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.

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.

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.

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.

Scarlett Johansson can be seen as the face of Mango campaigns and now also has partnered with Mango to design a handbag which will benefit the victims of the Haiti earthquake. The simple tote shape is adorned with ancient cartography of Haiti and at the top of the bag has the message “Supporting the people of Haiti. Designed by Scarlett Johansson”.

One of our favorite handbag styles at the moment, the Proenza Schouler PS1, is now available on their website. This bag has continued to catch our attention, with its schoolgirl appeal and masculine yet ladylike vibe. I will continue to applaud the boys behind PS, who have made Proenza Schouler bags become part of our handbag vocabulary.

In December we first got news that Proenza Schouler would open up their online sales and were selling web exclusives.

In the fashion industry (and, increasingly, in any industry), the phrase “Chinese craftsmanship” is usually an implied pejorative. Fairly or unfairly, things that are made in China are generally assumed to be less well-made than those made in Europe or the US, and much has been made over a handful of Chinese product recalls that have been announced for deadly dog food and baby formula or lead-filled toothpaste.

When it came to realization that the levels of lead being used in children’s toys was off the charts, everyone became very aware of the toys they were buying. High lead levels have been found in other household products including paint and blinds as well. ABC broke the story that researches found extremely alarming levels of lead in some handbags from top retailers.

Add this to the list of Things I Didn’t Know Science Cared About, I suppose.

According to UK retailer Debenhams, the weight of the average woman’s handbag, including its contents, has fallen from 7.69 pounds in 2007 to 3.31 pounds in 2009. I don’t know about anyone else, but my shoulders and back are certainly thankful for the dramatic change.

Everyone knows that no trend lasts forever, so when tiny actresses were seen with handbags bigger than some New York studio apartments in the middle of the last decade, we all knew that it was a matter of time until the Olsen look was so five minutes ago.