April 2012 - PurseBlog

New Yorkers, shop the Botkier Sample Sale starting tomorrow!

Apr 30, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Sample sales are one of the greatest shopping advantages that New Yorkers have, and starting tomorrow, we have one that bag lovers are going to want to check out. Our friends at Botkier are having their first offline sample sale in quite sometime, and if you’re able to stop by, you can score 50-70% off … Read more

The Weird, Wonderful World of Hermes.com

Apr 27, 2012 by Amanda Mull

From time to time, we like to take a look at some of the lesser-known products that the world’s biggest brands stock on their websites. From pencils to flasks to wine accouterments, Hermes has always excelled at these nifty little pieces, and the brand certainly has a following that’s dedicated enough to snap up whatever it is it manufactures in order to round out their collections. Many of these pieces also make a great entry point for new customers because of their relatively low price point, compared to, say, a Birkin.

Other times, these unexpected pieces are a tad more extravagant: the $2,000 rocking horse baby gift, pictured above, for example. Or a coloring book, labeled as appropriate for both children and adults! Did you know Hermes made a coloring book? I didn’t, and yet, it exists. And really, that’s only scratching the surface – check out ten of our favorite finds from deep in the belly of Hermes.com, after the jump.

In praise of Balenciaga’s printed bags

Apr 27, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Megs and I? Balenciaga fangirls. Even our new marketing director Hilary is getting in on the act – a Balencaiga Giant City Bag was the first thing added to her wardrobe after she joined our team a few months ago. The brand is best known for its Motorcycle Bags in a litany of colors, which are refreshed every season and sometimes fiercely sought by collectors for years afterward. Today, I’d like to talk about something Balenciaga does occasionally that’s slightly less well know: prints.

Every couple of seasons, Balenciaga will make a special edition of its Motorcycle Bags bearing some sort of pattern. Florals, animal prints, stripes, traditional toile – they’ve done a little bit of everything over the years, spanning aesthetics from ladylike to super modern. The Motorcycle Bag makes a great canvas for prints for two reasons – the signature Balenciaga trim gives any version a serious dose of leather to counteract the pattern, and the bag design is so recognizable on its own that it doesn’t lose the brand’s personality with the addition of print. Check out our past and present favorites after the jump.

Love It or Leave It: The Chloe Angie Tote

Apr 26, 2012Apr 26, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Ever since Clare Waight Keller took the top creative spot at Chloe, I’ve been an unrepentant fangirl. Waight Keller has required an incredibly short turnaround time to set the brand back on a chic path that many had felt it lost after the exit of Phoebe Philo several years ago, and the collections, from ready-to-wear to accessories to shoes, have all improved by leaps and bounds in just over a year. I’ve been impatiently anticipating the arrival of Chloe’s next big bag for that entire time, and now that it’s ostensibly here, I’m…underwhelmed.

You probably recognize the Chloe Angie Tote from the brand’s Spring 2012 ads on everything from fashion magazines to bus shelters, not to mention that the brand seems to have made a push to get it into the hands of taste-making celebrities (most notably so far, the new Olsen). Usually, a brand picks well when choosing a piece to promote this heavily, and I’d expect that from Chloe in particular. After all, if anyone should know the power of an It Bag, it’s Chloe. But the Angie? I’m not convinced, not by a mile.

The Chanel Shell Minaudieres are the ultimate beach wedding bags (with a price to match)

May 3, 2012Apr 25, 2012 by Amanda Mull

Megs and I recently gave you guys a rundown of the season’s best wedding bags, both traditional and quirky, but there’s one little clutch that we didn’t include because we couldn’t decide which category it would belong in. On the one hand, the Chanel Shell Minaudieres are everything you expect out of a traditional nuptial bag – small, luxurious, twinkling little things in shades of extremely pale ivory and blush. On the other hand, they’re giant molded sea shells, so “traditional” might be a bit of an overstatement. Unless you’re having a beach wedding, though; then these bags are perfect. If your wedding budget is completely open-ended, that is…

The Bags of The Row Fall 2012 – now with even more exotics!

Apr 25, 2012 by Amanda Mull

I’m betting that you all remember the agony and the ecstasy that resulted from The Row releasing a $33,000 alligator backpack as part of its Spring 2012 collection. Some people gushed over it and media outlets reported that the piece sold out, but most of the accessories community gave the bag’s astronomical price tag a heavy eye-roll; it takes a good bit of nerve for a brand as new as The Row to go around demanding those kinds of prices, even if you think the bags are beautiful. (Which I do.)

The backpack must have indeed been popular, though, because The Row Fall 2012 is chock full of additional alligator options, not to mention python and lizard. We know from experience that The Row’s small python and lizard bags generally start at $5,000 and head upward, with the alligator options all priced well into the five figures. Still, though, I can’t help but be enchanted by at least half of these bags; The Row did a fantastic job boiling them down to the basics in the most luxurious way possible, even if the brand is still well above the price point that most bag buyers would like to see. Check out the entire collection after the jump.

D&G takes its final bow with a lineup of bold handbags

Apr 24, 2012 by Amanda Mull

In case you hadn’t heard, Dolce & Gabbana is shutting down its little sister line D&G after Spring 2012. That means that the D&G clothes, handbags and shoes in store right now are the last we’ll ever see. (Until the line has a Versus-like revival in 10 or 15 years, of course.) If these three D&G Printed Quilted Twill Bags are any indication, the brand intends to go out with a bang instead of a whimper.

Despite the loud and borderline-tacky patterns and colors, I find myself digging all three of these options. This is the look that Versace goes for – playful, in-your-face luxury – and rarely achieves, not to mention that the D&G price point is much more appropriate for a non-leather bag with a very season pattern. That’s right, all of these options can be had for less than $1000. Check out the bags after the jump.

Introducing: BODHI Safety Clutch

Apr 24, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

There are times when the fashion world faces a lull in new product. We are between seasons right now, which means that most of Spring 2012’s products have arrived in stores but Fall 2012 still won’t ship for several months. Every year, this is the time when I scour the Internet for something different. After staring at handbags for nearly seven years straight, the ability for a new line to jump out and grab my attention is rare. However, I’ve read chatter about BODHI bags and decided to do a little research.

The stand out design of the group is their Safety Clutch, of which you can take the name quite literally.

Louis Vuitton Monogram Transparence might be LV’s most feminine collection ever

Apr 24, 2012Apr 24, 2012 by Amanda Mull

As enormously popular as Louis Vuitton is with women (In case you doubted that popularity, LVMH posted double-digit revenue increases in the most recent quarter.), the brand doesn’t have a reputation for being incredibly feminine. The color most commonly associated with the brand is the chocolate brown of the famous Vuitton monogram and damier fabrics, and most of its epi and vernis leather bags tend to be made in either brights or neutrals. The designs are classic and widely adored by women, but most of them don’t have any characteristics that make them particularly girlish, like Valentino’s flowers or Gucci’s flora prints.

Enter the Louis Vuitton Monogram Transparence, which debuted on the Louis Vuitton Spring 2012 runway and is about as traditionally feminine as it gets. The three bags – the Lockit Clutch, classic Lockit and Lockit East-West – are fabricated out of pale nylon voile embroidered with the traditional Vuitton monogram logo and trimmed with tonal white leather. Be careful what you put inside, because whatever it is should be pretty enough to do its gauzy Vuitton container justice. Check out the bags and prices after the jump.

A sneak peek at Reed Krakoff Fall 2012

Apr 24, 2012 by Amanda Mull

If you’re a regular reader, you know how we feel about Reed Krakoff around here – we’re fans, to say the least. Not only are the bags the perfect mixture of trends and traditionalism, but the line’s price point makes many of Krakoff’s options accessible where a similar bag from an equivalent brand might cost hundreds more. That’s not to say that the brand does turn out the occasional fantasy piece, but largely, Krakoff’s bags are a fantastic option for a chic woman who wants to look both professional and stylish.

Reed Krakoff Fall 2012 continues in the company’s newly minted tradition, with colorblocked neutrals, the occasional punch of bright color and luxurious materials all around. After the jump, we have a preview of what’s to come from the collection, from a brand new Boxer Tote in bright fuchsia to the Atlantique re-imagined in staid ivory and tan.

What do you think of Balenciaga Glaze?

Apr 23, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

[poll id=”93″]

THIS THURSDAY: PurseBlog and Heritage Auctions invite you to a private preview

Apr 24, 2012Apr 23, 2012 by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Calling all PurseBlog readers, both near New York and far – we are co-hosting an event that we would love to see you attend! We have been working with our friends at Heritage Luxury to bring you an inside look at how the auction world works, what Heritage Auction lists, and now, details on their Spring Luxury Auction. While pictures may be worth a thousand words, being able to see a piece up close and personal is so much more rewarding; we’re giving you that chance.

On Thursday, April 26th, we will co-host a cocktail event and private preview for PurseBlog readers. Held at the prestigious Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion on New York City’s Upper East Side, Heritage Auctions is opening their doors early for you to have a chance to see the preview before anyone else. There will be luxury accessories and jewelry by Hermes, Chanel, Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Vlad and I will be attending the event along with the rest of the PurseBlog team. Over all the years, one of my absolute favorite things to do is meet PurseBlog and PurseForum readers, and what better opportunity than this? On PurseBlog, we will be giving you a peek at the items that will be up for auction over the next few days, but we would love to have the chance to meet you at the event. If you are in NYC or can make it, please mark off April 26th and come have cocktails with us while we do what we do best: obsess over designer handbags.

Who: PurseBlog + Heritage Luxury

What: Exclusive first preview of the Spring Luxury Auction

Where: Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion. 2 East 79th Street, New York City

When: Thursday, April 26, 2012. 5PM – 7PM

Why: Because you love cocktails and designer accessories as much as we do.

RSVP: Please RSVP to [email protected]