Exotics

I am very, very interested to see what Phoebe Philo will do during her tenure at Celine. I loved the Philo years at Chloe; after all, they did spawn some pretty legendary handbags (the Paddington, anyone?). Celine made some bags I liked quite a bit last season, which was a nice turnaround from their normally staid but bland fare. I’m having some trouble figuring out if this bag is from Celine’s last collection before Philo or their first collection with her, but either way, the Celine Dimitri Python Hobo is another step in the right direction.

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!

Sorry, Derek Lam, I’m just not buying what you’re selling here. I know, I know – you’re trying to make a little niche for yourself among the scads of smaller high-end bag designers out there. And it can’t be an easy thing, because convincing people to spend a couple grand on a bag from a designer that doesn’t have much handbag cache is a bit of a challenge, to say the least. But that doesn’t excuse what we have here.

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.

Well, isn’t this just the ray of sunshine I’ve been looking for! Here in South Florida, we are in the midst of our rainy season. While I have become accustom to afternoon storms, the past week has been full of doom and gloom. Rain in the morning, thunder in the afternoon and a nice combination of the two in the evening. So, I’ve definitely been on the hunt for a handbag to brighten my day.

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.

We’ve seen a lot of the small crossbody trend in the mid-price bags that we feature on PurseBlog Savvy, but higher-priced designers haven’t seemed as eager to latch on to the fad. At first I was a little confused as to why, but I think it makes sense – the shape and size of those bags tend to skew younger, and younger buyers tend to both spend less money and be more open-minded to new names in the design world. It’s natural that brands that cater to a slightly older demographic would be a bit slower to adopt youth-based trends, so I’ve been waiting to see which of the Purse Blog designers would be the first to successfully create a mature version of these bags.

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 don’t think I’ve ever wanted to see a bag in person quite as badly as I want to see the Zagliani Woven Python Art Shoulder Bag. This thing might be completely stunning and awesome, or it might be way overdone and gaudy, and I don’t think there’s really any way to decide right now. I would advise everyone to take a trip over to Luisa Via Roma and use the zoom feature on it, though, because I have a tentative theory about what this bag’s problem may be (if it has one).

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.

It always confuses me when a designer takes an exotic skin, which is already a work of art in and of itself, and tries to do something intricate with it (usually something that involves cutting it into tiny pieces, either for weaving or for a laser-cut design). It seems like…well, it seems like a bit of a waste of a beautiful skin. I’ve got similar concerns with the Bottega Veneta Settantasei Ostrich Bag, which uses ostrich hide instead of traditional leather to make the signature Bottega Veneta intrecciato weave.

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.

If ever I’ve seen a good reason to have kids, it’s the page of stuff that Saks was calling a collection of reasonable Mother’s Day presents. Sure, there were some things that most kids could have pooled their money and afforded to get for mom, but then there were some things that were absolutely redonkulous (I feel that that’s the only correct term). The most out-of-this-world? The Zagliani Tomodachi Crocodile Tote. This thing is stunningly freakin’ gorgeous, and if having a couple of munchkins would mean that I might, one day, be given something even half as awesome as this bag, then that’s reason enough for me (ok, so maybe not, but go with the joke here, folks). It would take some rich kiddos to put together their piggy banks for this beauty, though, so it might be time for mothers everywhere to increase allowances for the foreseeable future. Buy through Saks for $10,500.