July 2011 - Page 3

Name That Bag: the Organizational Clutch

Jul 18, 2011 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Y’all (I don’t even say y’all that much but this post’s urgency calls for a y’all), I need your help. You may be enjoying a fabulous summer vacation but I have a bag dilemma and need your brains now! After stumbling upon this photo that StreetPeeper took for Vogue, I have been wracking my brain … Read more

I take back all (well, most) of the bad things I’ve said about Valentino

Jul 18, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Valentino One-of-a-Kind Satchel, $2895 and $1995 via Neiman Marcus

Much has been made by me (not to mention the fashion press at large) over Valentino trying to find its path after the retirement of its namesake and longtime leader. The design team put in place since the transition has made some wonderful pieces, but is also responsible for its share of missteps, many of which we’ve discussed in this space.

But Valentino’s recent couture show, one space where the new designers have struggled mightily, received roundly positive reviews and there are some indications that the brand has righted itself and regained what seemed to have been a lost plot. The Valentino One-of-a-Kind Satchel is one of the best bags I’ve seen from the brand in several seasons.

What’s In Her Bag: Colbie Caillat

Jul 25, 2011Jul 18, 2011 by Vlad Dusil

Which brand’s accessories archive would you want to shop?

Jul 18, 2011 by Amanda Mull

A Roger Vivier Spring 2008 archival bag via Vogue.com

Roger Vivier is a company that never does quite what’s expected when it comes to handbag an shoe design, and for the launch of its online store, Vivier has chosen to go a bit left-of-center from your standard online shopping outpost. Instead of vending current-season pieces like every other brand on the planet, starting in September, RogerVivier.com will allow fans of the brand to shop must-haves from seasons past that are still available in the Vivier archive.

According to Vogue, all the pieces will be new and unworn limited-production items from seasons past, so if you’ve been kicking yourself for half a decade about a beautiful brocade evening bag that you should have bought in 2006, this might be your second chance for fashion redemption. But the better question is, why don’t more brands do this?

Balenciaga launches new website, credit cards everywhere cower in fear

Jul 15, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Image via Balenciaga

I’ve always been appreciative that Balenciaga sees fit to sell its most popular products on its website, because for a long time, that was more than many similar brands were willing to do. But in this time of exponentially increasing digital investment from fashion brands, just selling motorcycle bags and leather jackets alongside a few of the season’s campaign images isn’t going to cut it anymore.

And now we have a shiny, new Balenciaga.com to explore, complete with a fully stocked retail outlet, all of the images from the current-season campaign, historical information on the brand and a very cool behind-the-scenes video from the ad shoot that features some good close-ups of the season’s bags and shoes. You can see the rest of the Fall 2011 campaign after the jump or check out all the cool new features at Balenciaga.com. (Really, watch the video. We can’t embed it here, but it’s worth a look for the closeups.)

Gucci’s Fall 2011 ad campaign is handbag-heavy

Jul 14, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Images via Fashionologie

Clothes may get all the love on the runways and in magazine editorials, but when it comes to keeping a business profitable, handbags, shoes and accessories are a company’s bread and butter. Because of increased season-to-season durability and few to no issues with fit, the audience for those items is far broader than it would be for a cocktail dress from the same collection. Brands know this, which is why bags and other accessories always feature so prominently in their advertising.

Gucci’s Fall 2011 ad campaign, shot by photography duo Merte & Marcus, shows just how well-acquainted the Italian brand is with the importance of bags, shoes and eyewear. Only a couple of the dozen shots feature ready-to-wear clothing by itself; all the rest shift their focus to the real objects of desire. Just as it should be. The rest of the shots, after the jump.

The Row’s crocodile backpack will be priced at $39,000

Jul 14, 2011Jul 14, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Photo via Marie Claire

Ok, so here’s the deal. The Row launched its first-ever line of handbags at Barneys last night, and as I was dutifully checking Twitter while finishing up my posts for the day, a strange thing came across my computer screen. Fashionista.com, staffers of which were in attendance at last night’s launch festivities, tweeted a picture of what appeared to be the bag above and a price point: A cool $39,000. I promptly fell off my chair.

Want It Wednesday: Meredith German’s wardrobe

Jul 13, 2011Jul 13, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Photo via The Coveteur

I was browsing The Coveteur yesterday when I came across the website’s feature on Meredith German, a ten-year fashion industry veteran and creative director of handbag company Meredith Wendell. As a fan of both The Coveteur’s photography and German’s bags, I relished the opportunity to take a peek inside the domicile of a fellow accessories aficionado.

Introducing my Celine Luggage Tote

Jul 13, 2011Jul 13, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Photo via StyledOn

When I met StyledOn creative director Casey Kettleson for lunch in Soho yesterday (go to Cafe Falai, try the burger, thank me later), I knew I’d get a great meal and even better company. What I didn’t expect to get was such an awesome photo of my beloved Celine Luggage Tote in Spring 2011 lipstick red. None of my shots every turn out this nicely because I’ve yet to master the art of the cell phone photo (I have, however, mastered Angry Birds), so I thought I’d take this opportunity to share it with you since I’ve mentioned the bag so often.

Looking for a Celine Luggage Tote? Good luck…

The Many Clutches of Christian Louboutin

Jul 12, 2011 by Amanda Mull

We’ve heavily covered Christian Louboutin‘s hit-and-miss record when it comes to handbags in general, but when it comes to the footwear master’s clutches, I rarely have a negative review to report. Something about the small size and structure of an evening bag lends itself well to Louboutin’s design sensibility, probably because the scale and rigidity make clutches more similar to designing a shoe than other types of bags. And we all know that Louboutin has his shoe game on lock, now don’t we? Here are four of our current favorite CL clutches for your consideration; we think you’ll agree that Louboutin has something of a flare for these particular bags.

Take a look at the Olsen twins’ upcoming handbags from The Row

Jul 12, 2011Jul 12, 2011 by Amanda Mull

Photo via Marie Claire

The Row has two interesting and and seemingly incongruous distinctions: It’s a clothing line owned by former child stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen and it’s one of the most expensive ready-to-wear lines in the entire industry. By all accounts, the prices of The Row’s garments come as a result of the Olsens’ desire to make clothing in as exacting and precise a way as possible instead of just having Another Celebrity Clothing Line, and even if the prices are out of your budget, their desire for quality instead of another quick buck is to be commended.

With the sisters’ bag choices being a topic of discussion in the fashion world for some time, it was only a matter of time until The Row launched a line of bags, as it has for Fall 2011. And wow, are these things expensive. The price points for the regular leather day bags and smaller lizard and ostrich bags are in the $5000 range, but I’ve been unable to find firm prices for the alligator pieces. To me, that means, “If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.” And, well, that’s probably true. The bags will be available exclusively through Barneys and Barneys.com. As many photos of the collection as I could find, after the jump.

Jessica Simspon got a brand new Hermes Birkin for her birthday

Jul 12, 2011Jul 12, 2011 by Amanda Mull

If you watched Newlyweds back in the day like I did (and I did it without shame, thankyouverymuch), then you know that Jessica Simpson is an inveterate bag lover just like the rest of us. She toted a lot of multicolore Louis Vuitton at the time because that was the hot new thing, but now that Jessica has gotten older (and richer – that shoe line she has is no joke, y’all), she’s made a bit of an upgrade: an orange Hermes Birkin. Although based on the rest of the photo, it’s kind of refreshing to see that Jessica sits around the house in the same pajamas she had back then.