VBH handbags have been causing handbag lovers, especially exotic handbag lovers, to drool since 2001. These amazing bags have been designed with the idea that the luxury handbag market needed a face lift. Since 2001 leaps and bounds have been made and you aren’t as likely to see every woman in the grocery store carrying the same designer bag. However, just because this need has been met doesn’t mean VBH is going to veer off course. This bag is a perfect example of this.

Pewter colored python skin is adorned with crystal detail. This detail resonates throughout the clutch in singular lines. Beyond the lines themselves, I am thrilled to see that the lines chosen were well thought out. As you carry this clutch the light will hit the crystals with every move and you will sparkle. There is a fold over flap which is secured with a magnetic closure. Open up the flap and find luscious grey suede lining. This bag is timeless and worth investing in. Buy through Browns for £1,695.

Which is why I’m kind of disappointed in the Gucci Jungle Large Tote. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an attractive bag, but I hold Gucci python to such a high standard that I’m having trouble getting excited.

Unlike most of their exotic bags, this one seems a bit rigid to me. It’s too flat, too shiny, and not nearly as texture-rich as I would hope (and expect for what they’re charging). The finish of the skin almost looks like it might be embossed rather than the real deal, and why wants a dubiously faux python tote when the price tag is so high? It’s a cute, functional bag, but we all know that Gucci can do better with an exotic. Buy through Saks for $3800.

Oh, it’s so pretty. And so functional. And so every-day usable. And so luxurious. In short, the Chloe Python Marlow Bag? It had me at “hello.”

I’ve given the regular leather version of this bag some loving in the past, but it is truly eclipsed by the beyond-gorgeous python version.

To me, this bag is exactly what useful luxury should be. It’s big and roomy, it can be carried every day, it would fit in with a variety of wardrobes without being obtrusive or obvious. It’s quietly fantastic, and it has a slouchy sumptuousness to it that is hard to find in anything but the best materials.

It looks like an exquisite vintage piece that only the most fashionable person you know would ever be able to find at a flea market, but here it is, easily accessible. Well, if you have four grand, that is. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $4962.

This is my favorite of all Proenza Schouler Bags, mixing downtown edgy with uptown sophistication. I would love to see the Proenza Schouler Purple Python PS1 in person.

The python skin looks to have a matte finish, which is my favorite way to see python on a handbag. The color is soaked up by the skin and looks deep and sultry. Purple is such a versatile color, able to be worn with most outfit options. The best part is, the color will pop depending on what you wear with it.

The PS1 is known for its front flap with a foldover closure and double straps. The top handle brings in the downtown/briefcase vibe, though most use the removable/adjustable shoulder strap. This is the ultimate PS1. If Rachel Zoe was looking at this bag now we know she would be going BANANAS. Buy through Barneys for $3,645.

If the show isn’t wow-worthy, it can be easy to flip through Style.com without really absorbing what I’m looking at, much like I did with my textbooks in high school (and, let’s face it, college). But I looked through Gucci Handbags Spring 2010 twice, with rapt attention – not only is this Frida Giannini’s best collection of clothing since her era at the brand began, but it’s also the strongest lineup of accessories that I’ve seen from the brand in years.

The collection’s clothes have a way of being minimal and ornate simultaneously, and that’s the only way to describe the bags as well. Even the lean, angular clutches are fashioned out of candy-colored crocodile skin that makes me want to say “I’ll take one in every color,” hand over my credit card, and not look at the total on the receipt.

And that’s just the beginning. There’s texture galore by way of exotics like crocodile and python and Gucci’s signature logo embossing, and a few of the company’s classic details, like bamboo handles and horse bit hardware. The collection was varied and nuanced, containing a little bit of something for everyone; it was perhaps the most wearable, beautiful bag collection I’ve seen grace the runway in several seasons.

                        

Images via Style.com

Posts on Sex and the City will begin to take over every fashion website’s screen. Luckily almost every single one of us is giddy like a kid on her birthday waiting to hear and see more about the fabulous foursome.

The latest exotic bag to be seen in the hands of Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie Bradshaw, is the Adriana Castro Python Eva Clutch. This clutch is from the Resort 2010 line and is a tri-colored mix of purple, azalea, and royal blue.

At the first glance of SJP with this tri colored clutch, I knew it was Adriana Castro (means that Adriana Castro is ‘arriving’). The python skin looks perfect in the photos and the mix of colors brings a special pop while the color families stay close together. Carrie Bradshaw is known for her statement pieces, as you can see from this ensemble. While most of us will not pair a sequin peacock mini dress with a tri-colored python clutch, Carrie can and will do so magnificently. This is yet another celeb/movie who is loving Adriana Castro

When it comes to the rest of us, this clutch is the perfect accessory that injects color into your wardrobe. I would love to pair this clutch with a little black dress or simple dark skinny jeans and a tee shirt. Since it is from Resort 2010, the clutch is not available yet. Check back to AdrianaCastro Online for more.

Net A Porter is carrying another version of the Bird Handbags One Night Stand with a natural colored snakeskin body and brown ostrich double handles.

The clutch is chunky and large, grabbing your attention from the first look. The price of handbags from Bird Handbags seems extraordinarily high. While this clutch is oversized, the price nears $2k for a mostly python clutch. For this price, I will be setting my sights on a larger everyday bag rather than a large clutch. This is a design that is perfect for the gals that dress very LA; casual, laid back, but chic. But the price will hold me and I am sure many others back. Buy through Net A Porter for $1810.

And Gucci has maintained their history of beautiful python bags with the Gucci Galazy Python Hobo. Sometimes natural patterns can be hidden when they’re done in black, but the finish here has a bit of a shine to it, so it reflects enough light that the scale differentiation is easy to see. Some brands treat their bags in such a way that the python scales lay perfectly flat, which has clearly not been done here. I’m sure that that sort of treatment makes bags for durable, but it also makes it feel less luxurious to me, so I’d rather that part was left out, even if it means the bag won’t last quite as long. I’d rather have it be as beautiful as possible for as long as that look will hold up. Buy through Saks for $3500.

This may be one of my favorite Nancy Gonzalez bags of all time, which says a lot, given my penchant for exotics. This particular shade of blue-undertoned grey is fantastic for highlighting scale and texture differences on exotic skins and bringing out their natural patterns and variations, which is exactly what a well-designed exotic bag should do. Python is the main event here, making up the front and back of the bag, while the sturdier crocodile skin forms the bag’s gussets. I’d be interested to see what the bag would look like if the material usage was flipped, but either way, it’s still beyond gorgeous. The neat rows of studs that run on either side of the bag’s front panel are the perfect finishing touch and something slightly out of character for the designer – I hope we see more of it in the future. Buy through Saks for $3100.

What bothers me, though, is that the beauty of the crocodile skin is somewhat lost in the strips of leather and suede. My feeling, as I have explained before, is always that a bag made out of an exotic leather should use that leather’s natural texture to its greatest advantage. In tiny strips, it’s basically impossibly to do that. Stamped croc would have probably been a more cost-effective and appropriate material to use here, even though I’m not generally a proponent of stamping anything on high-end handbags. The price is somewhat reasonable for a bag that does use a great deal of exotic leather, though, so when that’s combined with the bag’s sleek beauty, I can’t hate it too much. Buy through Saks for $2750.

The thing that struck me first is the color – it’s a beautiful medium grey with strong blue undertones, and the temperature of the color is cool enough to be perfect for the forthcoming colder weather (well, forthcoming for those that don’t live in my area of the country. We have several months of scorching heat ahead of us). It’s also light enough to highlight the differentiation between the python scales, which is something I believe all bags made out of exotic materials should do – after all, if I’m paying out the nose for it, I want to see the natural beauty of the skin showcased. Indeed, most of the bag is sublime – the thick straps, the shiny silver hardware in unexpected shapes, the tonal suede accents. The only thing that gives pause is the fringe emanating from the handle attachments. I don’t hate it at all, I’m just not sure about it and think that it possibly could have been done better. I can’t imagine how, though, so maybe I’m asking too much. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $4200.

Judith Leiber is more known for her use of Swarvoski crystals in her evening bags and novelty pieces. And those pieces are not for everyone (take the owl clutch for example). But I am a huge fan of Judith Leiber and her pieces. There is something whimsical and playful about each piece that puts a smile on my face.

When I found the Judith Leiber Shimmering Python Clutch I was truly shocked. Is this really a Leiber piece? It is nothing like her crystal evening pieces, it is sleek, sophisticated and stunning. This is nothing like what we have come to expect from Leiber, and while I am caught off guard, I am staring at this clutch in amazement of its beauty. The dark indigo python offers a shimmer with a bronze hue. The flap top with tortoise ornament finishes off the clutch perfectly, without taking away from the natural beauty of the skin and simple design. Measurements are 4 1/4″H x 8″W x 1 1/2″D. Makes you re-think Judith Leiber, doesn’t it? Buy through Neiman Marcus for $1695.

Recently, we had the most amazing giveaway with Adriana Castro. Each bag was specifically designed by all of your votes, which made for the most amazing giveaway. We have been loving Adriana Castro the designer and person for quite some time now and it seems the celebrities are loving her handbags as well. In the past few weeks, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian, Eva Longoria, and Jennifer Lopez have been spotted doting Adriana Castro bags.

Who is carrying What:
- Khloe Kardashian loves her Python/Croc Vibora Clutch in Natural/Blue
- Kourtney Kardashian carried the ultra popular Modish Clutch
- Eva Longoria sported the cute Lizard Small Annie Clutch
- The comfy yet chic Meissa Python Hobo in Natural looked perfect on Jennifer Lopez

Shop Adriana Castro online and check our sister site, Bag That Style, for more detailed information and images!

When you’re dealing with quirky, non-symmetrical designs, there’s a really thin line between one that works and one that doesn’t, and I don’t think that the Derek Lam Elsa Python Clutch does. The material and color are both beautiful, and some of the asymmetry is well-done, but beyond that, Lam totally loses me. The half-covered silver ring doesn’t appear to serve any kind of functional purpose at all, and things always go off the rails in handbag design when you start adding elements that would normally be functional that don’t serve any functional value. But I think that the final nail in this little clutch’s coffin is the enormous, luggage-like handle at the top. Not only is the material not the same as the rest of the clutch, but the style is also different. It’s traditional and staid while the clutch is edgy and hip, and on top of that, the proportion of the two doesn’t even work. Buy through Barney’s for $1450.

The Devi Kroell Degrade Wide Hobo uses bright colors in all the right ways! Python leather adorns this wide hobo (11″ x 17″ x 6″) perfectly. For me, exotic skins almost always look good on clutches or small handbags, but the same skin on larger bags can sometimes look a bit sloppy. If the sunflower inspired python wasn’t enough, open the bag and you’ll see a silk lined interior. Sure, I might worry that my keys or perhaps a pen (I never leave home without a pen and lip gloss in my bag) could snag the silk, but this is a risk I’d be willing to take. This bag is a complete hit, I love it! Buy through Barney’s for $3490.

And my vote for the winner goes to the Salvatore Ferragamo Edda Chain Shoulder Bag. The first way that they keep this bag from looking too trendy is using the ultra-luxe chocolate brown python skin with little else in the way of exterior decoration. The skin is genuinely beautiful on it’s own, and realizing that it doesn’t need anything to help it along is the mark of an experienced designer. The second thing I like is the gathering of thin, delicate chains that form the bag’s strap. Instead of being chunky and attention-getting, they’re sophisticated and understated, which gives a polished finish to the design’ overall feel. I’d call this bag nothing less than a success. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for €1840.

I’m guessing that this might be one of those purses that misses the forest for the trees, so to speak. The up-close details are so beautiful and unexpected that I can’t help but stare at this bag’s close zoom-in shots. The further you get away from the bag, though, the more of a mess it appears to be. I want this bag to be breathtaking in person, but with the weaving and the triangular shape and the exotic skin and the combination of colors, it may just be too much all in one. And I like over-the-top, but this just might not work. It’s impossible to say without an in-person viewing, though, so have any of you ladies seen it? Buy through Luisaviaroma for $9,005.

There are two things that I hope to do before my handbag career is over: own an Hermes bag and own something in crocodile or alligator. Those two dreams are both far off in the distance, but that doesn’t mean my wandering eyes can’t check out the merchandise. And lately, I can’t get the image of the Nancy Gonzalez Large Crocodile Tote out of my head.

I first covered this bag in a different color for Bag That Style, and this is another one of those situations where seeing it on a person makes all the difference. The pink looks like a wonderful sugary confection, but I’m more interested in the super-dark, shiny black option. What is it with me and giant black bags lately? I’m not sure, but if this is wrong, I don’t want to be right. The finish of the crocodile gives the bag a younger, edgier slant than most similar exotics, and the price could be a lot worse – Nancy Gonzalez charges for croc what a lot of other brands charge for python. Buy through Saks for $3350.

BV does better here than most do, though, because the copper finish combined with the ultra-textured feel of the bag give it a simultaneous glimmer and roughness that might not be achievable with regular, smooth leather. The finish is honestly quite cool, but I can’t help shake the feeling that exotic skins come with an inherent design to them and some of their charm is lost when they’re too heavily deconstructed. Plus, if I’m going to pay a premium for an exotic, I want that skin to be as intact as possible for maximum exotic effect. When you combine the high price of this bag with the way the skin was used, I’m not sure it’s worth it. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $7350.