Sneak Peek: 3.1 Phillip Lim is stellar for Fall 2011

3.1 Phillip Lim 2

It’s rare that I get the urge to refer to a handbag collection as “tight,” but the more I look at 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2011, the more that seems like the most appropriate word to use. The color palette, shapes and materials are all limited to a very cohesive few, but the resulting designs are surprisingly varied and covetable, so long as you subscribe to Lim’s particular brand of contemporary minimalism.

The upright satchels strike me as a less expensive alternative to the much sought-after Celine Luggage Tote, and the smooth leather shoulder bags with bold metal closures and a witty puff of contrasting fur are an office-friendly option that would work even if you don’t work in an office. These designs are mostly neutral and functional without being boring or forgettable, and towing that line requires the sort of aesthetic confidence that makes these bags very much worth noting for the coming season.

Photos via Style.com


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33 Comments
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m1ni

Like them. wonder how much are they selling and how heavy the bag is.

Brandy

Thanks Amanda,
I was having major shoe withdrawals, but it’s working for me now!

Brandy

Hey, quick question.. When is Talkshoes coming back? I haven’t seen anything since that piece on Sergio Rossi shoes (which I love!)

Hope it’s soon!

Mila

Small green one is so cute!

http://www.modeuncover.com

Amy

I really like the upright satchels. Do they zip up and stay up? (I wonder.) If so, I want to see how they look that way. Very practical to be able to expand the bag (and it looks like a major part of the design element here) but I’d like to be able to make it smaller too. That’s why I’m not so keen on the Celine luggage tote. To me, it looks stretched out or somehow like it’s not supposed to look the way it does. It’s beautiful, but I know I’d hear comments from my mother and MIL.

lulugurl2006

I totally agree. I would be game if the side panels completely zipped up when not needed. I find they look like you have jammed too much in there when they just hang, to me it just looks funny……

Ingrid

The designs seem to borrow esthetics from a few different brands.. i can see similarities to Alexander Wang, Coach, Celine, YSL just in the bags posted here.

QQ

i was thinking the exact same thing!

the colors are nice tho, and the price points may be significantly less.

Brandy

I like the Upright Satchels with zippers as well. Very office friendly. What I do NOT like is the weird fur. I understand the whole point of contrast but it just seems really oddly placed. Just my opinion.

Ashleyg

OMG, I’m in love with the featured satchel in the blue and of course the green!

*whispers* i like it better than the celine- it doesn’t have that weird face thing going on! *

Sandra Rowley

I really like the bags. I have never purchased anything from Phillip Lim previously…it is tempting now. The satchels are already posted on Nordstrom.com…$895.00 and $995.00. The blueish color (called Ink) in the satchel is my fav. You are right, the downside is it looks so much like a Celine luggage tote.

Staci

Amanda, I love the “contemporary minimalism” of these bags!

Jo

The first batch looks similar to the Celine Luggage Bags but I like them! I actually like most of them. Look forward seeing them on store shelves soon!

Razz

isnt it a little obviously that the bags were ripped off celine and lanvin ????

michelle

Total copy of Celine luggage bag!!!

Pursepro.com

grasshopper

The shoulder bags with the weird fur thing on the strap looks like a Mulberry bag to me.

I like the Upright satchels better than Celine’s Luggage and this Philip Lim’s price tag but I hate the fact that it’s a lookalike 🙁

ninjaninja

I see Celine.

mochababe73

I am getting a case of deja’ vu with these bags.
I see Coach and Kenneth Cole in the hobos.
I see Celine in the upright totes and ladylike shoulder bags.

Saymama

Love love looove this bag – the featured one in that lovely shade of blue. Must covet and the price is right too! I first noticed it a while back when Garance Dore blogged about it. Her post subject was carrying it in lovely shade of green (http://www.garancedore.fr/2011/03/14/amanda/). I searched the world (web) for it but couldn’t find it and it appears here’s my chance again! I just bought the Celine luggage tote in the mini in black. Loving that one too. Yes there are similarities, but they both fit perfectly into my daily lifestyle and ‘stylish-functionality’ needs right now! Looove!

Shopping Lady

The tote does remind me of Celine luggage, and it is a nice alternative.

rose60610

#s 7, 10, and 28 are my faves.

Mario

As it’s been already been stated, but just to re-iterate, in design nobody likes words like “copy, replica, version or alternative-to”. I am quite disappointed that Philip Lim would produce such a similar design to the Celine luggage tote. I could understand if he was “inspired” by another designer’s previous works, but same style and same season?

Further more, the chain pulls are terrible and you can certainly see and feel the difference in quality and taste. You could certainly tell by overall refinement that one of these bags does not have a European pedigree.

JJ

I definitely see the Celine Luggage when I look at these bags. I really like all the colors that the Lim bags will come in and the zippers give them a little more of edgy look versus the classic & refined look of the Celine Luggage. The one thing I don’t like about the Lim bags are the zipper chains that hang down below the bottom of the bag. I can see them getting caught on things, especially when you set the bag down. I foresee a lot of broken chains on these bags. IMO, it’s a pretty big design flaw, but I do like most everything else about the bag. The others are a little boring, IMO, and look like any other designer bag. I agree with the poster who thinks the fur is an ugly addition and looks kinda tacky

nielnielniel

Phoebe called. She wants her design back. And pass that message to Bally as well.

Chels K

these are very good looking bags. The kind I’d actually wear.

Anita

I love that shade of blue.

Anne

Beautiful bags. And yes as many have said above … they borrow from some other high end brands, but honestly in the quest for new, more, different bags, there is always going to be similarities. Hasn’t everything already been done? I think buyers who love a particular brand are very protective of anyone copying ‘their’ look, but hey look at jackets, skirts, boots, all verrrry similar!
I love the one that looks like the Hermes massai and would definitely look at purchasing that one.

mimoko

I see Celine & Loewe here.

Cindy

High price knockoff of Celine.

MizzJ

Ahh yes thank you,I was wondering where I had seen this before! The fact that it is sooo blatantly a copy is quite a con imo. It’s a pity, b/c that first bag is absolutely delicious, except for the annoying chain pulls at the bottom (an entirely impractical detail). The other hobos though also look quite nice so I’m not going to totally write off this collection.

http://highmaintenancewoman.blogspot.com

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