Gucci Handbags and Purses (Page 4)

In fashion, sometimes the worst thing you can say about a design is that it’s…fine. At least when a bag is cosmically awful, the designers tried a little bit of something. A chance was taken, a personality was exposed, and even if those kinds of adventures don’t always work out, it’s always encouraging to see a design who’s willing to gamble.

The Gucci Madison Ostrich Tote isn’t a bad bag by any stretch of imagination. I wouldn’t hesitate to carry it and I’d be proud to own it if it somehow came to be mine without any money changing hands, but I couldn’t imagine swiping a card to make this particular purse mine. The design doesn’t have enough visual interest to be eye-catching and the lines aren’t sharp enough to call it minimalist. It’s just…fine. And “fine” isn’t worth four grand.

If Gucci‘s accessories designers have anything to say about it, the trend toward handbag minimalism is over, starting with Gucci Spring 2011.

Considering last season’s retro-leaning accessories collection and the current trend climate, I expected another line of referential, staid handbags from the Italian brand during its recent presentation in Milan; I was dead wrong. Not only were the clothes bright, bold and more than a tad tropical, but the bags were sexy statement-makers in exotics, metallics and intricate woven leather. Naturally, my favorites were the big carry-all satchels like the one at left.

After a successful first round in July, the good folks at RueLaLa are staging another irresistible Madison Avenue Couture event. The big sale launches tomorrow, September 9th and the selection of designer bags, shoes and accessories include brands like Gucci, Prada, Armani, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and many more. We can expect a vast variety of styles, with prices ranging from $200 to $2,000.

This is not one to miss. Grab an invite and make sure to hit the event early, as desired pieces vanish off the virtual racks in minutes.

Sign up for RueLaLa here!

It takes a lot for me to like a suede bag, but Gucci has gone and done just that. I’m already on the record as being a fan of their “1973″ line for fall, but I was a little bit dubious of the Gucci 1973 Medium Satchel until I saw the red suede version.

Because of the tactile nature of suede, colors usually end up looking muted when the finished product arrives. I like my colors vibrant, which contributes to my usual distaste for the material. In this case, though, the orange-y hue comes through loud and clear, taking advantage of suede’s texture without sacrificing vibrancy.

No one knows exactly how long the mini crossbody trend will last, but put me on the record as hoping that this shape stays around as a wardrobe staple for years to come. Not only are minibags delightfully functional, but they’re easily modified to embody nearly any style from hippie to industrial. In this case, the mood of the Gucci 1973 Small Shoulder Bag is clear – it’s all about the retro throwback.

This bag comes as no surprise to anyone that saw the looks from Gucci’s Fall 2010 runway show – I would have pegged the look as more late 60s than early 70s, but the retro shapes and color palette were omnipresent throughout the bags featured in the show. The altered Gucci logo is the touch that really completes the look.

It seems as though I should have waited another week to write about leopard print as a bag trend – since that post was published, several more enormous brands have made their entrance into the fad, most notable among them Gucci. I was surprised to see the Gucci Heritage Pony Hair Boston Bag at first, but once I had a chance to think about it, the print totally makes sense with the retro feel of their most recent collection.

As several commenters correctly pointed out on my initial leopard print post, animal prints have been around for ever and waxed and waned in relative trendiness for generations. It only makes sense that when most of fashion is taking a look back to find inspiration from over half a century ago that leopard print would experience a resurgence in popularity.

The introduction of the Apple iPad meant one thing for fashionistas worldwide: designer iPad cases. We already saw the Louis Vuitton iPad cases and now Gucci is offering a few iPad Case options as well.

Gucci plans to release multiple versions of their iPad cases, including options for Valentine’s Day and the Holidays. Right now versions include black rubberized Guccissima leather and GG neoprene. As much as the