Fendi Silvana Elaphe and Leather Top Handle Bag
I confess I’m not much of a snakeskin fan, but I find it nearly impossible to resist the beauty of the Fendi Silvana Elaphe and Leather Top Handle Bag. I love the creative use of a very bold snake print here; it strikes just the right tone and serves to shake up what would otherwise be a very plain, neutral bag. And just look how incredible that emerald color looks with tan. Gorgeous! Available for $2770 at LuisaViaRoma.
Danielle Nicole Mia Shoulder Bag
There’s something so sophisticated about envelope-style bags. Whether it’s on a clutch or something more substantial, like this Danielle Nicole Mia Shoulder Bag, the design always makes any outfit look that much more polished. It’s especially striking here, thanks to the bold black leather trim, which makes the blocks of cream and blush stand out more than you’d think neutrals could. This bag is particularly appealing because of its low price point! Available for $98 at Danielle Nicole.
Zagliani New Greta Python Shoulder Bag
Last summer I went bonkers over their floral python bag, and now I’m “setting my sights on” (and by that I mean “admiring”) the Zagliani New Greta Python Shoulder Bag. Far be it for me to splurge on a snakeskin bag, but I’ll be darned if this oversized purse isn’t one of the prettiest I’ve seen. In colors like coral, turquoise, and natural, it’s surprisingly versatile and wearable – a good thing, given its $2585 price tag. The softly rounded silhouette and slinky strap (which looks like a necklace) go a long way in solidifying its femininity. It’s a gorgeous bag. Available at LuisaViaRoma.
Jas M.B. Zip Up Super Soft Leather Shoulder Bag
See how chic baby pink can be? It’s certainly not just for little girls anymore, as well proven by this Jas M.B. Zip Up Super Soft Leather Shoulder Bag. A sporty little number that feels both polished and casual, it features a lean, detachable strap and is also available in a much more versatile black and a highly trendy mint. The exterior zippers lend this bag a really functional appearance, too. You can’t go wrong. Available for $410 at LuisaViaRoma.
Fashion Week Handbags: Marni Fall 2012
A few days ago, PurseBlog friend BryanBoy tweeted that Marni designer Consuelo Castiglioni would be the perfect replacement for Karl Lagerfeld once he’s ready to move on from Fendi, and I can’t help but completely agree. Marni’s signature retro-minimal approach gets better and more fully realized by the season, and Consuelo’s sense for accessories and embellishment keeps improving right along with it.
It probably won’t surprise anyone that I think the handbags from Marni Fall 2012 are excellent. They have the signature quirky Marni look without being unappealing to the buying public at large, and the addition of a few flower-embellished pieces alongside the standard neutral leather is a welcome one. Fendi’s aesthetic has been going in a similar direction in recent seasons, and just like Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz seems like Karl’s heir apparent at Chanel, I hope that Castiglioni will be the woman for the job at Fendi.
Images via Vogue.com
Fill in the Blank: The Fendi Studded One + One Drawstring-Top Satchel
Lions and tigers and stripes, oh my! I can’t help but think of the circus when I look at the Fendi Studded One + One Drawstring-Top Satchel. The pairing of a lot of color and additional texture makes this bag an attention grabber.
Fendi handbags have lost a bit of traction over the years since the heyday of the Fendi Spy, but the brand continues to make a real go at it, and I’m sure that they’ll find that perfect, magic bag again. (The Peekaboo was almost there, but not quite.) This tote in particular is playful in so many ways and practical in very few. With all the multicolor pyramid studs and rainbow stripes on the drawstring-closure canvas top, it is easy to miss the double top handles, thin shoulder stap, and removable crossbody strap. But what works for some doesn’t for others, which is precisely why I am leaving the judgement of this bag in your hands.
Fill in the blank: The Fendi Studded One + One Drawstring-Top Satchel is _________.
Fashion Week Handbags: Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2012
For some reason, I would really love it if Dolce & Gabbana wowed us all with an It Bag. I’m not sure exactly why I’m so interested in Dolce in particular having a big accessories moment, but every time one of their collections comes around, I mentally cross my fingers in hopes that they’ll give us the next Celine Luggage Tote. Instead, every time, they give us more Miss Sicily bags.
There’s not anything wrong with the Miss Sicily, of course, but Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2012 has such a grand sense of drama and fun in its exceptionally Italian ready to wear that I wish I felt like the bags were something more than phoned in. There’s a little bit of floral needlepoint here and there, but in general, Dolce has given us lots of textures and sizes in the black Miss Sicily, and almost all of them feel like they’ve seen the runway sometime in the last few seasons. If someone told me that Dolce has a set of bags that they use on the runway every season, filled in with a few collection-specific bags to distract everyone, I’d actually believe them at this point. The brand is clearly creative and well-funded, so the choice not to do more with its huge accessories potential confuses me greatly. Maybe next season.
Images via Vogue.com
Croc Squared
Elie Tahari Fall ’12.
9 things: Primary Colors Handbags
When I see red, yellow, and blue paired together I am immediately reminded of my childhood. I specifically remember my first watch that featured all of these colors and some silly designs. From these primary colors we can make a range of other colors, but today’s feature is solely about red, yellow, and blue.
With many of my favorite online shopping haunts showing bright primary color handbags, I wanted to round up my 9 favorite to help you get on trend.
Mulberry Holiday Bayswater patent textured-leather bag | $1,400 via Net-A-Porter
Marc Jacobs The Single Large quilted leather bag | $775 via Net-A-Porter
Marc by Marc Jacobs I Work For Tips Shoulder Bag | $398 via ShopBop
Reed Krakoff Leather Tote | $1,490 via Net-A-Porter
Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile box clutch | $850 via Net-A-Porter
Tory Burch Amanda Hobo | $465 via ShopBop
Alexander Wang Brenda Chain Bag | $725 via ShopBop
McQ Alexander McQueen Amwell Mini Cross Body Bag | $650 via ShopBop
3.1 Phillip Lark Small Duffel Bag | $750 via ShopBop
Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli Fall 2012 Collections: True Religion
Some would call fashion their religion – and no one understands this like the Italians. There is no separation of church and style. For Dolce & Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli, the runway is their temple and we come to worship! And that we will do for Fall/Winter 2012. The Italians are impressing me to no end for the new season! I used to only pay attention to the Prada, Bottega, and Fendi bag collections during Milan Fashion Week. No more: Dolce and Cavalli have pulled out all the stops, and they are making me stop and take note.
Dolce & Gabbana:
With a keen, new sense of Baroque-chic, Dolce is proving they are a serious contender in the world of luxury bags. They’re even giving Chanel a run for their money! With bold themes of the Catholic church and classic Sicilian style (Domenico is a native), the men delivered a fleet of girls who fell “somewhere between princesses and virgins,” with gorgeously embellished clutches and chain bags covered in lace or ponyskin. in their gloved hands. Bright gold embroidery, floral tapestries, strands of jewels, and wild brocade all breathed new life into the notion of the little black bag.
Roberto Cavalli:
With sequins, fur, neon animal prints, sparkle and shine, Roberto Cavalli’s “earthly paradise” was typically gutsy and wild. But the bags proved to be a big surprise. Trompe l’oleil leopard spots on python were executed with masterful finesse. Bravo, Roberto! Sleek and polished were the last words I would have used to describe Cavalli bags, but that’s exactly what he is offering up for Fall 2012, via the Florence. Inspired by hand-made trunks, the new style comes in slick leather, luxe pony hair (this will be my first Cavalli bag!), and gorgeous exotics. Molto bene!