Custom Design

I say a lot more negative things about Prada bags than I say positive, but I promise that I don’t have anything particular against the brand. In fact, my first “designer” bag was a Prada crossbody, and I still have fond memories of it.

They’ve been doing more wrong than right in most of their high-profile bags lately, but they still make some great stuff that doesn’t grab as many headlines. I got a chance to examine a bunch of their bags up close this weekend, and I was particularly taken with the classic lines and superb construction of the Prada Saffiano Soft Frame Clutch.

Actually, “particularly taken” would be an understatement of my feelings. I’m in love with it – deep, inconvenient, all-encompassing love that I didn’t expect to find for a Prada bag. In my heart, that kind of love is usually reserved for Balenciaga or Valentino.

Please believe me when I say that the pictures don’t do this bag any sort of justice. I saw it in smooth black leather, which was ridiculously rich and perfect for this sort of oversized, take-anywhere, day-to-night clutch. It struck me as the sort of bag you’d look at and be able to tell that it was expensive, even if it had no logo. I’ll admit that it looks a bit boring in photos, but in your hand, it’s a great bag.

When I opened it up, I was even more pleased. The slightly retro, structured closure stands open to reveal a leather-lined interior (the black version has red, which is much more exciting than the taupe inside of the cream-colored version) with several pockets and enough space to hold more or less everything that you could put in a medium-sized shoulder bag. You probably wouldn’t want to fill it that full, but a little extra space in a clutch is never a bad thing.

Overall, I think I may have found the perfect clutch for me, and it was in one of the most unexpected places. Perhaps it was a cosmic reminder that in fashion, you should never count anyone out completely. Buy through Saks for $1350.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Is it possible that we don’t give Michael Kors his due when it comes to handbags? I think it might be. Or perhaps the problem is that his brand doesn’t emphasize it enough – I’m not exactly sure what the issue is, but the brand hasn’t “caught” as a major power in handbags like one would expect when you consider the huge financial and marketing arm that the brand has behind it.

I talk about Princess Michael Kors himself every week in my Project Runway recap, but it’s much more rare that we sit down and discuss one of his handbag designs in a serious way, despite the fact that His Royal Highness’s brand put out a big line of bags every season. By the looks of the beautiful and reasonably priced Michael Kors Tonne Leather Hobo, we should do it more often.

For some reason, this had me fooled into thinking it was a Jimmy Choo bag for a moment – you know, a Jimmy Choo bag from back when their bags weren’t all covered in some combination of fringe, animal print and lightening bolts. My momentary joy at a reasonable-looking Choo bag was dashed, however, but it was replaced by considerable happiness that the designer was actually Kors. His handbags are almost always much less expensive, after all.

This particular hobo is even less expensive than I would have guessed. For less than $800 retail, you get a creamy, soft hobo that’s incredibly elegant and clean-lined, while still being totally functional. You also get some of the best bold hardware in the business (really, this is where Kors has shined for the past few seasons), ringed in real python and framing a handle that somehow manages to be both minimalist and detailed at the same time. The finished product feels like a surprise weekend trip to Palm Beach, but it’ll serve you well in pretty much any city that I can think of. Buy through Saks for $795.

Original post by Amanda Mull

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

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

MCM (Mode Creation Munich) is making a comeback. The renowned European luxury brand has taken major strides recently in the accessories market. Our take on it all: Bravo. We are really digging what MCM is doing. Quality, luxury, and craftsmanship goes a long way in a handbag. Best part is the price point for most MCM bags stays on the affordable end of the spectrum.

Take the MCM Notte Large Leather Hobo for example. The leather is exceptional in the soft shape while the double chain-link strap gives an edgy and current touch. What is not to like about this bag? As far as classic black bags go, this is an ideal buy. The inside is lined in suede and there is a zipper and two open pockets. Dimensions are 15″W X 10″H X 5″D.

While I have never seen an MCM bag in person, this week that will change. There is a MCM store in our hotel in NYC that we are planning on stopping by to see the bags in person. Once we get to touch the bags and see the quality for ourselves, we will report back with more information. Buy this MCM hobo via Saks for an affordable $925.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

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

I’ve been more than a little critical of Fendi for quite a while now, but between their Spring 2010 runway show earlier this week and the Fendi Calfhair and Sequin Shoulder Bag that we see here, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due: they’re finally doing some fantastically interesting things with their handbag line.

I’m sure this bag isn’t for everyone, but the kind of that takes to combine two divergent textures like calfhair and sequins in order to create a single pattern is exactly what we should all expect from our highest-echelon designers. Sometimes it will work, sometimes it won’t (I, for one, think that it really does here), but without people willing to make something ridiculous, we’re never going to see any innovation.

And in general, this bag is just sort of fabulous. It’s sequin and calfhair zebra print, and despite the bizarreness of that description, it’s really well-done. They used several different sizes of sequins in order to achieve the effect, and it worked out fantastically. I would wear this bag in a heartbeat, even though I’m sure many people would wag their fingers at me for it. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $1800.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Ever see a handbag you like, and then realize it has one thing so egregiously, terribly wrong with it that it almost makes you palpably upset? Like you were so close to finding a handbag oasis in the desert, and then it turns out that, by a single cruel twist of fate, that it was all just a mirage?

Yeah, I kind of feel like that about the Marc Jacobs Frame Wallet Sequined Purse.

This bag was so close to being the cute, 80s, glam rock evening bag that I so wanted it to be. I can almost taste it. But then it looks like someone stuck your grandmother’s mauve billfold wallet to the back of it, and it’s ruined.

Not only is it ruined, but it’s basically a bag mullet, but in reverse. The party is in the front, the business is in the back. And since that idea doesn’t work for hairstyles, I’m not sure why any designer would think that a similarly-structured bag is a good idea. Pry the wallet off the back, and I’m absolutely sold on the high-wattage sequin clutch that would be leftover. As it is, I wouldn’t touch this with a ten-foot pole. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $595.

Original post by Amanda Mull

It is our pleasure to announce the winners of the Linea Pelle Giveaways. After a month of gorgeous bags and fun entries, we’ve randomly selected the following lucky winners.

Week 1 Alyssa Large Tote: Amy T. - New Haven, CT
Week 2 Lola Large Tote: Jennifer Y. - Dallas, TX
Week 3 Janis Fringe: Denise S. - East Islip, NY
Week 4 Dylan Folding Tote: Amanda G. - Mendota Heights, MN

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

As most of you know, we are rounding out a fabulous month of Linea Pelle giveaways. Each week, a new bag, a new look, a new chance to win. And today, Creative Director Andrew Cotton provides a guest post and some fun insight into what’s new with Linea Pelle. (Oh, and don’t forget to register for this week’s giveaway, if you haven’t already!) Enjoy!

Show everyone how all that working out this winter paid off from your buff arms in a hot new tank to your toned calves in a sexy pair of heels. Treat yourself to a spray tan for a healthy glow! OR grab a tube of Clarins or even Jergen’s Glow. Either way please swear off all those dangerous uva/uvb rays! Promise me!

This season, you’ll want to start sporting new fresh looks for Spring going in to Summer, so grab your flirty skirts & comfortable tanks & tees and of course your favorite new Linea Pelle Dylan, Alyssa or Janis handbag & start workin it! You don’t have to spend a fortune to update your look!

Grab a hot new handbag, pull your hair back (or get those curls professionally straightened!) and strut your stuff! Throw on some studded bracelets to mix with your jewelry. Toss on cozy lightweight cashmere and think clean, chic, simple. Whatever you do, keep it comfortable! Go for layers, a little leather here, zipper details there, graphic stripes or prints, mix it up! Your favorite jeans & a new kick ass pair of heels & remember color! color! color! Honestly you can’t really go wrong, it’s all good! Be bold, be beautiful, be yourself! I’m on my way to New York to tape an EXTRA! Segment, be on the lookout. (And no, Mario Lopez & his 12 pack of abdomens will not be there.)

Then, there’s also a great PR event w/editors from all the best mags, like Elle, Bazaar, Vogue, Marie Claire, Town & Country, Lucky, Self, People Style Watch, Teen Vogue, O!, MTV, Inside Edition and more, to show all the new Fall 2009 Collections of Dylan & Jacklin and other hot new styles coming for Fall and Resort, so wish me luck & see you soon!

Original post by Shannon Mahoney