Custom Design

One thing that a lot of designers seem to have a very hard time doing is creating a bag that is both expensive-looking and covered in animal print. It’s not surprising since animal print is historically “tacky chic” at best, and at worst, just plain tacky. Getting past the initial “eww, is that zebra?” thought is a difficult sell for a lot of handbag customers in particular, since most people prefer their expensive bags to be neutral and timeless.

Somehow, though, the Roger Vivier Zebra Tote manages to look luxurious and chic in a traditional way, while still being boldly and obviously animal print. How did the designer pull it off? I have a theory, of course.

The folks at Vivier did two things very, very right with this bag: first, they kept the materials high-end. Most designers resort to non-leather materials when they want to make animal print because leather is difficult to dye in precise patterns. Choosing something like cotton canvas automatically downgrades the look, making the print look cheap by association. Instead of making that mistake, the designer used calfskin, giving the bag a richness that it would likely not have otherwise.

The second thing that the designer did correctly was not assume that simply using a pattern would be enough attention to detail. If the goal was to make something modern and minimalist, that would have been fine, but in this situation it probably wouldn’t cut it. Instead, the fine color variation in the dye makes the bag look well-crafted and beautifully wrought, increasing the style quotient exponentially. Vivier should teach classes in this sort of thing. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $2451.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Last month, I wrote about the cash flow problems that Versace has and how better handbag design could potentially alleviate some of their woes. No other brand makes bags that are such a consistent running joke in high-end bag circles, and they have little to no rabid following when it comes to their accessories.

Sadly, the Versace Gree Shopper could not be a more apt example of why that is. Gaudy metallic? Check. Logos galore? Check. No leather to be found? Check. Astronomical price for a canvas tote? You better believe it.

Sadly, bags of this variety are the rule and not the exception at Versace. To me, they look like they’d best find an audience if they were sold in the juniors department at a mid-range department store for a drastically reduced price, but XOXO already has the corner on that market.

The stupid thing isn’t even attractive, and that irritates me. Versace could be a brand that makes fabulous, luxurious things, but instead they choose to make gold canvas totes and charge a stack and a half for them. Then they wonder why their business is in serious financial trouble, and bags like this make it difficult me to feel sorry for them. They do it to themselves. Buy through Nordstrom for $1425.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Can someone, ANYONE, explain to me why this pastel-potholder-looking abomination against fashion costs 1100 freaking dollars?

Well, the line is owned by part of the Fendi family, so that should give you a clue to the price. And the bags are handmade from recycled materials, which is nice, but not really an explanation of how much we’re all expected to pay for them. I’m pretty sure that lots of small brands use similar manufacturing practices, make bags that don’t look like granny craft projects, and don’t charge nearly as much for the (much more attractive) end result.

As if the whole “green” factor wasn’t enough to make me feel slightly bad for hating this bag in such a visceral way, apparently they also donate some proceeds to charity. But when you’re making bags that are this ugly and this expensive, are you really doing anyone but yourself any favors? Wouldn’t more attractive bags at a slightly lower price point sell more units and, as a result, make more money for charity and do more to make the “green” movement seem palatable to fashionphiles? For $1100, I’m going to need them to do more than make a bag that looks like an irregular Vera Bradley laptop tote that got sent to TJ Maxx. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $1131.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I’ve got to say at least one nice thing about this bag: Dolce & Gabbana, I like your enthusiasm.

No, actually, I love it. Because the kind of chutzpah it takes to put together seven (that I can count) types of fuzzy animal print onto one bag is the kind of chutzpah that it takes to occasionally create a stinkin’ awesome bag. But at this point, ladies and gentlemen, I have but one caveat: the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Martini Flap Bag is not that bag.

Oddly enough, I think that what this bag suffers from the most is not that there are too many patterns, but that all of the patterns are too similar. Instead of creating contrast and visual interest, they all sort of meld together into one big tan animal print glob, and the result is decidedly “craft store.”

Not that it would have been any better had they added in, say, zebra print or snake print. This idea was more or less dead in the water from the get-go, but if it takes making a thousand ridiculous bags to finally get to one that’s genuinely great, then I’m okay with that. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Buy through Nordstrom for $1075.

Original post by Amanda Mull

As luxury shoppers, we grapple regularly with decisions of how much we’re willing to pay and what we’re willing to pay for. $2000 for a leather bag? Maybe. $2000 for python? Seems more reasonable. $2000 for canvas? Not unless it’s Louis Vuitton and you’re already a huge fan of the brand.

But everyone’s shopping agenda is clearly relative to their income and lifestyle, and being comfortable and happy with one’s own purchases should be the chief goal. A “reasonable” price means something different for everyone.

That being said, I’m sure someone out there has purchased the Lanvin Dice Charm Key Ring at some point in the past, but for the $380 asking price, I’m not sure how anyone could be satisfied with what they’re getting for their money.

I’m not sure what a key chain that’s “worth” $380 would look like, but I’m pretty sure it’s not this. At the very least I’d expect some precious metal and maybe some pavé Swarovski crystals – something super glam. As far as a key chain has the capacity to be glam, at least. But what we have here is a Lucite die, some signature Lanvin metal coins, and tassels made out of what appears to be no more special than regular grosgrain ribbon.

The look is classic Lanvin, but there’s nothing particularly luxe or special about it – the profit margin on one of these things has to be at least 90%. If there’s someone out there that thinks this item is worth $380, I have no idea how he or she came to that conclusion. Buy through Barneys for $380.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I was really hoping to have more to report with the release of more Balmain Handbags to the public, but unfortunately, it looks like they’re sticking with the uninspired messenger bag style that we first saw with the Balmain Crystal Leopard Suede Bag.

Balmain is such an interesting, trend-setting line that I’m disappointed that they didn’t choose to do more with their handbags. This is just their first effort, though, so maybe we can expect more in the future. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1915-$3925.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Call me crazy, but I can kind of see what Chloe was going for here. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think they accomplished it, but I think I know where they were headed.

See, there’s these people called “hipsters.” They’re the ones that have been wearing skinny jeans since 2003, and Wayfarers as well. They shop for lamé leggings at American Apparel and live in Brooklyn (or Silverlake or East Atlanta or any other number of enclaves) and are responsible for a lot of music, most of it terrible but some of it reasonably good. They also wear some ridiculous accessories and handbags, most of them vintage, and most of them looking strangely like the Chloe Polka Dots Leather bag.

And since these hipster people can be thanked as either the starters or early adopters of a lot of what we see going on in fashion today, I can’t blame Chloe for giving them a nod. The thing about borrowing from hipsters, though, is that you have to be very careful about what you take and how you interpret it, and this particular bag is probably a bit too far over the line to be successful. It’s kind of cute as a novelty piece, but as a bag for a serious purse lover, I don’t think it measures up. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1450.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Leave it to Bottega Veneta to do something so intricate and yet still keep their aesthetic so classic and streamlined. They’re playing the sequins trend perfectly with the Bottega Veneta Ebano Paillette Hobo.

And the reason that they’re doing such a good job is that this bag really isn’t covered in sequins at all. Well, technically, I guess they’re sequins. But they’re not the cheapy aluminum foil type – they’re made out of Bottega’s signature butter-soft leather. Isn’t that clever?

The motif is executed perfectly, which is the only reason that it works. It could have easily looked clunky and silly, but the sequins are so small and cut so thin that they look exactly like real thing, except a thousand times as luxurious and restrained. From a distance it’s a chic textured bag, and up close it’s a triumph of well-edited design. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $4200.

Original post by Amanda Mull

In the immortal words of Carrie Bradshaw: “Hello, lover.”

I’m a complete sucker for the Alexander McQueen skull clutches. After years of handbag loving, it’s impossible to not find a line of little evening bags that find yourself drawn to over and over again. For Megs, it’s the Bottega Veneta Knot Clutches; for me, it’s McQueen’s macabre and lovely punk rock skulls.

Anglo references have always been a McQueen staple, and this isn’t the first Union Jack we’ve seen from him, but it might be the best. The red and black patent motif perfectly mixes the traditional flag with the brand’s goth-glam aesthetic and creates something distinctive – anyone else think that a industrially remixed British flag would be a really appropriate brand logo for the McQueen nation? I’d renounce my US citizenship and move there any day. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1650.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Get ready to vote! I’ve been hung up on the Emanuel Ungaro Studded Leather Clutch for over a week now. Net-a-Porter is one of my favorite sites to peruse. I love all of the amazing designer bags that the site consistently has in stock. Oh, and when I say “has in stock” I really mean tempt me to the point of Carrie Bradshaw spontaneous shopping sprees. Anyways, this clutch has got me all twisted around and I cannot decide if it is an edgy unique hit or a disastrous miss.

I’ve always resorted back to making “pro” and “con” lists when I find myself in this kind of predicament. So, I am going to do virtually the same here except it looks like my “pro” list is much shorter. I have total appreciation for the edginess that seems to ooze from this clutch. Black textured leather and brazen silver-tone stud embellishments all over the front, and just a splash on the back of the bag. The detachable chain handle shows how a bold statement can be carried from the bag through the shoulder and back. Chain detailing everywhere you look and bright fuchsia satin lining rounds out the bag.

So what do I not like? Pretty much all of it. I don’t think this is a look I can pull off, it is far too much. If you have that pushing the envelope side to you, then this could be a great addition to your closet. Oh and one more thing, it is uber expensive. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $2210.

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Original post by Shannon Mahoney