In The News (Page 5)

When a reader pointed us in the direction of the Wall Street Journal‘s profile of Spanish accessories brand Loewe and its creative director Steven Vevers, it seemed like as good a time as any to discuss the relevancy of the so-called “anti” It Bags. Vevers, a veteran of brands like Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and most recently Mulberry, has decided to take Loewe in a very different direction than many of his past designs would indicate by introducing bags like the Loewe Papelle Bag, above.

Vevers was the creative mind who changed Mulberry’s image from a staid British leather goods company to the favorite of London It Girls that we know it as today. He did that by updating the brand to a youthful, playful look, but apparently he feels that the time is right for consumers to want something different by every measure. So…do you?

It has happened. The Kardashian sister trio, Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe, have announced their global partnership with designer Bruno Schiavi and his apparel company Jupi Corporation. The initial range is said to include a women’s Ready to Wear collection, handbags, belts, wallets, and lingerie which should hit stores in 2011.

We have seen so many celebrity fashion lines and most of them are far from anything I would buy. I will be the first to admit that I love watching the Kardashians on TV, but their empire of everything they place their names on has seemed to lack any discretion seems to be chosen as long as it brings in money. I am not finding fault with their knowing how to market themselves, but I am not about to run out and buy a handbag or piece of clothing because their name is associated with it.

Before we get going here, I want to be clear – this discussion is on “inspired” items, not counterfeit bags or any garment that misuses another brand’s name or logo. We would never encourage or condone that!

It’s no secret in these parts that some of our readers get very punchy when they feel as though one designer has taken liberties with the work of another. The subject of originality is one that’s near and dear to almost any fashionista’s heart, likely because we’ve all been conditioned to seek out The Next Big Thing. When a designer bases a garment too closely on what has already been done, it flies directly in the face of the pursuit of the new. Retro is one thing, ripoff is another.

Or is it? Johanna Blakley, a University of Southern California researcher that specializes in media and intellectual property, thinks that perhaps the well-worn practice of fashionable copycatting is actually what continues to drive fashion forward and make designers better and more original. She makes an interesting case in the video above, and we’ll discuss it after the jump.

We’re a couple days late on this story because we were hoping to have pictures for you, but no such luck. Instead, we’ll have to use our imaginations to figure out what Mulberry‘s line for use discount retailer Target will look like.

The collection, slated for release October 10, makes the British brand the latest in a long line of designers that have collaborated with Target for capsule lines of clothes, bags and shoes. What makes this particular set of bags interesting, however, is that the bags will reportedly be made of materials like denim and velvet, avoiding the PVC-heavy purses that we’ve seen in the past.

I’ve always hated the waxy texture and chemical smell of PVC, so I’m hopeful that the use of something other than fake leather will elevate these bags above some of the previous handbag collections that we’ve seen at Target. Are you excited about this collection? We’ll post pictures as soon as they come our way.

I’m from the South, so I come from a tradition where people dress up for particularly popular sporting events. Admittedly, I’m not all that tuned in to international soccer or the conventions and traditions that surround it, but I figure that there’s some daring bag lover out there that likes to dress to support her team and still be fashionable. If not, well, take this purely as a comedy post. You have to admit, however, that no matter where or how you’re watching the games, you’ve still got to carry a bag, right?

Sometimes I just don’t get the French.

In a trademark infringement suit filed in Manhattan Federal Court, Louis Vuitton is going after the Korean Automobile manufacturer Hyundai for using its trademarked logo in a Superbowl commercial. The commercial briefly displays an LV Monogram basketball being tossed around in a random street hoops game.

The French fashion house argues that Hyundai committed infringement by displaying their iconic famous and incontestable logo in the commercial.

One of the hottest tickets at New York Fashion Week is for Proenza Schouler, which will be showing tonight. Proenza Schouler Bags have not only hit the scene but they have become highly sought after. The PS1 is now a part of many PurseBloggers handbag vocabulary.

While it will not include PS1′s, as the PS1 is not part of the runway show as they are separate from the seasonal bag collection, the handbags from the Fall/Winter 2010 Proenza Schouler show will be available on ProenzaSchouler.com for 24 following the show. Also, you can watch the show live tonight at 8 PM EST also at their website.

Check out the show tonight and make sure to check back to see if any of the runway bags are calling your name!