Louis Vuitton Handbags and Purses (Page 14)

I’ll freely admit that I don’t know exactly when the Louis Vuitton Damier Neverfull came out. I remember it was still hotly anticipated the last time that I wrote about a Neverfull (the beautiful crocodile version!), and sometime between then and now, it showed up on eLuxury as a new arrival. And you know what? I love it. It’s not as obvious as Louis Vuitton’s monogram version, but it’s still insanely practical, simple, and chic. It’s a big that can be used year-round for years to come, and in an uncertain economy, longevity of a bag’s design is something that’s on the minds of more and more people. We all know that Vuitton’s canvas wears like few other materials, and a bicolor material like Damier can be paired with a variety of clothing choices. For maximum versatility, I’d go with the MM – not too big, not too small, perfect for lots of uses. Buy through eLuxury for $700.

Louis Vuitton Damier Geant Canvas Conquerant 65

As I mentioned not too long ago, I’m making a small sojourn to Colorado during the first week of November to visit a, uh, well…a good friend of mine, we’ll say. And as I lamented in my last post on the subject, I have no suitcase. Somehow, for some reason, I never managed to acquire one. I’m visiting my parents this weekend and will be borrowing one from them (who, puzzlingly, have lots of suitcases but rarely travel), but if I could have any suitcase in the world, which one would I pick today? Right now, my extravagant side is telling me to go for the Louis Vuitton Damier Geant Canvas Conquerant 65. Its lines are incredibly simple, its branding understated, and if it’s anything like the rest of the Louis Vuitton line, it’s exceptionally durable. I’d never check Louis Vuitton, though, and this suitcase’s dimensions are perfect for a carry-on. But for $3,520 via eLuxury, I might consider buying it its own seat right next to me.

With joy and delight I learned that none other than Sir Sean Connery was appearing in this new Louis Vuitton ad, supporting the Climate Project. At 78 years of age, the Scotsman still has the same striking looks and vibrant charm that made him world-famous as Double-O Seven – LV could not have picked a better representative for its latest campaign. Bravo!

The Waterproof Keepall suits him well, too. Buy it via eLuxury.

Three weeks ago, when our Louis Vuitton PR contact in New York emailed us about the upcoming SoHo Casino Night party just two days ahead of time, Megs and I were bummed to realize that there was no way we would make it. To our delight, a few days later we received a letter with an official invite to the Louis Vuitton Bal Harbour Casino Party, which happened to take place just last night.

In best Casino Royale style, the invite contained a single, custom LV poker chip. Not being much of a gambler myself, the idea of having a casino-themed launch party, showcasing the new Damier Graphite line of bags, got me really excited. Nothing better than sipping on a dry Martini, gazing at new Vuitton goods and maybe winning something at the Blackjack table.

Louis Vuitton Crocodile Neverfull

Ladies, I have to tell you, I had a great weekend. I was lucky enough to get to meet about a dozen of our wonderful Atlanta-area (and beyond!) Purse Forum members this past Sunday, and I couldn’t ask for a group of nicer, more awesome handbag-loving ladies. We all had a wonderful lunch, and then a few of us ventured over to Saks for some shopping (or, in my case, drooling – I left everything but money for lunch at home to stave off temptation), and we hit the jackpot inside the Saks Louis Vuitton boutique.

The first rare treasure that I saw was the trend-setting Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse leopard print cashmere-silk stole. When I saw this online when it first came out, I couldn’t help but think, “Uh, it’s…just a scarf. Kind of a big scarf, but for $725, I’m going to need miles of scarf.” Well, sometimes, things just don’t show up as glorious online as they do in person, because this thing is beautiful. It’s much wider than the average pashmina, and it lit up my outfit of black empire-waist top and skinny jeans as soon as I wrapped it around my neck. It felt lush and luxurious, like I would happily wrap it around myself every single cold day of the year.

Stuff like this? Why I left the AmEx at home.

In the South, we’re a little weird about college football. If any of you grew up or went to college south of the Mason-Dixon line, you’re already aware of this phenomenon. Not only do our college teams garner much more ardent support than any of our professional teams, but people devote themselves to their Alma maters with an emotional vigor that is rare to find elsewhere in all of sports.

So what’s this got to do with handbags, you say? Well, today is opening day of the 2008 college football season, and although most of the games aren’t until Saturday, a few will be televised tonight and kick off (literally) the happiest 12 weeks of the year for this sports fan. Not only that, but this time of year brings about an odd dressing conundrum for all female football fans that support schools in the South.

Because here, you can’t just wear *anything* to a game. We dress up for football like some people dress up for church – and we do it in our team’s colors. Some schools (particularly those where orange figures prominently, bleh) have a harder time of it than others, and I like to think that my school chose wisely. I am an alumni of The University of Georgia, and our colors are red and black. I’ve bought an untold number of dresses, pairs of shoes, and pieces of jewelry in red and black, thinking, “Great! I can wear this on game day!” In reality, there are only 6 or 7 home games per year, and I have more sundresses and red jewelry than I could ever hope to wear to them.

Louis Vuitton may be known for their monogram but their logo free designs lure in many LV lovers worldwide. Between the Epi Line and the Suhali Line, Louis Vuitton is able to reach out to those who yearn for a designer bag from a top house without the logo being splashed on. The Louis Vuitton Epi line has an array of bags under the $1,000 mark. but the goat leather of the Suhali line makes the prices jump a bit. But if you are looking for a stunning handbag from Louis Vuitton, the Suhali line is it. For a more entry level item (and lower price), the Louis Vuitton Suhali Clutch is a great start. This is not the clutch to take to the college town bar, though you can, rather it is the timeless elegant clutch that can be used year after year. The Suhali goat leather is hand selected and used in this clutch to resemble the curved shape of the well-known LV Lockit. The leather is soft yet sturdy and offset with golden brass hardware. There is a removable and adjustable wrist strap, which is always a major plus. Dimensions are great, measuring 9.4″x 5.1″x 1.8″. This is a clutch that I would recommend to anyone looking for a leather clutch that works for nearly all occasions and all clothing options. Buy through eLuxury for $1040.