Versace Handbags

Oh, Versace. Just when we start to get into the summer fashion blahs when nothing new is coming out, another one of their ridiculous bag appears and we have something to talk about yet again.

In the grand scheme of things, for this brand in particular, the Versace Leather Flap Hobo isn’t terrible. It can actually be used as a handbag. It will hold things. You can put it on your arm. Which in some cases, for Versace, is a progress. It’s a bit overdone, because of course it is, and it’s got some sort of red patent wings or something hanging off the front. They appear to serve no purpose, because of course they don’t. And this particular bag is both patent and regular leather, which is particularly hard when using red since the pigments render so differently on the two materials. They got fairly close, though. Kudos. I mean, not exactly the same, but not hugely different. But the gaudy gold hardware spells out their name in big block letters and the flaps are nonsensical as I already mentioned, and the price is insulting, because of course it is. It’s Versace. Buy through Saks for $2470.

Anyone care to take a guess as to why I’m writing about this bag? Anyone? No? Ok. Well, I’m writing about the Versace Turquoise Fox Hexagonal Tote purely for my own entertainment. As of late, more or less everything Versace does makes me want to punch someone in the face (and even if one of their bags isn’t bad, the price is atrocious), so when my mom somehow found this bag and emailed it to me earlier this morning, I couldn’t NOT take the chance to make fun of them. And really, this bag is more deserving of ridicule than any other that I’ve seen lately.

It looks like the Cookie Monster and Snuffleupagus had sex, and the resulting baby was skinned and turned into a handbag (yes, I had to Google to find out how to spell ‘Snuffleupagus’ I thought it had more F’s, personally). That kind of violence against muppets will certainly not be tolerated here at PurseBlog, and the immense cruelty towards children’s entertainment that Versace has shown with this handbag will not soon be forgotten. For shame, Donatella. What are you going to do next, skin the Florida Gator’s mascot and make a clutch out of it? Actually, on second thought, I would be completely ok with that. Just stay away from Big Bird. Buy through Bluefly for $3532.99.

Oh, Versace. We’ve had this conversation before. But before we starting talking about the sticking point that I always have with this brand, let’s talk about some positives. First, I think this is a really nice-looking bag. The Versace Frame Satchel reminds me a bit of the iconic Marc Jacobs Stam in shape and proportion, and that’s a good thing. People loved, and still love, that bag, and part of the reason was because it’s simple and functional. I like that Versace included their bit of bling in the top frame by making it all metal, and the zipper trim is cute and a bit unexpected. The leather also looks beautiful.

The problem I have though, is that the leather is not exotic, and for the price tag, it absolutely should be. $4000 is too much to spend for a regular leather bag, which is exactly what this is. My Stam cost about $1300 at regular retail, and this bag is not any more fantastic than that one was. I continue to be baffled by Versace’s pricing scheme, and they don’t appear to have the avid following to support it. Buy through Nordstrom for $3995.

You know what really grinds my gears? More than, like, anything else in fashion? The misappropriation of the word “couture.” Something isn’t “couture” just because it’s expensive or weird looking. You don’t call something “couture” just so you can try and charge more for it. Couture is a real word with a specific definition. Couture is a one-off piece that is hand-made for a client or show, not mass-produced. Couture is not sold on a mass-market website.

I would think that a brand like Versace would understand the distinction. Apparently not, though, because the Versace Couture Clutch has no indication of ACTUALLY being couture to me. It’s just a woven metallic envelope clutch that reminds me a lot of Bottega Veneta. And since Versace is known to charge upwards of $2000 for completely non-spectacular, non-couture clutches, I can’t imagine that they’d charge less (but still an exorbitant amount for what you get) for something that was actually handmade in small quantities. So I’m befuddled here. Has the word lost all of its fabulous meaning? Or am I missing the reason that this actually fits the category? Buy through eLuxury for $1305.

And now, in “Things That Cost Way More Than is Reasonable” news, we have the Versace Croc-Stamped Clutch. Is it an actual exotic? No, no, it’s stamped. So it’s regular leather like every other bag you own. Hmm. Well, is it big? No, it’s a clutch. A clutch-sized clutch. Ok. Well is the design really interesting or innovative? No, it’s just a regular pleated leather bag with a standard chain strap like most clutches have. It’s got a metal handle, but I’m not thrilled. And I’m not saying I don’t like it - I do! It’s cute! It’s couple-hundred-bucks cute, though. And when has Versace priced anything but a t-shirt in the couple-hundred-bucks price range? Certainly not a bag. And this bag, my dear bag friends, started out at a whopping two grand. Even thinking about is giving me a headache like you wouldn’t believe. Thankfully, the reasonable folks at eLuxury have had the good sense to knock about $800 off the starting price, but still. That’s $1200 for a completely unspectacular clutch (and the leather looks a little fake-y. Just sayin’). We all pay exorbitant prices for our bags, but this might border on insulting. Buy through eLuxury for $1239.

Oh my! Very rarely do I start of talking about the price of a handbag, but in this case, I have to. I cannot believe this handbag is over $4,000! I know, I know, it is Versace and perhaps I should be used to these kind of price tag, but still, c’mon now. Ok, let me talk about the handbag a bit. The Versace Venita Bow Satchel is a new piece from the spring 2009 line. Wide swaths of gorgeous pink leather topped with some trapunto stitching definitely work well together. Now add a logo-topped bow and double handles and the entire bag comes together. I like the overall soft, whimsical and feminine look of this handbag. This is definitely a handbag that you don’t see often. Although a quick glance might lead you to think the bag is a tad messy, I think it works. If I could talk to the folks over at Versace I would definitely be curious to know where the inspiration came from. What a fun and flirty handbag to sport this Spring, now if I could just collect all the pennies from all the couches across America I might be in luck. Pre-order through Nordstrom for $4395.

Holy crackers, Versace has gone and made a bag that I like.

Quite honestly, I thought I was pretty safe from the charms of Versace’s accessories line. It has always seemed like either way too much or not nearly enough for me. On the one hand, a lot of it is blinged, studded, quilted, rouched, and covered with hardware and fringe to the extent that I’m not sure if it would actually function as a handbag. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen handbags of theirs so boring while still being so astronomically priced that they gave even me handbag ennui. The Versace Multi Ring Hobo (almost) gets it right, though. I don’t love the color, but it may come in others, and the leather looks like it would be obscenely soft and supple. The shape is nice and wearable, and I like the pleated effect of the construction. This bag’s tragic flaw, though, is the price - at over $3,000, I’m not sure that it’ll go to the top of many wishlists. Please, Donatella, rethink your accessories pricing - it might get you a much larger piece of the pie if you keep designing at least mildly attractive bags. Buy through Saks for $3145.

There are times where I simply shake my head in disbelief. A good example would have to be with this bag. I know that Versace is a force to reckon with. Yes, Versace is a fashion powerhouse, but at what point should someone take a step back and say, “although we are Versace, there is no way we can ask this price for this bag”? I am just going to say it, the Versace Venus Ostrich Stamped Patent Bag is overpriced. First of all, this is ostriched-stamped shiny patent leather! Ostrich-stamped folks. Sure, the bag looks extremely textured, but to me, not in a good way. The handles are also patent leather which attach to the patent leather bag with chain link shoulder straps. And let me say one more thing, that sure is a lot of patent leather. For me, patent leather should follow the rule of moderation. To be honest, the only thing I really like about this bag is the satin lining. Satin lining makes my heart happy. Ok, yes, I can picture plenty of people sporting this bag, but not this girl. With the kind of price tag associated to this patent leather bag, would you buy it? If so, you can buy it through eLuxury for $2,880.

Yep, I think I am in love. As soon as I saw this handbag I knew I wanted to share it will all of you. This gorgeous Versace Crinkled Metallic Leather Shoulder Bag needs to be added to my collection. I tend to think twice about shiny, metallic bags, but this one seems to be just my type. Versace is known for their impeccable attention to detail and gorgeous material. This bag does not fall short. And I don’t see the handbag going out of style anytime soon - it has timeless qualities.

I think one of the things I like the most is the color; you can sport it every season. The combination of crinkled coated metallic leather and textured metallic leather trim adds a little something different. Although the color of the chunky link chain shoulder straps isn’t much different than the color of the bag, there is enough difference to notice a small contrast. As I mentioned earlier, Versace always pays attention to the details surrounding each bag. Here, they’ve added a gold ring and stud details throughout and the flap closure has buckle detailing and a weighted gold metal and acrylic Medusa medallion. I figure, if I am going to spend quite a bit of money on a bag, I expect the attention to detail to be apparent. If nothing else, that way it feels like you are getting enough bang for your buck, right? No matter what, this bag is without a doubt a winner. Buy through eLUXURY for $2,265..

They say that there’s nothing new under the sun, and from time to time, as Megs & Co. are demonstrating today, this adage holds true in the handbag world as well. When faced with the need to blend practicality and style, how many different things can you really make?

So I present to you two bags: the Marc Jacobs Patchwork Amanda and the Versace Large Greek Key Shoulder Bag. Both are black patent leather, both have chain straps, both are kind of square and boxy, and both have large quilting over most of the bag. The styling is slightly different - Versace, naturally, makes everything in their line to be flashy and obvious, with their Greek motif forming the lines between the quilts. The Marc Jacobs bag is more fashionista friendly with more subtle styling and branding.

To me, the choice between these two is a no-brainer, and not just because the winner shares my name. The Marc Jacobs Amanda is much more elegant in its details and wearable in my wardrobe, and although not a complete original (Chanel did do pleats and chain straps first, after all), it’s still much preferable to its uninspired Versace cousin.