In The News

An ad from one of Target’s previous designer collaborations

The fashion industry is always finding new ways to surprise, delight and confuse me (sometimes all at the same time, which might be the case today), but yesterday’s news from Women’s Wear Daily that Target, the suburban bastion of cheap leggings and toilet paper that we all know and love, would soon be moving into the high-end boutique business caught me particularly off guard. We all know Target for its now-discontinued line of Go! International collaborations with up-and-coming designers (although more collabs with established brands, like the one with Jason Wu, are forthcoming), but the megachain’s newest venture, The Shops by Target, takes the idea to the next level. Get ready for some swanky stores-within-stores.

Images via Target

These are the images we’ve been waiting to see for what seems like years (but has actually only been months) – the Jason Wu x Target lookbook is here! And for once, at long last, the handbags that have resulted from this collection aren’t utter crap. Leave it to Mr. Wu to finally do right by the accessories lovers in the audience.

The lookbook, which can be found in its entirety after the jump, features 16 full looks, 10 handbags and three cute square scarves. Some of the bags, like an oatmeal-colored canvas tote, are pretty standard, while a few of them (most notably a cream and black satchel and a north-south tote emblazoned with the image of the little black cat who inspired the collection) are standouts. The best part? Nothing in the collection will retail for more than $49.99. The collection launches at Target stores nationwide on February 5.

Image via Gawker

We know that Louis Vuitton is willing to sue anyone and everyone in order to make sure that its logo or name isn’t used in any ways of which it doesn’t approve; after all, the company sued Hyundai last year over the brief appearance of a monogrammed basketball in one of its commercials. The ball didn’t even have an “LV” on it, but that didn’t stop Vuitton from filing a trademark infringement complaint against the Korean carmaker. When it comes to trademark issues, LVMH is perhaps more steadfast and humorless than any other company on the planet.

The latest target in the crosshairs of the LVMH legal department is Warner Brothers, the production company behind The Hangover 2. The movie apparently contains some faux luggage that one of the characters refers to as real, which has Vuitton brass none too pleased.

Image via Heritage Auctions

If you were to ask any handbag lover what the most expensive handbag to ever sell at auction was, I’m pretty sure that we’d all guess the same thing: an Hermes Crocodile Birkin with White Gold & Diamond Hardware. It just makes sense; not only are Hermes bags (and Birkins in particular) notorious for holding their value and doing well at resale, but a crocodile Birkin with diamond-encrusted hardware is one of the most elusive and expensive collector’s items in the world.

When a friend alerted me a few weeks ago that a Dallas auction house was set to put a group of rare Hermes bags on the auction block, I told her than the estimated $80,000 price for the “Hermes Exceptional Collection Shiny Rouge H Porosus Crocodile 30cm Birkin Bag with Solid 18K White Gold & Diamond Hardware” (as the auction house called it) you see above sounded a bit low; I guessed that it would go in the $100,000+ range. That being said, even I am a bit shocked at the price this bag actually sold for earlier this week…

We have some very exciting new to share on this Friday afternoon! Start at the beginning of next month, you’ll now be able to put your American Express away and use your Visa or MasterCard in Neiman Marcus retail store. If you, like me, have ever felt the slight burn of shame when it comes time to pay for a purchase and you realize that you don’t have your AmEx on you that day, this will surely be good news.

NeimanMarcus.com has long accepted a variety of credit cards, as have Last Call outlet locations, but brick-and-mortar main line stores had resisted coming on board until now. To me, this feels like a long time coming. In a rough economy, why turn down potential sales? Remember: If you need some help being patient until you can shop in stores, NeimanMarcus.com is always open.

Our community PurseForum is teaming up with Rebecca Minkoff in a project the likes of which handbag lovers have never seen before. Starting tomorrow, Monday the 10th of October, PurseForum.com will launch a three-week collaboration that will not only have fans vote on design elements to create an exclusive Rebecca Minkoff bag, but also allow the fans to be an integral part of the design process. This means the finished product will be a new shape and style from the Rebecca Minkoff team that was designed by way of direct user commentary from PurseForum.com members.

The entire three-week process will be hosted on PurseForm.com, so make sure you are a registered member of tPF so you can partake in the voting and design of this bag, which will walk down the runway in February at New York Fashion Week! You can’t tell by this post, but I am seriously jumping out of my seat with excitement over such an amazing project!!

Read all about it on tPF HERE!

I cannot begin to imagine the frustration Joy Gryson and her company must feel over seeing a very similar brand name pop up and cause brand confusion. Many have thought Olivia & Joy is a new offshoot by Joy Gryson, but it is not. Do not be confused, there is absolutely no affiliation, and we wanted to help clear up any confusion that buyers might have.