louboutin has his shoe game on lock, now don’t we? Here are four of our current favorite CL clutches for your consideration; we think you’ll agree that Louboutin has something of a flare for these particular bags.

Christian Louboutin Loubi Bow Clutch, $623 via Matches

Christian Louboutin Dancing Queen Box Clutch, $1095 via Net-a-Porter

Christian Louboutin Loubi Croissant Clutch, $795 via Net-a-Porter

Christian Louboutin Cleo Textured Leather Clutch, $1195 via Net-a-Porter

We’re longstanding fans of the Christian Louboutin Sweet Charity Bags, which come in virtually every size, color and texture that you could think of, and the advent of the Christian Louboutin Sweet Charity Glittered Bags only makes our affection for the line grow. The structured shape and signature metal bow mean that the design is a perfect candidate for an evening out, and these two miniature sizes make that dream a reality.

Monsieur Louboutin knows his way around glitter, and these bags appeal to the magpie in me in a way that’s a bit more subtle than his brand’s glittering shoes. The gleaming glitter and hardware juxtapose nicely with the soft, tactile suede to create much-needed balance, and depending on how much stuff you have, the look is available in two sizes. Perhaps what’s most exciting, though, is that both retail for less than a thousand dollars. Buy through Neiman Marcus for $795 and $995.