Custom Design

You know what I really appreciate? The return of the oversized clutch. I’ve got lots of keys, a keyless-entry fob for my car and a Blackberry with a case on it, all of which have to leave the house with me no matter what. I’ve encountered a fair number of miniscule handbags that wouldn’t have fit one of those items by itself, let alone all of them together – don’t even think about adding in a lipgloss or card case.

The designers at Miu Miu know my struggle, obviously, which is why they’ve been so kind as to create the Miu Miu Oversized Sequin Clutch. Finally, I can carry a sparkly little bag that’s not actually too little to be useful.

Miu Miu did a good job of keeping the colors of this clutch neutral so that it won’t overwhelm an outfit – when a bag is this big and this shiny, also choosing a statement color would perhaps be too much for a lot of potential customers. The subtle gold, silver and green variation could go nicely with a lot of different outfits without upstaging the other elements of an ensemble. In addition to all of that, if you need your hands free for something, it has an optional strap. Sign me up, please. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $995.

Original post by Amanda Mull

The Juicy Couture Lock It Silverlake Clutch makes us love Juicy Couture [via PurseBlog Savvy]

Chanel Spring/Summer 2010 Ad Campaign [via Nitro:licious]

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Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Botkier Noa Tote, we love it! [via Purse Blog Savvy]

Kendall Jenner for Forever 21 Twist Collection [via Nitro:Licious]

Trend Alert: Fur Vests as seen on Nicole Richie [via Fab Sugar]

V magazine goes plus-size [via My Fashion Life]

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

The Coach Parker Clutch is our new little obsession [via Purse Blog Savvy]

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Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

Rebecca Minkoff’s Spring 2010 Collection at Satine Boutique [via Racked LA]

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Would You Wear a Sheer Skirt Like Kristen Stewart? [via Off the Rack]

Will Lagerfeld live forever? [via My Fashion Life]

immy Choo for H&M Hits Stores Tomorrow [November 14] [via Nitro:licious]

Original post by Megs Mahoney Dusil

It looks like Christian Louboutin might finally be getting the hang of this whole handbag thing, finally. Christian, if you’re out there: it’s perfectly fine to do your best bag work right now in clutches. Once you start producing reliably in that arena, we can move on to bigger bags and concepts.

I believe in you, really I do, despite the fact that I’ve criticized many of your bags in the past (love your shoes though, natch). The Christian Louboutin Loubiday Nappa Clutch, for example? You’re showing tons of potential.

The whole look is just so pleasantly art deco. The soft, creamy nappa leather contrasts perfectly with the shiny black patent, and the inky black dots on either side of the center stripe provide a unique, restrained addition of visual interest. Plus, I really support the whole tiny-red-soled-shoes-as-a-clasp thing you’ve been doing for the past couple of season, Christian. It’s totally adorable. Buy through Luisa Via Roma for $1548.

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

Despite the beauty of the last Nancy Gonzalez bag that we reviewed, the combination of exotics and non-exotics didn’t exactly inspire all of our commenters. Using multiple materials is difficult to pull off, for sure, but what about using two exotics? Is the whole more than the sum of its parts? I think it is for the Nancy Gonzalez Python/Crocodile Tote. And just look at the end result…

This may be one of my favorite Nancy Gonzalez bags of all time, which says a lot, given my penchant for exotics. This particular shade of blue-undertoned grey is fantastic for highlighting scale and texture differences on exotic skins and bringing out their natural patterns and variations, which is exactly what a well-designed exotic bag should do. Python is the main event here, making up the front and back of the bag, while the sturdier crocodile skin forms the bag’s gussets. I’d be interested to see what the bag would look like if the material usage was flipped, but either way, it’s still beyond gorgeous. The neat rows of studs that run on either side of the bag’s front panel are the perfect finishing touch and something slightly out of character for the designer – I hope we see more of it in the future. Buy through Saks for $3100.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I both love and hate the Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile Striped Tote. I love it because it is, without a doubt, pretty much gorgeous. The color is listed as tan, which would normally be boring, but the subtle olive green undertones that run through it are enough to make the color something that you don’t see everyday while still maintaining its neutrality. The pale, unobtrusive color does wonders to highlight what’s really important about this bag – the structure. This is the second bag we’ve seen today that has juxtaposed exotic leathers and suede, and the effect here is simultaneously just as successful and totally different. The crocodile mixed with the softer, tactile suede gives the sewn-together strips a depth of visual interest and texture that is absolutely brilliant I really can’t say enough about it.

What bothers me, though, is that the beauty of the crocodile skin is somewhat lost in the strips of leather and suede. My feeling, as I have explained before, is always that a bag made out of an exotic leather should use that leather’s natural texture to its greatest advantage. In tiny strips, it’s basically impossibly to do that. Stamped croc would have probably been a more cost-effective and appropriate material to use here, even though I’m not generally a proponent of stamping anything on high-end handbags. The price is somewhat reasonable for a bag that does use a great deal of exotic leather, though, so when that’s combined with the bag’s sleek beauty, I can’t hate it too much. Buy through Saks for $2750.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Ostrich is a material that we don’t tend to talk about all that often. Of late, it’s been overshadowed by other exotics like python, and it’s not as common that you see it. Some brands still do an exceptional job with it, though - Hermes and Mulberry come to mind. Another brand that’s know for it is Nuti, who are lesser known but have so far done a great job when it comes to their specialty material.

A couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to see the Nuti New Yorker Ostrich Hobo in person in Atlanta, and I was absolutely blown away. The version that I saw was a deep, rich purple similar to Balenciaga’s Fall 2007 Violet, and the leather was amazing. I sometimes shy away from ostrich because of its resemblance to the skin of an enormous chicken, but this bag is truly gorgeous. The variations of the leather are all the visual interest it needs, and the handle is artfully constructed and unique, compared to the afterthought leather straps we normally see. In my mind, they’ve got a big, big winner here. Buy through Saks for $3400.

Original post by Amanda Mull