Custom Design

Hey MCM, Donna Karan called. She wants her bag back.

I’m a firm believer that there is nothing really new under the sun, and that well-worn Biblical adage is doubly true when applied to the fashion world. Everything is recycled, reinterpreted, or deconstructed, if not outright ripped off. The best designers manage to borrow from the past and create something new and interesting from their influences. The worst? Well, we might have an example of one of them here in the MCM Leather Crossbody Hobo. When I saw it, I couldn’t help but assume it was one of Donna Karan’s bags – her brand used EXACTLY the same dying technique on several bags last season. Obviously, I was mistaken.

Take a look at this bag. Also, this one. Now look at that bag up there. Those Donna Karan bags were released in the fall, which means that they had been in the industry pipelines for about six months after their initial presentation for buyers and editors. So, knowledge of those bags has been around for about a year, long before this bag was probably conceived.

Fashion’s timeline is wonky, and this could be an unfortunate case of the company sourcing the same leather in ignorance, but that’s just not passing the truth sniff test for me. In a competitive industry that values exclusivity so highly and where lead times are so long, you’d have to think that the Powers That Be at MCM were probably aware that someone else had used the exact same leather with the exact same effect in the exact same color scheme. Karan’s bags were all over the internet and on the websites of several of the industry’s largest retailers at the time that these bags were probably being designed, and if MCM wasn’t aware of them, then someone was seriously not doing his or her job.

Don’t get me wrong – I love this effect. I just loved it more when it felt original. Buy through Saks for $1195.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I’m too young to remember when MCM was a big deal the first time around, but I have been assured that it was and I have no reason not to believe it. I’ve seen those bags, though, and I have a hard time imagining them being widely popular, but, you know, the 80s were a weird time.

I’m thankful that their logo bags haven’t returned in the 80s nostalgia wave (a wave that I’m ok with, in general – I just bought another pair of Ray-Ban Wayfarers, after all), but if they keep making bags like the MCM North/South Leather Hobo, I wouldn’t mind at all if the brand became a trend all over again.

Since this bag is completely empty and not hanging on a shoulder, I think that the uber-slouchy, uber-soft leather would look a bit more tailored when worn. If it does, the bag would be nearly perfect for people that like a casual, easy sensibility to their personal style (or really, just about anyone that like wonderful leather in a neutral shade).

The knotting, tassel, and minimal use of hardware are enough to vary the texture and visual appeal of the bag. If tassels aren’t your thing, then it’s removable, but I’d recommend leaving it on – it lends a nice vertical line, not to mention a little bit of motion, to this beautiful, modern bag. There’s not a note of 80s tiredness anywhere near this one. Buy through Saks for $995.

Original post by Amanda Mull

You know, when it comes to handbags and the reviews we do here on PurseBlog, we can be all over the place. Sometimes we (me, Megs, Amanda and Anna) can be in complete agreement and other times we don’t see eye to eye at all. This all makes sense, of course, because, well, we all have different likes and dislikes. (I know, I am stating the obvious here, just bare with me.)

However, I feel as though we tend to be most polar on our view points with some of the big time designers, like Valentino. But, when it comes to Valentino, Amanda said it best in her review of the Valentino Laceland Tote when she said is not completely comfortable claiming she loves or hates a given Valentino creation. I feel the same exact way.

So, as I sit here contemplating how I feel about the Valentino Rouches Napa Hobo, I also wonder not only what my fellow PurseBlog writers think but also what you all think about this bag. There is a large part of me that really wants to like the bag, but there is a nagging part of me that thinks it is nothing more than heinous. So, let’s break it down.

No matter what the state of the economy is, there is something to be said for possessing one of the big name brand bags – which Valentino is a part of. The leather itself is downright gorgeous. It is supple, beautiful and flawless. As a hobo, the dimensions are pretty much spot on: 13 1/2″H x 15″W x 8 1/2″D with a 5″ shoulder drop. I wish the drop was a bit larger, but I won’t make that a point of extreme discussion. I love satin lining, so the fact that this bag is lined with black satin, I obviously like it a bit more. Yet again, is that enough to make or break a decision – no.

The ruffles. The ruffles have me on the fence. When I think about really tapping into my feminine side, I like the ruffles. When I think about how borderline gaudy the bag looks, I hate the ruffles. But that is the thing. The ruffles are *supposed* to help the bag stand out; they are supposed to make the bag unique and one-of-a-kind.

Finally, the price. Yes, this is Valentino and yes the prices tend to be a bit inflated compared to the rest of the handbag market. However, would you throw down almost $2600 for this ruffled, leather, hobo? The price is what is making me quiver. If the bag was cheaper, I would go out on a ledge and buy it. I need a statement piece and frankly, this bag is exactly that – a statement. But with everything being said, does this bag make so much of a statement that you would be willing to throw down big time bucks? If so, buy through Bergdorf Goodman for $2595.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

My oh my, it has been a few months now since we’ve covered a Chloé bag. My infatuation with Chloé bags started when Megs purchased her gorgeous Chloé Paddington a few years back. When she came home with it, I absolutely loved it and was hoping that one day I too would have a Paddington of my own. As I started to take note of the brand a bit more, I decided I didn’t have to set my sights on a Paddington because there were several others out there I could love just as much. However, all this got shoved to the back on my mind as I my love for Marc Jacobs, Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin continued to grow.

But today, I found myself getting back to the basics. Well, at least back to Chloé basics.

Ok, first things first. I don’t think the Chloé Ethel Large Leather Hobo is going to have the same kind of influence that the Paddington did/does. But, this bag has reminded me of how good Chloé bags can be when it comes to a simple design executed wonderfully. The glazed leather is soft, shiny and supple. The goldtone hardware helps bring out the color of the leather without overpowering it. (However, I do have to say I wish the zipper pulls were a little different, they seem a little odd on this bag.) The structured shoulder strap is a nice addition to the overall slouchy look of this hobo. This is a great bag to tote around all day as well as one which could compliment many night worthy outfits. Buy through Saks for $1395.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

I’ve heard that turquoise is the color of spring this year. Ok, well, I heard it from something that Megs said on Twitter, so maybe I can’t claim any original research in the “color of the season” category, but turquoise sounds just about as likely as anything else. I have seen a lot of hot pink bags for spring, though, so I’d like to nominate that for second place.

Anyway, turquoise: perfectly lovely, glad to hear that it’s going to be big in the next few months. I much prefer it to orange or an alternative that looks equally terrible next to my skin. So, time to find a good turquoise handbag, I suppose, and the Jimmy Choo Rahmyn Snake-Embossed Hobo is one of the strongest contenders that I’ve found.

Most of the Jimmy Choo bags that I’ve seen recently have been trying way too hard to be special and interesting, and the thing that I find refreshing about this one is that it isn’t striving to be cooler than it is. Instead of being covered with a ton of unnecessary embellishment and hardware, Choo’s designers chose to do expertly dyed leather in a seriously drool-worthy color and simple shape, and it works so much butter than trying to make an average bag spectacular with glitter and fringe.

Embossed leather is not my favorite option, but it looks like they did a fairly unoffensive job of turning this bag into faux snake, so I’ll let it slide this time. The contrasting snake trim is a nice touch, and the texture works to make the bag less boring than it would have been in regular leather. I can already imagine how lovely this will look against white linen when the weather turns warm. Buy through Nordstrom for $1495.

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

As I mentioned last week, finally, oh finally, the retail stores are stocking their shelves with all sorts of amazing new handbags. My must-have bag of the day has to be the Michael Kors Skorpios Pleated Crescent Hobo. I’d like to even say that it could be my bag pick of the week, but seeing as though it is Monday, I don’t want to jump the gun yet.

All I do know is that this bag is a staple, a must-have, a classic.

For being a girl who loves simple, understated elegance it might seem a little odd that I only own one black handbag. To me, black handbags are like little black dresses, you might have one you use more than another, but you can never have enough.

I’ve been in the market for a new black bag for quite some time now and I’ve already put this bag on my list. It was the pleated body that initially caught my attention. But, it was the single braided shoulder strap and goldtone hardware that locked me in. The dimensions are pretty nice too: 16″W X 11″H X 3½”D and 11″ drop. Of course, there is plenty of room, but at the same time, the bag isn’t overwhelming. In fact, even if you are a petite woman, this bag won’t overwhelm you. Buy through Saks for $795.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

So this week (and in particular, this weekend) are all about red, right? Well, according to the people that have a vested interest in selling you (or, perhaps more accurately, your significant other) lots and lots of Valentine’s Day swag, anyway. We’ll have more on V-Day throughout the week, but for a moment, I’d like to celebrate something that’s red that has blissfully little to do with anything other than good taste: the Valentino Premier Bow Hobo.

Everyone that reads this blog has probably picked up on the fact that I have a strong personal bias both the color red and almost anything made by the fine folks at Valentino, so of course I can’t help but fall for this bag.

For those that don’t follow fashion closely, red is a Valentino tradition (which is putting it very, very lightly). Under the creative genius of the company’s namesake, the color became a metaphor for the brand’s vision and an omnipresent staple in the brand’s clothes, accessories and especially their evening wear.

So it shouldn’t surprise us that, despite the retirement of the brand’s founder, Valentino is still one of the few designers that manages to do a red handbag and do it right. That’s because the company will accept nothing less than the perfect shade of red for any of its products, and that’s exactly what they managed to get out of this leather.

I’ve already explained my love for this bag’s design back when the shape first came out, so I won’t rehash those feelings, which are very much still intact. I will say, however, that the bag’s deliberative pleating is much more handsomely displayed in Valentino’s traditional red. It doesn’t even need to be Valentine’s day to appreciate that – or should I say Valentino’s Day? Buy through Saks for $1895.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Get ready to be surprised and astounded, you guys: I’ve found a Valentino bag about which I am totally and utterly ambivalent. I know this doesn’t happen often, so if you feel like you need to take a moment to let that sink in, please go ahead and take one. We’ll wait.

You back? Great.

In fact, I’m having trouble rustling up any thoughts about it at all. However, one continues to reoccur: for two grand, not only can you get a better bag in general, you can get a far more interesting Valentino bag.

The ruffles are suitably rich and textured, I suppose, and the graduated size from top to bottom is ok. Something about it is just not impressive to me at all, however, and maybe it’s because I’ve seen the brand do ruffles in so many more interesting and intricate ways. Perhaps the problem is that they do such an out-of-the-ballpark job with designs that are much more complex, and in comparison, it’s hard to celebrate their ability to pull off something so comparatively simple. Buy through Saks for $1995.

Original post by Amanda Mull

With so many handbags on the market, there are always options that can give you a look you love for less. Let’s face it, we don’t all have endless handbag budgets all the time. We have already given you a studded clutch option for less and a Chanel option for less. Now it is time to give you a Leather Hobo Look for Less.

As you know we are huge fans of YSL here at Purse Blog. I recently saw a leather hobo from YSL that was simply beautiful. The YSL Leather Hobo gives you a simple hobo shape, which is integral to your handbag wardrobe, in luxe taurillon leather (taurillion translates to bull-calf from French). The YSL Hobo features a 9″ drop, magnetic closure, and suede lining. Entirely effortless yet everyday usable. Price is $1595 via Saks.

If you love the look of the YSL hobo but do not feel like dishing out $1600, we have found a Look for Less. Bringing you a similar shape and size but a lesser price tag is the Hobo International Amelie Leather Hobo. Why did we pick this bag?

It also features butter leather, a soft and slouchy shape, and a single shoulder strap. The shoulder drop is 14″ versus 9″ from the YSL hobo. The lining is not suede like the YSL bag, rather cotton/rayon lining. But I will not gripe about the lining when the price is 1/6th of the price of the YSL hobo.

If you want to nab the YSL hobo look for less, grab this Hobo International bag via Saks for $268.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil