Custom Design

Well, we have seen it all. I have never quite understood the allure of a design house venturing into the foray of athletic equipment or other random accessories, but at least it gives us a talking point. We have seen a $17,000 Chanel Bicycle and a Chanel Segway and now we have Chanel temporary tattoos. Only they have decided to name it ‘temporary skin art’, as if that changes it all and makes the price tag seem less-ridiculous.

At least I can say that you are given fifty-five temporary tattoos, which were originally hand-drawn by Peter Philips who is the Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup. Some of the “art” includes Oriental cherry blossoms, birds, bracelets, earrings, and the classic Chanel logo. The tattoos are limited edition. Call me crazy, but there is some inner voice attempting to tell me that this would be a great idea for dress up. But then reality sinks in, these are temporary tattoos, which can be found in many children’s cereal boxes and sticks of gum. Um, thanks Chanel?! Buy through Chanel for $75.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

When two masters of their domain come together to collaborate, no chin is safe from slobbering, wet drool. In this case, the German manufacturer Leica Camera AG and the Parisian high-fashion house Hermès joined forces to create a very special limited edition camera, namely the new Leica ̉ Edition Hermès.

I know that this is the PurseBlog and I am going off on distant tangents here. But let me elaborate. I have three good reasons to share my new acquisition with our readers.

Firstly, I am an avid photographer. Not only do I occasionally contribute to the editorial with my Shutterbags bit, but I also enjoy photographing in my spare time.

Secondly, I am an avid Leica fan and collector. Their optics are outstanding, their rangefinder cameras are legendary and have worked their magic in skilled hands of masters like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Annie Leibowitz.

Thirdly, it’s Hermès! There is a good reason that the iconic fashion house’s enthusiastic crowd is one of the most active and devoted on TPF. Hermès’ leather working, craftsmanship and history are second to none.

If that does not convince you, I may just flat out say that I am bloody excited and just want to show off!

This is not the first time that these two iconic companies have joined up to collaborate on a 35mm film M-body. Back in 2003, the first love child came in form of a Leica MP “Hermès Edition”, which was built in a small series of only 500 kits and featured exquisite Barenia calfskin and a 35mm f/2 Leica Summicron-M ASPH in silver chrome.

Hermes has a solid track record of collaborations with other luxury manufacturers, prime example being the spiffy Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès which I had the pleasure of personally discovering back in 2008 in NYC. With a price tag of (now) over $2mil dollars, the car will have to wait.

This new Leica M7 “Hermès Edition” kit includes an Hermes-adorned M7 35mm film rangefinder, a Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH wide-angle lens, a matching classic round lens hood, a Leicavit M rapid winder and an Hermès leather carrying strap, and presents itself in a beautiful linen-covered, silk-lined box. The body of the rangefinder is covered in supple “Swift” calfskin which is, of course, hand-wrapped after a time-consuming tanning process that gives it a fantastic luxurious feel. This series is limited to 100 kits of classic Hermès Orange (serial numbers 1-100) and another 100 kits of Etoupe (101-200) worldwide. As you can see from the images below, I received the early number #8 of the series.

The beautiful M-body is accompanied by an equally stunning silver chrome 35mm f/1.4 Summilux-M lens. As I learned from our local Leica guru David Farkas of Dale Photo, the unique part about this limited lens is that Leica created a new production process to silver anodize the lens’ aluminum alloy barrel and rings; unlike in previous lenses, where the silver chrome effect could only be applied to much heavier brass barrels and rings. As a result, this silver chrome ‘Lux is the same weight as the black anodized version, which is a first for Leica.

You see, I am going to get a whole lot of crap of many Leica enthusiasts for saying this, but for me personally, this is an investment piece that will never see a roll of film. This camera will remain in its cozy silk-lined box until I get a worthy cabinet to display it in for a while, then it will go back to rest in its dark box. If I want to go and throw a rangefinder around, I can rely on my classic M6 to get the job done.

The price for this limited edition is $12,950 and is currently available at Adorama. Only 200 world-wide are available, with very few designated for the North American market.

The Gallery

Original post by Vlad Dusil

The Stephen Sprouse Tribute Collection at Louis Vuitton continues to trickle into eLuxury. First only accessories were showing, now if you act quickly, you can have a piece of the Monogram Roses collection. The Speedy, Neverfull, and Pochette are available now, all showcasing the fluorescent rose pattern which is screen printed onto the canvas […]

Original post by Megs Mahoney

For this year, Gucci announced a special limited 8-8-2008 collection of just 8 fashion accessories that will be available exclusively through Gucci Hong Kong and China stores. The special edition pays homage to competitive sports and is supposed to epitomize sporty luxury, according to Gucci creative director Frida Giannini. Cornerstone of the campaign is the new I-Gucci watch, which is unique to the 8-8-08 campaign in both coloring and sporty appearance. It also happens to be the first digital time piece Gucci has ever released - its digital face is capable of displaying both numerical and clock-hand formats. Other specs include a 44 millimeter steel frame casing, a red monochrome rubber strap (embossed with Gucci’s iconic GG pattern on its inside) and selection of multiple time zones.

The 8-8-2008 collection also features an unlikely accessory in form of a bicycle. The bike is built for leisure and sports bold red double GG leather details such as the seat and the handle bar grips. On a personal note: Being somewhat of a bike fetishist myself, I feel like the Holland-style bike defies the whole concept of the campaign. If the collection is conveying a sporty spirit, why not collaborate with a real competitive race bike maker such as Specialized and give Gucci lovers a real sport toy for their money’s worth? I suppose my perception of “sports” are quite a bit different than the creative department at Gucci envisions. Judging their frail Chinese campaign model, his stature and lack of sporty appearance, entirely justifies my criticism of the nature of the campaign. In my humble opinion, this collection’s ties to competitive sports should have been dropped for the sake of real athletes around the globe.

Moving on from an athlete’s rant, the limited collection also features two pieces of luggage in the bold red “La Pelle Guccissima”. The first is a study leather duffel bag and the other a soft-leather messenger bag with Gucci’s Green-Red-Green web on its shoulder strap.

You can view the full limited edition here, while this page offers an exclusive video, giving insights into the shooting and creation of the campaign pictures. As mentioned, most items will only be available through Gucci boutiques in HK and China, the I-Gucci watch will be available globally.

Original post by Vlad

Le Petitpas Wilm Handbag

It started with me wracking my brain trying to figure out the designer of Katherine Heigl’s red handbag. It then turned into me asking you all to help figure out the designer of her bag. Which only lead to all of you wracking your brains and trying to deduce the right answer. Then I asked on Purse Forum and they were all stumped. We were all hitting a brick wall; noticing similarities between this bag and other designers we have seen, such as braided handles like Balenciaga, and a feel of Mulberry. Luckily, the intelligent Becca on our forum scoured the web and found the designer! The red handbag Heigl has been carrying is the Le Petitpas Wilm Handbag. Le Petitpas functions differently than many designers we know, releasing a new handbag every six months to a year in limited quantities. Once the bags are sold out, there will never be another of the same released. This is a different concept that sets this brand apart from others. Right now their limited edition bag, with less than 500 being produced, The Wilm is garnering the attention of handbag lovers world-wide. The Le Petitpas The Wilm is designed with lush Italian leather with a chic red finish. The handles are hand-stitched and the hardware is speckled bronze plated. There are two front pockets with magnetic closures. At the base of each handbag a limited edition number is embossed letting you know which number of the batch is yours. The brand states that the signature Le Petitpas markings and world renown ‘P’ hardware are found on the bag, though they were not renown to me until now. This is an absolutely stunning bag that has garnered attention near and far and has finally been identified. Buy at Le Petitpas online for $1270.

Original post by Megs

The official handbag sponsor of the 50th Annual Grammy’s was The SAK. The SAK treated performers and presenters to a variety of their handbags, including a first shot at grabbing The SAK Ashbury Shopper in Graffiti. The bag will be available this spring, but the women of the red carpet got the first look and first chance to grab the bag. The print on the bag is one of peace and harmony and dedicated to supporting the environment. The SAK has teamed up to help The Nature Conservancy by auctioning off signed versions of the Ashbury Graffiti Shopper. The SAK will be auctioning off the signed bags on Charity Folks. Bidding is going on now! Stars that have signed bags for the auction include Miley Cyrus, Cyndi Lauper, Taylor Swift, The Foo Fighters, Plain White T’s and Amy Lee. Whether you are a rocker girl, a county guy, or one of millions that can not get Miley Cyrus concert tickets, check out the bags and support the cause! The auction ends on the 13th of March 2008.

CLICK HERE to bid on the Miley Cyrus autographed bag (auction up to $800 already)

Check out the rest of the Celebrity autographed bags below!

Original post by Megs

Jimmy Choo Face Clutch

Jimmy Choo’s Tamara Mellon teamed up with Richard Phillips to create two Limited Edition art bags for the Spring/Summer 08 handbag line. The first bag, the Jimmy Choo Face Canvas Bag, was not accepted widely by all of you. On the face bag, the four faces are taken from Phillips portrait Riot (1998). For the 70’s style Jimmy Choo Face Clutch, the sensual Richard Phillips Nuclear portrait is showcased on the smooth curves and red background of the bag. The frame of the clutch is made with Bakelite (resin) and gives off a very vintage look. For me, the clutch is a huge improvement from the tote. The tote is said to be a beach bag, and I just find it a bit creepy really. But the clutch is subtle and sensual, adding an artistic touch without being overboard. Pre-order through Neiman Marcus for $595.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post’s poll.

Original post by Megs

Bottega Veneta Barcelona Cabat

I learned about the ultimate Bottega Veneta Bag, the Cabat, while in Venice, Italy. Between the bag being entirely hand woven inside and out, the four layers, and the small amount of artisans that have the weaving skill to finish this bag, the Cabat is well worth its hefty price tag. For spring/summer season, there is a new rendition of the Cabat, the Bottega Veneta Barcelona Cabat which features Platino Ossidato leather (a brown and bronze combination) on the large frame (17.6 x 7.8 x 12.9 IN). There are only 500 pieces of this version being made, and like the other Cabat’s each piece features an inside pouch numbered plaque. I have had a huge crush on this bag since I first laid eyes on it. I would even venture to say that it rivals a great Hermes Travel Bag. The problem is the price also rivals a Hermes Bag, and at $7250, it is just not as accessible to many. Pre-order through Bottega Veneta for $7250. Also shop Bottega Veneta through Neiman Marcus, Saks, and Net A Porter.

Original post by Megs

Exciting news for fans of exclusive bags and cars alike. In a similar move to Lamborghini’s previous collaboration with Versace, Bugatti plans to revive a relationship between Emile Hermes and Ettore Bugatti that was initiated as far back as the 1920s by creating a Limited Edition Veyron. The new super sports car is suspected to have a more over-the-top interior with a lot of delicate stitching and embossed logos. The new Veyron is scheduled to be revealed at the Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva from March 3rd to March 16th 2008. Expect the new project to be sold out very swiftly - also expect a very steep and unattainable price. We can only hope for a special bag compartment for the complementary croc Birkin!

Original post by Vlad

Prada Fairies Bag

In Milan in September, the Prada runway show was a buzz with Miuccia filling the runway with silk-printed tunics, cropped flared trousers, and nymph and fairy prints. The backdrop looked as if it was from a girls imagination of doodles and drawings while daydreaming. Miuccia’s focus was “about trying to find a new creativity.” The fairy print is the iconic print for the Spring season and is seen on their handbags, clothing, and even their shoe boxes. The handbag that has our forum buzzing is the Prada Fairy Bag. The Prada Fairies Bag is available in two sizes and is said to be a limited edition. How limited is yet to be known, but Prada is staying that the boutiques will receive a limited number of the bags and pre-orders are not an option. The smaller version retails for $2290 and the larger for $2490. Call your local Prada boutique to inquire and be put on the wait list.

After showing you two horrible prints/patterns on handbags for Spring, I am ending your week with an absolutely stunning piece. This Prada Bag is majestic and enchanting. The deerskin leather is said to have a slight sparkle to it. This bag is absolutely gorgeous, just takes my breath away!

Prada Fairy Bag: $2290

More images from the runway and campaign below!

Original post by Megs