Custom Design

Can you believe that it’s already been 10 years since Balenciaga started making their iconic motorcycle bags? It seems like it was just yesterday, but these bags have been a fashion must-have for a full decade.

To celebrate the design’s anniversary, Balenciaga and Neiman Marcus have teamed up to carry a limited edition collection of six exclusive motorcycle bags. The three Firsts and three Cities will come in cracquele-finish calfskin in Noir, Bronze or Bois de Rose (pale pink), but perhaps the most exciting parts of the bag are on the inside…

It has a patterned lining!

This might not seem all that spectacular to the average handbag fan, but if you’ve owned as many Bal bags as I have over the years, you know that they all have one thing in common – black cotton lining. To the best of my knowledge (which is, admittedly, not complete), Balenciaga has never done a pattern inside of any of their motorcycle bags, and I’m almost tempted to grab one of these for just that reason.

All of the bags will also have a very cool tag explaining why they’re so special. Regular Balenciaga bags sell out quickly, so I’m sure that these limited edition bags will be gone in no time – if you want one, best to hop on it now. The collection also includes three pairs of ballet flats, but the bags, of course, are the thing to have.

Buy via Neiman Marcus for $1195-$1395.

Original post by Amanda Mull

We have been lamenting over attempting to find the perfect beach bag. Do you spend $50 or $500, do you get a designer bag or kick-around-bag? It comes down to personal preference and what kind of use the handbag in question will get. What I advise is buying a bag that is in your comfort zone price wise and will perform the task you are looking for.

The Coach Beach Collection is worth checking out, with items illustrated by Pierre Le-Tan, known for his whimsical style and keen eye for color. While the actual beach bags that I would opt for in this collection still cost around $250, they are illustrated beautifully and have the perfect beach feel to them. As far as the illustrated canvas bags go, there is a seahorse, cabana, and umbrella theme. To be perfectly honest, I am having a hard time knowing which I like most. All I can picture is one of these totes, cut off shorts, a tee, my bikini, sunglasses, and a hat. Typical beach wear accessorized by the perfectly cute and fitting beach tote. Each canvas illustrated beach tote is $268 at Coach.

There is also a tote, dubbed the Coach Beach Leather Large Tote, which I adore the shape of. There are light color options available, like cream and seafoam, on a classy and clean design. The inside features stripped lining which we all know is ubiquitous with summer. Coach may release a younger-suited Poppy line but they continue to produce higher end leather lines which are doing well for them. This tote is an example of that, and truly, a beautiful bag. Buy for $598 via Coach.

While every Coach line is not for me, this line is perfectly suited for its purpose and puts a huge smile on my face. Items are selling out fast, so check out more of the Coach Beach Shop here.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Everyone can go into a store and buy a handbag off of the shelf. Many of those bags we buy are very meaningful to us for different reasons. I now have a handbag in my collection that is so meaningful, so special, and so rare, it has a slight golden glow coming from behind it whenever I look at it. This bag did not come from a shelf. It was part of a special order process, considered personally by Tomas Maier himself, for ten PurseForum members.

The Process

In November of 2009, the Bottega Veneta Forum on TPF began considering a group special order. It had been done previously with smaller accessories, but the goal now was to see if it could be done with a proper bag. And so the process began, with one diligent member of the PurseForum and a Bottega Veneta store manager. The amount of emails that went back and forth was mind boggling, as every single option for the bag was customized and had to be approved by BV Corporate.

The long, tedious process resulted in the most timeless, versatile, and exclusive Bottega Veneta Stretch Knot clutch. If this bag was in production by Bottega Veneta, it would be bought up in an instant. Unfortunately (for the masses), there are only 10 of these bags made, and as with every Bottega Veneta special order, this bag will never see production.

The Specs

This very limited creation carries the fancy name Bottega Veneta Nero Intrecciato Karung Stretch Knot Clutch. It may seem a mouthful, almost intimidating. Ranking among the most popular bags by Bottega Veneta, the Knot Clutch is a personal favorite because of its truly timeless appeal and elegant design.

The skin for our special order was chosen to be Nero Karung Luster in a full body Intrecciato. The hardware is dark brunito, which is equivalent to gunmetal. The inner lining calls itself “black moire”, a wavy-patterned silk which seems more durable than simple silk. The inside also resents a fancy silver plaque, made from silver with personalized characters (I chose to have it say MEGS) and limited edition verbiage. The price for our special order was negotiated at $2,200.

The significance this clutch holds for me is not just it being a special order, but also that it was created with a group of PurseForum members. Over the past five years, the forum has grown into a massive social network, still with small enclaves where different interest groups have found their ‘place’. Each sub-forum carries a different tone and feeling. This entire special order process with Bottega Veneta showcases why this community is so unique and offers so much more than just bag talk.

This clutch will always hold a special place in my heart. A very exclusive and fabulous piece of Bottega Veneta is mine, alongside only nine other people in the world.

Can’t say that happens every day.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

The Mulberry Alexa has taken the handbag loving fashion world by storm. The shape of this bag, similar to the PS1, is the new cool. Laid-back, school-bag look is all the rage and we are loving it. You know why? It is casual without being sloppy and chic without being trendy. And then there is Alexa Chung, whom the bag is named after. Let’s face it, Alexa Chung is totally cool and stylish and has a really awesome bag named after her. Cue jealousy.

Mulberry has created a limited edition of the highly sought-after Alexa bag in distressed metallic gold for Selfridges. This distressed gold is a perfect metallic to have in your collection, as it is subdued and has additional dimension to the bag. It almost appears as if there is a pattern on the leather, but it is just the distressing technique. The hardware of the bag is a shiny gold, which is fitting with the leather color.

Only 40 bags will be available to buy from the Oxford Street, Manchester Trafford and Exchange and Birmingham stores as well as on the new Selfridges.com website. I do not see the bag right now on their website, which either means it has yet to arrive or they sold out. Either way, if you love this version, be one of 40 people to own it! Price is £795 which roughly converts to $1,200.

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

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 M7 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 ̉ “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