Continuing to love, support and discuss the brand, the Bottega Veneta fan base on the Purse Forum has helped our Exclusive Bottega Veneta Day come to life. The Purse Forum is the largest gathering of handbag enthusiasts world wide, as well as the most active fashion forum online. Our Bottega Veneta crowd is loyal and knows an astonishing amount of information. One of the most highly-coveted Bottega Veneta bags is the Cabat, which is discussed in depth in the BV forum.

Learn what the Cabat is all about...

We are excited to be the first site online to bring our readers a look at the Bottega Veneta The Art of Collaboration video for Fall 2009. Shot in New York this past March, the video was taken during the Fall 2009 photo shoot, captured by famed photographer Steven Meisel. Staying true to the Bottega Veneta brand image, the photos convey wit, intelligence, and beauty. The backdrop was bare and rugged, showing an unconventional glamour in which the models took center stage while showcasing the subdued palette of muted browns and creams splashed with luscious shades of grape, bramble, and lilac from the fall line.

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The excitement is building as August 4th nears! Purse Blog and Bottega Veneta are partnering for a day filled with exclusives. Obviously, you will have to come back to see what we have in store for you, but right now we can tell you we will have very exclusive Bottega Veneta coverage! Make sure you log on to PurseBlog and continue to check back throughout the entire day so you don’t miss anything.

Thanks to Bottega Veneta, one of our favorite designers, for partnering with us! Who is excited?

I both love and hate the Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile Striped Tote. I love it because it is, without a doubt, pretty much gorgeous. The color is listed as tan, which would normally be boring, but the subtle olive green undertones that run through it are enough to make the color something that you don’t see everyday while still maintaining its neutrality. The pale, unobtrusive color does wonders to highlight what’s really important about this bag – the structure. This is the second bag we’ve seen today that has juxtaposed exotic leathers and suede, and the effect here is simultaneously just as successful and totally different. The crocodile mixed with the softer, tactile suede gives the sewn-together strips a depth of visual interest and texture that is absolutely brilliant; I really can’t say enough about it.

What bothers me, though, is that the beauty of the crocodile skin is somewhat lost in the strips of leather and suede. My feeling, as I have explained before, is always that a bag made out of an exotic leather should use that leather’s natural texture to its greatest advantage. In tiny strips, it’s basically impossibly to do that. Stamped croc would have probably been a more cost-effective and appropriate material to use here, even though I’m not generally a proponent of stamping anything on high-end handbags. The price is somewhat reasonable for a bag that does use a great deal of exotic leather, though, so when that’s combined with the bag’s sleek beauty, I can’t hate it too much. Buy through Saks for $2750.

Tod’s handbags are known for their structure, their timeless appeal, their simplicity. But sometimes I crave some softness and lack of structure in my bag, so it just sits on my shoulder and molds to my body. That is precisely what Tod’s has done with the Tod’s New Pashmy Sacca Hobo and I could not be happier with the end result. Everything about this hobo screams soft, supple, divine. It is unlike many Tod’s bags that I see. No structure, rather a chain link handle (very un-Tod’s like) with ruching detail along the sides of the slouchy body. The size is great too, 10″W X 16″H X 8″D, and the shoulder drop is 12″ which is perfect to not make the handbag hug your armpit which I despise. Upon first glance, I thought this bag was leather. But it is nylon. And nylon bag are, eh, alright. They are easy to clean and Tod’s is known to make a great nylon bag, but I so wish this was leather. Buy through Saks for $825.

I am very, very interested to see what Phoebe Philo will do during her tenure at Celine. I loved the Philo years at Chloe; after all, they did spawn some pretty legendary handbags (the Paddington, anyone?). Celine made some bags I liked quite a bit last season, which was a nice turnaround from their normally staid but bland fare. I’m having some trouble figuring out if this bag is from Celine’s last collection before Philo or their first collection with her, but either way, the Celine Dimitri Python Hobo is another step in the right direction.

The thing that struck me first is the color – it’s a beautiful medium grey with strong blue undertones, and the temperature of the color is cool enough to be perfect for the forthcoming colder weather (well, forthcoming for those that don’t live in my area of the country. We have several months of scorching heat ahead of us). It’s also light enough to highlight the differentiation between the python scales, which is something I believe all bags made out of exotic materials should do – after all, if I’m paying out the nose for it, I want to see the natural beauty of the skin showcased. Indeed, most of the bag is sublime – the thick straps, the shiny silver hardware in unexpected shapes, the tonal suede accents. The only thing that gives pause is the fringe emanating from the handle attachments. I don’t hate it at all, I’m just not sure about it and think that it possibly could have been done better. I can’t imagine how, though, so maybe I’m asking too much. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $4200.

Mark Wahlberg and his longtime girlfriend, model Rhea Durham, were married in an intimate ceremony this weekend. Every bride should be the center of attention on their day and Rhea Durham looked nothing short of stunning on her day. Rhea wore an Goddess like Marchesa silk chiffon strapless empire gown along with her Neil Lane diamond-and-platinum cushion cut ring. Everything about the gown and bride make this our weekend obsession. For more on MARCHESA visit their online site. Congrats to Mark and Rhea!

We receive countless emails everyday about new and emerging designers that want us to take a look at their line. I wish we had enough time in the day to be able to cover all of them, but we do not. What helps a designer stand out to us is their bags possessing a unique quality. Uniqueness catches my eye first, one of those ‘Ah, haven’t seen anything like that before‘ moments. That is precisely what I feel about LaLucca Handbags. The head designer of LaLucca, Laura Pimentel, was born in the Dominican Republic and trained in both Europe and the USA. Her design aesthetic jumps out and grabs you instantaneously, especially with the LaLucca Art Bag collection.

Discover LaLucca...

Just another version of one of the coveted Proenza Schouler bags. We have introduced you to nearly every version of the Proenza Schouler PS1 that has been released and this one is not much different. Main difference is the size, this is the Proenza Schouler Extra Large PS1 which not only is larger but also moves the price tag up into an extra large number. I prefer the medium size but if I am being completely honest with you I really just want the Crocodile Satchel. The chocolate suede looks scrumptious. What are your thoughts on the size? Buy through Net A Porter for $2,350.

Ladies, the Real Housewives of New Jersey ain’t got nothin’ on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. If you had forgotten, let the first episode of their second season remind you: the heat down here makes people crazy. It’s 10:30 in the morning as I’m writing this and it’s nearing 90 degrees outside – you’d get upset quickly too.

Maybe I have a special place in my heart for the Atlanta housewives because all of their shenanigans go down in my hometown, but I can’t help but think that they’re probably my favorite ones. I had a brief love affair with the New Jerseyites, but their reunion left me kind of glum and unimpressed, whereas the Atlantans have never done anything but delight me with their awfulness. And don’t get it twisted – that’s what we’re all here for.

And my Atlanta compatriots didn’t disappoint in their premiere. Since we saw them last season, alliances and residences have shifted, relationships have ended, and they started things off in the only appropriate way: a fight where a grown man had to be physically removed from his place of business, lest he punch Sheree in the face.

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