Custom Design

Who’s that girl carrying an ostrich Hermes Birkin walking to the set of her hit TV drama in NYC?

If you guessed Kelly Rutherford, you are correct! This bag is a Lily Van Der Woodsen favorite, as Kelly has been seen carrying this bag before.

In fact, Kelly Rutherford is known to use her personal Hermes collection as part of her Gossip Girl wardrobe. We all know Kelly is a huge Hermes fan, in fact her first son is named Hermes (though she states her love of the brand is not directly correlated to his being name). The gold ostrich Hermes Birkin is and always will be a classic. With Gossip Girl filming in full force, my excitement for the return of the show is building.

Check out BagThatStyle for a peek at what your favorite Gossip Girl characters are wearing!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

In case you had forgotten that the end of summer is generally a bit of a slow news period in fashion, we’re here to remind you! The New York Daily News (with some help from Fashionista.com) counted down the most powerful global luxury brands of 2010 this spring, and although we didn’t have a chance to post about it back then, we do now. Consulting firm Millward Brown Optimor comes out with this list every year, and the brands staking claim to the top spots in the middle of a bad economy for luxury likely won’t surprise handbag aficionados.

Even though the industry as a whole is down about 3%, number one-ranked Louis Vuitton has still managed to grow its worth by 2% to nearly $20 billion, which appears to refer to just the brand and not the entirety of the LVMH conglomerate. Hermes, meanwhile, comes in at number two and has grown by 8% to almost $8.5 billion. Rounding out the top three, Gucci is up 2% with a little over $7.5 billion. What do all three brands have in common? None of them are bolstered by the high-margin cosmetics market (although Hermes and Gucci both have fragrance lines) and all three are most famous for their handbags and leather goods.

Two other brands with large presences in the handbag market also make the list: Chanel and Fendi, at number four and number nine, respectively. Both have lost value as companies in the past year (Is Karl Lagerfeld losing his touch? That’s another post entirely), but they’re still doing better than almost all of their competition. The article in the Daily News doesn’t make mention of the brands’ power in the handbag market, but the common thread seems hard to ignore.

Handbags have higher margins and are more widely marketable than a dress or even a shoe because they’re perceived (and rightfully so) as having a larger number of practical uses and a more durable, long-lasting nature. But it’s worth remembering: the money you spend on bags is making the people who design them extremely wealthy and powerful. At the very least, you should be getting a well-made bag and a great shopping experience in return. If you’re not, vote with your dollars. Who would be on your personal power list?

See the full list via the New York Daily News.

Original post by Amanda Mull

In case you had forgotten that the end of summer is generally a bit of a slow news period in fashion, we’re here to remind you! The New York Daily News (with some help from Fashionista.com) counted down the most powerful global luxury brands of 2010 this spring, and although we didn’t have a chance to post about it back then, we do now. Consulting firm Millward Brown Optimor comes out with this list every year, and the brands staking claim to the top spots in the middle of a bad economy for luxury likely won’t surprise handbag aficionados.

Even though the industry as a whole is down about 3%, number one-ranked Louis Vuitton has still managed to grow its worth by 2% to nearly $20 billion, which appears to refer to just the brand and not the entirety of the LVMH conglomerate. Hermes, meanwhile, comes in at number two and has grown by 8% to almost $8.5 billion. Rounding out the top three, Gucci is up 2% with a little over $7.5 billion. What do all three brands have in common? None of them are bolstered by the high-margin cosmetics market (although Hermes and Gucci both have fragrance lines) and all three are most famous for their handbags and leather goods.

Two other brands with large presences in the handbag market also make the list: Chanel and Fendi, at number four and number nine, respectively. Both have lost value as companies in the past year (Is Karl Lagerfeld losing his touch? That’s another post entirely), but they’re still doing better than almost all of their competition. The article in the Daily News doesn’t make mention of the brands’ power in the handbag market, but the common thread seems hard to ignore.

Handbags have higher margins and are more widely marketable than a dress or even a shoe because they’re perceived (and rightfully so) as having a larger number of practical uses and a more durable, long-lasting nature. But it’s worth remembering: the money you spend on bags is making the people who design them extremely wealthy and powerful. At the very least, you should be getting a well-made bag and a great shopping experience in return. If you’re not, vote with your dollars. Who would be on your personal power list?

See the full list via the New York Daily News.

Original post by Amanda Mull

As anyone who has watched previous seasons of The Rachel Zoe Project knows, Rachel literally (Rachel’s definition, not the actual definition that exists in objective reality) lives and breathes on awards shows. The first episode of season three was oddly free of any red carpet machinations, but we ran into the Golden Globes face-first last night.

There were gowns! And problems! And late fittings! It’s become clear that this show could exist without any narrative at all, because I think we all really watch to see Rachel’s Birkins and the ridiculous dresses and Brad dancing around and trying on the clothes. They could just do that for an hour every week and I’d still watch, plus they wouldn’t have to worry about heavy-handedly trying to remind us all that Rodger is a football-loving, beer-drinking, straight dudebro. None of us care – more Van Cleef, please.

Of course things kicked off with a shopping trip to Fred Segal, but Rachel wasn’t feeling was shopportunistic as usual because of the drama of the impending Golden Globes. That doesn’t mean shopping didn’t happen, though – of course it did. Rachel eventually managed to get out of her unreasonably plush bathrobe (does she live in a hotel?) and turned up to find new looks for a “new beginning” with Brad, who she thinks needs to butch things up a little bit. I disagree – I love how delightfully un-butch Brad is, what with his bow ties and retro glasses. It works for him. For her part, Rachel considered getting a bob for about a second and a half, but rightfully concluded that that wouldn’t be a great idea.

Lest we forget, though, it’s Golden Globes time! Starlets need dresses like a crackhead needs a hit! Brad and Jordan got together to pull some options and drop some names, which his half the point of this show (the other half, of course, is sheer and unabated sartorial lust.) Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Garner were all going to need pretty sparklies for the big day, as well as possibly Paula Patton.

But before any of that can happen, we have to meet the new girl. Her name is Ashley and she has three years of experience, and Brad went about the business of assigning her a seat at the table and warning her to stay at least ten yards away from Taylor at all times. I’m not sure if Brad thought that perhaps Taylor would tackle her on sight, but for whatever the reason, he put the fear of God into the new girl about four seconds after she sat down.

In other parts of the Zoe Universe, it seems that for some reason, the producers are intent on making Rodger a relevant character this season instead of just letting him be the middle-aged guy in the background with the Justin Beiber haircut. As a result, we accompanied him on a workout with his trainer. In between exercises, he helpfully reviewed the rules for Golden Globes season, which include that he’s not allowed to speak to Rachel or even look at her the wrong way. Most husbands would probably love a month away from their wives to do guy stuff without anyone nagging them or interrupting, but apparently Rodger is not most husbands. Take that for what you will.

The Globes talk started up again in earnest when Rachel got back to the office to welcome the new employee, and some stuff was said about jewelry and Van Cleef and I don’t even know what else. The entire time, a giant Birkin was sitting on the counter in the middle of the shot, staring at me, and it made me nervous so I didn’t really listen. Hermes has that effect on me.

Eventually they all moved from the Birkin over to the clothing racks and started pulling piece after piece of fabulous clothing and making the new girl feel uncomfortable by paying absolutely no attention to her presence in the room. When they were finished doing that, they gave her the hardest job of all – dress the pregnant lady for the Golden Globes! Not only had Paula Patton finally confirmed that she was going, but she was also “with child” (Have you heard her husband’s music? I would be preggo too.) If I were Ashley, I would have crapped my pants and passed out on the spot. I guess that’s why I’m a blogger instead.

But then, wait, STOP. THE HOTEL GAVE CAMERON’S ATELIER VERSACE DRESS TO THE WRONG PERSON. PANIC. I’m not entirely clear on why the dress was at a hotel to begin with, but the hotel apparently gave a dress worth tens of thousands of dollars to the first random person who came in and said that they had a pick up. Maybe I should try that tomorrow – just go to random hotels and say I have a pickup and maybe I’ll be given safes full of jewelry or suitcases of cash or a brand new Mercedes or other things that are worth as much as an Atelier Versace dress. And then I’ll flee to France, who won’t extradite me back to the US when my subterfuge has been discovered, and I’ll be free to live out the rest of my life with whatever ill-gotten gains I may have plundered.

Ahem.

Wait, never mind, crisis averted. The hotel accidentally sent the dress to Malibu. To Pierce Brosnan’s house! So the entire time, while Rachel thought a rival stylist had stolen it, the Versace dress was actually in the protective hands of James Bond. Well that’s a relief, because the entire time I had visions of Taylor wearing it around her apartment and cackling wildly at her victory. Instead, Lucio from Versace finally showed up with the not-really-stolen dress, and as it turns out, Rachel doesn’t like it anyway. Send it away!

In between all the manic dress-pulling, we actually got a little human moment: the next day, Brad sat down with the new girl before anyone else arrived to work and told her to really assert herself and her personal style in the styling process. He did it in a way that was simultaneously supportive and non-critical, and Ashley seemed a little brighter and more enthusiastic afterward. Did we actually just witness a positive workplace dynamic on a Bravo show? Has anyone informed Andy Cohen that Brad isn’t doing his part to make the network sufficiently embarrassing? Clearly, this show needs some Danielle Staub. We just can’t have that kind of happiness or psychological health around here. Stop classing up the joint, Bradley!

And then when Rachel got to the office, things were still happy and supportive. She liked the dresses that Ashley had chosen! Wait, this can’t last, back to negativity and panic. Brad informed everyone that Taylor would be styling someone at the Globes, and Rachel again managed to throw a fit. She also claimed to be taking the high road about the situation, which was verifiably untrue, but also sounded a little like something that a lot of us probably do – tell ourselves we’re doing the right thing while doing the wrong thing, and hope that saying it repeatedly will somehow make it so. Afterward, Rachel flipped out at Rodger for telling her that it was supposed to rain on the day of the Globes. Not for causing the rain, because of course he didn’t, but just for telling her that it might happen. Ok, so maybe I now understand why he didn’t seem enthusiastic about awards season.

Things were quickly made better when Molly Sims came in to play with all the fun clothes, and clearly everything looks wonderful on Molly Sims. Fitting her made Rachel’s job look completely fun and glamourous, just like we all imagine it would be, and Molly seemed like a dream client. Not only did she fit all the sample sizes, but they looked like they belonged on her body. Within a few minutes, they had complete looks for both of her events.

While all of that was going on, Rodger was watching playoff football with perhaps the straightest, most heterosexual group of guys in the entirety of Los Angeles County. They sat on normal-looking couches in a normal-looking house and yelled at the television about crappy throws, and we could have been watching a scene from anywhere in America. Then someone brought out a baby and Rodger reminded us that Rachel needed to have a kid and quick so she’d have someone to inherit all of her vintage clothes, and we were immediately back in the Stylist Universe.

Back at the apartment, Rachel was finally able to confirm all of her clients in their dresses for the Globes, and then it was time for the really, really amazing part – JEWELRY. Brad and Rachel sat around a giant table of priceless jewelry to sparkle everyone up for the big day. I may or may not have paused my DVR to get a good, long look at some of the best pieces. I also may have rewound and watched the whole thing again. Possibly.

And then, tragedy struck. Not real tragedy, but stylist tragedy! The big day had arrived and everyone was losing their minds already, but then…the rain. It started. I wasn’t aware that it rained in LA, but it was raining that day. Rachel seemed to have forgotten that it was raining on everyone, not just her clients, but I guess you forget about things like rain protocol when you live in the desert. Apparently the Golden Globes also forgot about the difficulties of precipitation, because they didn’t even bother to put up a tent. Everyone had to carry umbrellas and hike up their dresses so they didn’t touch the nasty, wet carpet which probably smell like wet dog by the time the ceremony rolled around.

Everyone managed to slog down the carpet, though, and they all looked amazing. Well, I didn’t love the Alexander McQueen for Cameron Diaz, but I liked it much better than the pink Chanel from last season, so…progress! And, of course, Rachel managed to avert disaster again, just like every episode. Until next week, that is…

Original post by Amanda Mull

It seems as though Kanye West’s recent advent to Twitter has been mighty controversial – some people think he’s hysterical, some people think he tweets too much, and still others have yet to get over that whole Taylor Swift thing. I find myself residing firmly in the first group, and the only thing that surprises me in the least about his account is that he hasn’t had one all along. Twitter was made for Kanye West.

In between telling us that he jogs in Lanvin and imploring us to check out his “credenza game,” Yeezy actually managed to tweet a picture that you guys might be interested in – the vintage Hermes travel bag above. The handle looks a bit worse for the wear, but I’m digging the distressing on the rest of the bag and how aged the leather is. If you have any information on the name of this model or the year it might have been made, let us know in the contents – Kanye, naturally, was short on details.

Image via Kanye’s TwitPic account

Original post by Amanda Mull

I have decided that Lady Gaga performs makeovers on her Hermes Birkins just for us. She wants the handbag lovers of the world to get a rise out of what she is doing to her bag. And how can you not? Her last Hermes Birkin was taken over by what looked like a Sharpie marker with a message to her Japanese fans.

This Birkin has been taken over with studs, and not just any studs, seemingly sharp studs. The kind of studs that can poke you and get an “Ouch” reaction from your mouth. And when you inspect the bag closely, they are not perfectly set apart, rather tried to be somewhat in pattern but it is a bit of a free-form design.

What I wonder is if Lady Gaga sits in her spacious first class seat as she flies from location to location with a glue gun and a bag of studs working on her handbag-art-project. You know, with anyone else I would be shocked, but this is Lady Gaga. What else can you expect? Her outfits and her entire persona is there for shock value, so at least she is staying true to herself and making sure each and every item she wears gets the attention she is seeking. Oh yea, her shoes look like horse’s hooves… I’m just saying.

What do you think about Lady Gaga customizing her Hermes Birkins?

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Vlad has forayed into the world of video. And I am his guinea pig at times, going on the other side of the camera so he can practice. I prefer to direct, and as I direct more I need a director’s chair. I found the perfect director’s chair. I. MUST. HAVE. IT. But alas, it is Hermes and the price is out of this world for a chair that I want to fold up and take around when we create more videos for all of you. So that is why it falls into my Want It Wednesday category.

The Hermes Pippa Armchair and Footstool epitomize luxury in every sense. They are also extravagant and expensive, but I want to carry them around and plop myself behind Vlad as he shoots PurseBlog videos. I can direct from my Hermes Pippa Folding Armchair, which features Hermes cowhide with pear wood and brass metal pieces. It is the perfect director’s chair. How could I resist a chair from one of my favorite leather good houses that looks as cool as this chair does? The armchair is $10,200 via Hermes.

And why end there? I need a place to kick up my feet and that is precisely what the Hermes Pippa Footstool is for. So while Vlad is hard at work with actually making the video, I can sit on Hermes cowhide and also place my feet on Hermes cowhide. Buy the footstool via Hermes for $5,950.

These two items perfectly fit into my Want It Wednesday category. They are dream items, items that I will most likely never own, but items I love to look at and dream about!

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

This is not the first time Victoria Beckham has tempted me with her gorgeous Hermes Crocodile Birkin. In fact, this seems to be one of Victoria’s favorite Hermes bags from her collection (rumored to be in the hundreds of bags).

Let’s talk about why this bag works. First off, it is a timeless classic, the Hermes Birkin. Not everyone loves this bag or understands the cult-like status it has garnered, but it is hard to find this particular version anything short of fabulous. Hermes uses premium exotic skins, and their crocodile skins provide an additional level of beauty. The color is what has me in love with this bag the most. You see, it is the most stunning hue of red. A shade that is not shockingly in your face but not dull or bland. Without being overly cliche, the color is perfect. Because of its deep saturation, it can work for nearly every outfit imaginable. And what I love to see is Victoria wearing a top and jeans from her collection with this gorgeous handbag.

Because of everything listed above, Victoria Beckham is carrying my bag for this week’s Want it Wednesday.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

I am finally finding myself to be over the stud trend. I liked it, I bought it, I wore it, and now I am over it. But there are still few bags that bring in some stud-like hardware that is not typical of the studded bag rage and perfect to add a metal touch. I have always been attracted to the Hermes Medor Clutch and this weekend it is my latest obsession.

The design itself is inherently simple, with nothing about the size or look of the body of the clutch standing out. But the hardware (I am unsure whether I prefer black or silver on the black box leather), is distinctive, eye-catching, and bold. And it is the hardware that makes anyone looking at this clutch say, ‘Oh, that is Hermes alright‘. There is a small, 23 cm, and large 29 cm, size. The leather is box skin, which is sturdy yet shows scratches more easily than many Hermes leathers. And while the leather version is beautiful, the Spring 2009 collection sent a green exotic skin onto the runway that makes me want to see this bag in a rouge croc before ever settling on leather. Buy online via Hermes for $4,025 for the small and $4,200 for the large.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

If you’re a fan of the Hermes Birkin (or simply not a fan of Lady Gaga), gird your loins for this one.

When her Monster Ball tour landed recently in Tokyo, La Gagita was seen in the airport carrying a white Hermes Birkin inscribed with a message that loosely translates to “I love small monster. Toyko love.”

In case you’re not familiar with the Gaga vernacular, “little monsters” is the name that she uses to refer to her fans, so her Birkin message was a shout-out to those that would be attending her Japanese shows. Using accessories and the paparazzi to communicate – clever, or not so much?

Regular readers of the blog will know that I’m a huge Lady Gaga fangirl, so I think it’s fairly clever. It’s not the most interesting thing she’s ever done, but playing with fashion and blurring the lines of social acceptability are two things that are integral to her public image, and not only does a Sharpie’d Birkin combine those things effectively, but it has managed set tongues wagging all over the internet.

UPDATE: As commenter Allen pointed out, it looks as though Gaga has now had her Japanese fans sign the back of the same Birkin, according the the pictures that she posted on Twitter today.

Original post by Amanda Mull