Custom Design

I am actually totally excited by all things related to Balenciaga’s 10th Anniversary right now. First we had the metallic finished bags at Neiman Marcus, then the lizard embossed First version, and now an animal print Balenciaga First. And this version is by far the most ‘out there‘ of the group, but it is also the one that takes the biggest chance.

I re-fell in love with the floral S/S 2008 BBag and now I am captivated by the Balenciaga Animal Print First.

I have learned my lesson. I have to see a Balenciaga bag in person before I make another purchase. I hope this bag is not exclusive to online shopping, because Vlad and I will be in NYC this weekend and I would love to check this bag out in person. It has a chance to be amazing and a chance to be a mess. I want it to be amazing. I want to buy it and wear it with jeans, heels, and a simple top. I want people to look at it and wonder when exactly Balenciaga made this bag and why. Because let’s face it, this is not a safe choice.

The trim is calfskin which is offset by hair pony skin with the animal print. I am always iffy about this type of finish, but at the same time it can add the perfect amount of dimension and texture to the bag itself. So dear animal print Balenciaga bag, please be in NYC and please be kind of amazing for me. Price is $1,595 via Balenciaga.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Balenciaga bags continue to follow me around and dare I say haunt me. Following their 10th Anniversary Bags at Neiman Marcus, Balenciaga is welcoming another 10th Anniversary Special Edition bag to the mix, the Lizard Embossed First. You know what, I prefer this edition. The bags at Neiman Marcus are calfskin suede while this is vintage crafted lambskin. I am all about the feel of the bag, and I think this one gets my vote.

I am a fan of well-done embossing. But embossing is sometimes tricky to perfect. I would like to think that Balenciaga gets it done properly, but without seeing this bag in person I can’t say for sure. However, knowing Balenciaga leathers I am guessing this is both supple and thick. At first I really was loving the color fer, but I feel like it might be a bit washed out. Black is always classic and with dimensionality added from the embossing, it might be the perfect addition of chic. The First size was never my first choice, but I am really kind of digging this. Buy through Balenciaga for $1,245.

Which 10th Anniversary bag do you like most?

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

I have mostly all kinds of Balenciaga envy right now. And the bag that I am currently not only super envious of but also feeling like I absolutely must track one down myself is a floral Balenciaga bag from S/⁴. Seriously, could this bag pair together a more luscious green with the right amount of an oversized floral pattern?

The image was pointed out to me on Twitter and was taken by AJ Mukamal, you know, the other star of Kell on Earth. I’m a big AJ fan, a big Balenciaga fan, and now all I want this Wednesday is this exact Balenciaga bag.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Moving to NYC will ensure an easy in-person shopping experience for just about every item I want to check out. It doesn’t mean I will stop online shopping (hello, what are late sleepless nights for), but I will have the fashion world at my finger tips. Don’t get me wrong, South Florida is filled with amazing shopping, like our hangout Bal Harbour Shops, but we all know it is not the same as NYC.

I desperately need a Balenciaga store next to me because their colors are haunting me. I can not seem to find the perfect color and much of that is because I am not seeing the bags in person. You all followed my recent Balenciaga purchase and return. The color Seigle just didn’t do it for me. And now my hunt continues.

I am not hitting the checkout button just yet, but I am really digging the Balenciaga Giant City in Murier.

You know what will hold me back from buying this bag? My last online shopping experience. Like I said above, understanding a Balenciaga color without seeing it in person is like getting an A+ on a pop quiz that you weren’t in class for: not going to happen. When I visited Balenciaga online today I thought this color was a pinkish purple. But when I looked up the fall 2010 color chart that we have, it looks only purple with no pink.

I don’t want a true purple, I want a purple-y pink bag. I feel like it is time for me to go sit in some leather tannery and create colors myself because I might be getting a tad bit picky. The true color of Murier can only be known when you see it in person (I learned my lesson). I am hoping to see it in person and maybe, just maybe, it might be what I am looking for. Via Balenciaga for $1,795.

Do any of you own or have you seen the color Murier in person? What did you think?

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

First off, thank you to everyone who left great comments on the post about my Balenciaga City in Seigle. Ultimately, I decided this very Balenciaga bag was not the one for me. So I returned it and it was a bittersweet feeling. I know it sounds entirely materialistic, petty, and silly, but returning this bag not only took a great bit of thought but was also kind of sad, since it is entirely gorgeous just not the right bag for me. Have you ever had that feeling when returning a bag you bought?

Every Balenciaga lover I speak to raves about the colors. I have been told time and time again and know that the rich hues of colors is what Balenciaga is known for. The color Seigle is beautiful, but for me it felt safe, muted, and monotone. Somehow I expected the color to be this combination of brown with tan with cream that would end up in perfection. I didn’t get that. I saw rose undertones and a bag that in indoor lighting looked taupe. Taupe is a great color for a handbag, actually amazing since it will match with literally everything in your closet, but I felt bored by the color.

I never meant to be harsh on the bag, because there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. It is lovely. The leather is thick and smooshy, the hardware was just as I expected, and the allure of the bag was there. It all came down to the color. Amanda thinks I need to pick a more bold color, one that will reach out and grab my attention. Vlad agrees. My only problem is knowing which color will suit me best.

What I do know is the next time I buy a Balenciaga bag, I need to do it in person. Because of the leather looking so different from photos to in person, I need to be up close and personal with the bag. It will happen though. I will find the Balenciaga bag I have been wanting and it will be in a great color that I can not resist. Feel free to give me suggestions for now, and until then, I will keep my eyes peeled!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Seriously, I feel bad for all of you that I have taken on this roller coaster ride with me that is titled “Finding my perfect Balenciaga Bag“. My problem always came down to finding the right color for my Giant City (that I was already set on purchasing). I thought maybe Anthracite would be the perfect color choice but then realized I have plenty of grey bags in my collection. So while browsing Balenciaga.com over the weekend, I felt an overwhelming feeling of excitement when I saw the Giant City in Seigle.

The color was absolutely everything I was looking for and needed. My handbag collection lacks a tan/beige neutral and I loved the lightness of the color. The color Seigle looks fresh, crisp, and stunning. I own brown bags, but nothing light like what I thought this color would bring. So I ordered the bag and paid for overnight shipping, because I HAD. TO. HAVE. THE. BAG.

Yesterday the bag arrived and I varied in feeling disappointed, to liking the bag, to being unsure if I had the right bag, to questioning my eye sight. This Balenciaga bag may not have been the exact color I expected, but in different lighting it looks close to it. That is why this leather is a true chameleon.

Now I have to admit, before proceeding further, that I did not do my homework. At my disposal, the ladies and gents of the Balenciaga forum on PurseForum are extremely knowledgeable and I should have researched and asked questions. But in my defense, I was excited! I had been waiting for the Balenciaga Bag of my dreams for months, if not years.

Also, yes, I know that buying online is not always the way to go. There will be leather variations and differences in bags when you see them online versus in person. But I love shopping online, I do it for most purchases. On top of that, Balenciaga is known to have leathers that are treated in a way that has them appear different in different lighting. In Balenciaga’s defense, I have to share with you all how amazing my online shopping experience was. The bag was shipped very quickly and arrived in pristine condition.

The handbag by itself is gorgeous. The leather is so completely thick yet supple and the color, while not being what I thought, is truly beautiful. After consulting with the members on the PurseForum, I have gone from every extreme from thinking I got the wrong bag, thinking I need to go to the eye doctor, and thinking I just need to check out the bag more.

When I opened the packaging, the bag looked very taupe in color. There seemed to be a grey base with red/pink undertones. I didn’t think I saw one hue of brown in the bag. But when I moved the bag into light, I saw a bit of brown. And after sleeping on it, I seem to see more brown today (cue crazy). I have taken this bag into sunlight, into room light, and into studio light. I have examined and over examined. Fact is, while I first thought this bag was overly taupe, I realized it may have been the lighting. Then again, what the bag looks like in the pictures Vlad took is not quite what it looks like whenever I see the bag (and definitely not what the bag looks like when there is no light on it).

When it comes to Balenciaga, it is all about the colors. I am not sure if I have searched for so long that my expectations are too high, or if I am right in thinking that the bag I got is not quite like the picture on their website or like other bags with Seigle leather. What am I going to do with this bag you ask? I am not sure yet. Yesterday I really thought I would return the bag, but today it seems to be growing on me. After all, a chameleon of a bag works well in one’s wardrobe.

It comes down to me. Now I must decide if I love this bag and color or think a different color is a better option. Either way, Balenciaga has shown me that their bags are anything but simple in the way the leather is treated. What do you think?

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

I did it, I finally finally did it!!! You all had to listen to me go back and forth for many months (it feels like years) over which Balenciaga bag I would ultimately buy. I had my mind set on getting a Balenciaga Bag, the decision process came down to the color. Balenciaga is known for their rich and vibrant use of color and BBag lovers wait with bated breath every season to what colors will be released from the house [check out Fall 2010 colors here].

I literally could not choose a color. I was sure anthracite was the best choice, but when I looked my bags I saw how many other gray bags my collection contained. And today while browsing Balenciaga online, the perfect color looked me in the eye and said, “Yo, you realize your bag collection is lacking a gorgeous neutral tan color. Buy me”. For real, the color Seigle spoke to me. My credit card spoke back and next thing I knew I had a confirmation number arriving in my email inbox for my Balenciaga Giant City in Seigle.

The wait is over. The obsession has only just begun. The best way to satisfy a weekend obsession is with a weekend purchase, and that is precisely what I did via Balenciaga for $1,795. Pictures to come soon!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

While the comparison is not spot on, there is still a resemblance between the Balenciaga First Bag and the Rough Roses Riley Bag. The good news is there are also differences; so we don’t have to get into the debate of it copying too closely to Balenciaga and maybe some might like the different leather of the Rough Roses bag.

Let’s take a look at the details of the two, shall we?

Balenciaga is beyond well-established now with their handbag line. Everyone who loves bags, whether they know it or not, has seen a Balenciaga bag in their lifetime. Finding a true Look for Less when it comes to a bag as iconic and stand-out as Balenciaga is tricky, but we think this option works for a few reasons.

Welcome Rough Roses, a brand of leather accessories slated to be both elegant and sexy with a touch of attitude. What I see are Balenciaga-like details in the Rough Roses Riley Shoulder Bag, including the zip front pocket with rosette studded trim at bottom sides. The leather is completely different from Balenciaga, in that it is totally smooshy while Baleciaga leather tends to be a bit glossy and offer more structure. The handle straps here are attached by ring hardware rather than to the bag directly. And of course, the tassels that Balenciaga is known for are not quite the same here. But overall, I’m pretty happy with this similar looking find for a mere $225 via Bluefly.

I know there is a strong fandom for Balenciaga bags and while you can never replace it, it is nice to have a look for less option. Buy the Balenciaga First at Balenciaga for $1245.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

When it comes to Balenciaga, I have been more of an obsesser than a buyer. I watch each collection hit stores and I spend hours stressing over which color will be the perfect choice for me. In fact, I worry and over-analyze this so much that I end up never buying a Balenciaga bag (that is until recently, when I bought 2).

Known for their array of eye-catching leather colors, it is no wonder Balenciaga has garnered a cult following over the past 10 years. The Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2010 Colors have hit the PurseForum and now I can share them with you. While color swatches of leather never give you the full effect of the end product, they are a helpful start.

As I continue to stare at the color chart I am having a hard time deciding which color I like most. And there continues my cycle of loving Balenciaga too much and having too many options to make a choice. It is similar to me standing in the cereal aisle in the grocery store; there are about 100 options for corn flakes and I end up buying three possibilities along with another handful of cereals that say corn just in case I made a bad decision. Major difference is a box of cereal is $3.50 and a Balenciaga bag is mid-thousand dollar range.

Anyhow, back to the colors. From the swatches I am immediately drawn to Murier (purple), Pivoine (pink), and Bois de Rose (taupe with hints of blush). Seeing these colors on an actual bag will hopefully help me to make up my mind. Right now I just feel like I am looking at paint swatches for my house, and boy oh boy am I confused!

What color(s) do you find yourself drawn to most from the Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2010 swatches?

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Thanks to our friends at Balenciaga, we got the latest scoop on the Spring 2010 B-Bags. After the jump you’ll find detailed shot, along with names and pricing information.

Click on each thumbnail for names and prices!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil