Images via Vogue.com

Before taking a look at the stills from Versace Fall 2012, I had heard the collection repeatedly described as Rooney Mara-inspired and high-end goth and all of these other things that made me think that the handbags stood a chance in hell of being really, really good. I was hopeful, you guys. Genuinely hopeful. I should know better by now.

Versace Baroque Print PVC Tote, $1125 via Net-a-Porter

At first, I had no issue with the Versace Baroque Print PVC Tote. The yellow-on-white pattern may not be my personal taste, but it’s the kind of strong, intricate visual for which Versace is known, so I can’t fault them for pursuing that aesthetic. What I CAN fault them for, though, is charging over a thousand dollars for a very basic tote that’s not even real leather.

Versace Metallic Leather Shoulder Bag, $1625 via Net-a-Porter

Over the past few seasons, I’ve tried to be optimistic about Versace and its bags. I’ve been a long-time skeptic of the brand’s accessories while still being a big fan of the brand’s clothing, both ready-to-wear and atelier, and it’s seemed at times that the bags were just one or two steps away from where they should be.

Images via Racked.com

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Versace x H&M is the high-low collaboration of the season. Slated to debut at select stores on November 17, the collection includes everything from leather jackets and dresses to a few home goods, which is a first for H&M’s designer dabblings. What’s relevant to us, of course, is that the partnership has also produced bags.

Images via Vogue.com

I have some relatives who live in South Florida. I haven’t visited since I was a teenager, but my memories of Floridian seaside kitsch are still very clear: pastel starfish and seahorses and shells. Lots of them. Adorning everything from t-shirts to upholstered furniture. If the bags from Versace Spring 2012 are any indication, Donatella Versace may have spied on my childhood vacations quite frequently.

We aren’t known to be the biggest Versace supporters at our site, but we’ve been feeling a it warmer lately. I know some people absolutely love the brand, but Donatella’s accessories almost always go over the edge of overt opulence; they’re often too ornate for my liking. However, upon seeing the Versace Structured Snake-Effect Leather Tote I felt true excitement. Sure, the overall design is simple, but the python print along with the coloring screams “fall statement piece.” (It also sort of screams “Valentino Fall 2011,” but that’s another post entirely.) The sad news is that PurseBloggers, we have a problem: the price.

Versace Baroque Printed Bag, $995 via Net-a-Porter

I’m as hard on Versace as anyone, but I like to think of it as a tough love situation. I talk smack because I want the brand to improve its handbags, not because I take any particular delight in its struggles. Although I have to admit, some of the company’s past bags have been almost delightfully bad, so there may have been a modicum of enjoyment on my part.

We all know that I tend to be a little tough on Versace, but it comes from a place of love. (Usually.) The brand has a great and utterly glamourous history, and with the right people in place, it could be a source of lovely bags and shoes that would make us all sublimely happy. The company has struggled in recent years, but lately I’ve noticed a significant uptick in the look of its accessories.

I’m as surprised by this as you are, but the handbags from Versace Fall 2011 are more than a little great. The big, soft hobos in various textures and color combinations aren’t on-trend or directional or any of those other fashion buzzwords, but they do look like they’d be functional and wearable and all of those other buzzwords that matter to people who actually need to use their handbags.