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 Louis Vuitton

As I’ve mentioned previously this week, the non-season seasons really irk me, as an accessories lover. Even Louis Vuitton, a company that knows where its bread is buttered (the brand didn’t even start making ready-to-wear until Marc Jacobs’ advent in the 90s), doesn’t release handbag shots with its standard lookbook for pre-season collections. C’mon, Vuitton, throw us a bone!

Because we have so many LV addicts in our audience, though, I thought I’d publish the lookbook itself, which includes several peeks at what this line will have to offer, purse-wise. There’s a little fur, a little matte leather and a little bit of saturated color. In short, most of these bags are a whole lot of wearable. I’ll take the emerald green duffel right now, thank you. Full photos after the jump – the immaculately detailed, incredibly luxurious clothes are worth a look as well.

If I’m being accurate, this post actually comes to you via my mom. A few days ago, she emailed me a link to the Marc by Marc Jacobs Totally Turnlock Python Shine Messenger with the message, “Doesn’t Marc know that Proenza does this bag better?” And, well, yes. Marc probably knows that! In fact, the Proenza Schouler PS1 Pouchette just debuted in a very similar color of acid yellow. If you’re on a budget, though, I think that the Marc version is a pretty reasonable alternative.

I’ve already got Fashion Week on my mind and one of my favorite things about Fashion Week is bag stalking. Come February, editors, buyers, and miscellaneous cool people alike will be hitting Lincoln Center both wearing and carrying their finest.

I have plenty of handbags in my arsenal, but sometimes an oddly different bag stands out and grabs my attention. This is precisely what this Valentino bag has done to me, lured me in and left me wanting more.

However, I realize not everyone loves the urban jungle feel of this panther-print calf hair tote with serious stud embellishments. Help us out and tell us what you think! Buy via Net-A-Porter for $2,995.

Fill in the Blank: The Valentino Rockstud Panther Print Calf Hair Tote is _______.

Lanvin isn’t a company that messes with its stable of handbags often. Sure, seasonal styles come and go, but rarely does the French house launch a new design that will be added to the small group of bags that it produces season after season. Staring with Summer 2011, the Lanvin JL Bowling Bag will be the newest piece on that very short list.

The bag, named for Jeanne Lanvin, comes in several sizes and a variety of leathers and colors right off the bat. The photo above and those after the jump all feature the medium size, but Lanvin indicates that a smaller version, shoulder bag and clutch will also be available. The smaller bowler in black or chestnut leather is already available via Bergdorf Goodman for $2545, and the medium python iteration can be found at Luisa Via Roma for $5950. The rest of the prices for the range have yet to be announced. Check out some more pictures after the jump and let us know how you feel about these new bags in the comments!

Hermes Steeple Canvas Horse Tote, $2700 via Hermes (for now)

Hold on to your horses, folks. Or at least hold on to your Hermes Steeple Canvas Horse Totes – prices for the most expensive handbags in the world are about to get even higher.

Anya Hinmarch Nevis Tote, $995 in leather or $495 in rubber. Both via Net-a-Porter

We first brought you news of these bags back when the rubber version of the Anya Hindmarch Nevis Tote was in pre-order, but now that the leather version has surfaced in all of its colorblocked glory and both are available for immediate purchase, we thought the design seemed worth a revisit. Rubber, leather, whatever – I can’t get over how much I like this bag. It’s just so simple.