Jimmy Choo Handbags and Purses

Growing up in South Florida, my friends and I were beach babies. We went from swimming pools to oceans and spent our weekends trying to surf. I say “trying” to surf because there was a long amount of time that I mostly just paddled around on my surf board before I ever even attempted to stand up. After a while, we all got better at surfing and at school we were part of the surfer crowd.

When I saw these two Jimmy Choo clutches pop up on Net-A-Porter this morning, I was immediately taken back to my high school surfer days. The Jimmy Choo Candy printed Acrylic Clutches may be super novelty items, but I HAVE TO have one of them. → Read More

Jimmy Choo Solar Studded Hobo, $1795 via Neiman Marcus

I warned y’all this was going to happen, so don’t say that I didn’t.

In fact, I warned you back in May that Jimmy Choo seemed intent on foisting the Jimmy Choo Solar Studded Hobo on the fashion world, and it took a little longer than we (or the company, probably) anticipated to get here, but did you use that time to prepare yourself? To prepare your eyes to view…this? I bet you didn’t. → Read More

Jimmy Choo Whipstitched Fur Crossbody, $1336 via Neiman Marcus

When I discovered the Jimmy Choo Whipstitched Fur Crossbody on Neiman Marcus’s sale page (naturally) last night, my brain flooded with innumerable questions. Why had I never seen this bag before? Surely it had been around for a while if it’s now on the sale page? I trawl Neiman Marcus for things to write about nearly every day, how did I miss it? Did it go directly to the sale page, do not pass go, do not collect $200? Might this be the most heinously awful crime against humanity that I’ve ever seen from a major handbag brand, or is it too hilarious to really be bad? → Read More

Alaia Leopard Tote, $4770. Jimmy Choo Gaia Leopard Tote, $2295. Both via Net-a-Porter.

Much to my eternal delight, leopard print is going absolutely nowhere. It came on strong as an accessories trend last fall, but the pattern has been falling in and out of favor for decades and it’s here to stay as long as fashion’s love for maximalism remains strong. In fact, the amount of leopard that’s surfacing for Fall 2011 might be an all-time high for the modern fashion industry.

Assuming that you’re still in to leopard, that means you’ve got some accessories decisions to make. Natural or grey? Satchel or tote? Partially leather or all haircalf? Alaia Leopard Satchel or Jimmy Choo Gaia Leopard and Leather Tote? Personally, I’ll pick Alaia every day, all day, but take a look at the larger pictures and pricing information after the jump before you let us know which design wins this Bag Battle. → Read More

Structure can be a great design element when implemented properly. In fact, some of the most timeless bags feature a bit of structure to their design, like the Hermes Birkin and Chanel Classic Flap. Yet there are times when a structured bag simply does not work, and this may be one of those times.

The Jimmy Choo Catherine Leopard-Print Satchel uses soft yet structured leather which is offset by leopard-print calf hair. There are double shoulder straps which appear long enough to fling over your shoulder, but because of the bags structure it may sit awkwardly against your body if carried that way. Many pockets make this bag functional, but all the functionality in the world does not help a design that is missing the mark. Oh Jimmy Choo, your shoes have fallen down the rabbit hole as of late, and your bag designs are so hit-or-miss. Buy via Neiman Marcus for $1,795.

Fill in the blank: The Jimmy Choo Catherine Leopard-Print Satchel is ______________.

A bag doesn’t need to come from a collection with a strong and unified design vision to be good, but more often than not, the best bags do. Starting with a clear point of view gives a set of designs a singular vision and set of references from which to pull, and knowing what those are going in to the creation process tends to lead to better and more rigorous editing, something that Jimmy Choo’s Fall 2011 Handbags could have really used.

As I look at these pictures, I started out optimistic; a good dose of structure was perhaps exactly what was needed in order to set Choo on the right track. But as I continued to click through bags, things got weirder and weirder, and not in a chic way. Several bags are covered in metal Zodiac medallions, some of them are giant, structureless puffs of fur, one in particular is very much in need of a shave. My advice to the folks at Jimmy Choo would be to keep the box clutches and start from scratch with everything else. → Read More

If you spend as much time on the Internet as we do (for your sanity’s sake, we hope you don’t), you’ve surely heard that a poisonous cobra has escaped from the Bronx Zoo and is now amusing and terrifying much of New York City. No one has any idea where the snake has crept off to, but now has its own hilarious Twitter account and has taken the place of Charlie Sheen as the Internet meme du jour. The Bronx Zoo cobra is doing all the winning now, Mr. Sheen.

There’s only one proper way to celebrate this slithering little wastrel, and no, it’s not with a snakeskin handbag. That would probably just upset him, and if you were to come across a poisonous cobra, the last thing you would want to do is hurt his feelings. (Or worse, make him think that you want to catch him and make him into a tasteful evening bag.) No, ladies, you need to immortalize the Bronx Zoo cobra in gemstones with the help of the Jimmy Choo Candice Snake Suede Clutch. I think there’s a “snake charming” pun in here somewhere. → Read More

We’ll be doing the requisite rundown of all of Fall 2011′s accessories trends over the next few weeks, but when I saw the Jimmy Choo Saba Python Hobo Bag, I just couldn’t help myself. Mixing textures and python are both very important for this year’s looks, and this bag combines both of them in a very wearable, functional tote.

I’ve felt more positive about Jimmy Choo’s designs for Spring 2011 than I have about the company’s handbags in what seems like quite a while, and this bag in particular is an example of what Choo tends to do right. It has a note of bohemia without being outright hippie-dippy, and the metallic finish on the python adds an extremely luxurious touch. The deep suede trim provides just enough contrast to keep the gunmetal python from looking over-the-top. Balance: It’s a beautiful thing. → Read More