Custom Design

I am in love. Valentino continues to make me a happy handbag fan. Yes, in the past, I’ve snubbed Valentino and thought that some bags were less than impressive. Today is not that kind of day. I am highly impressed with this Valentino Glam Tote. In fact, if I had some cash saved up, I would have bought it on the spot.

Before I get started, I must say, I really wish that Bergdorf Goodman would have larger images of products they carry available. However, luckily, they do have a zoom function. This zoom function has allowed me to fall in love with this bag. If it wasn’t for that function, I probably would have passed the bag by. But instead, I was able to look at the bag a bit closer and completely admire the exquisite and intricate bead work.

This tote is comprised of nude napa leather and has double top handles. With the tote being as large as it is, I do wonder if slightly larger handles would do the bag a bit more justice, but it wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. I wasn’t really interested in the drawstring sides, but I can let that go too. See, this bag, it is just downright gorgeous. The stripes of mini-studs and crystals intertwine splendidly. And since some of the studs and crystals happen to be on the two-layer ruffles along the front of the bag, there is a bit of movement. I can picture myself carrying this bag as I walk through a restaurant and the the light being reflected off of the studs and crystals – amazing. It typical Valentino fashion, this bag doesn’t come cheap, but like I said earlier, if I had money saved up, this bag would be mine! Buy through Bergdorf Goodman for $2690.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

A little while back I came across a Valentino bag that was discussion worthy. Don’t get me wrong, EVERY bag is discussion worthy, but there are some that I feel people would be likely to offer their opinions on more than others.

So, here we are again with another another bag that I’d love to hear back from you on. The Diane Von Furstenberg Peggy Wrap Bag has several qualities that I really like while at the same time I am not sure if the bag simply misses the mark.

At first glance, I wanted to like the bag. I saw suede. I saw studs, but not just any studs, metal paillettes. Initially, I was pleased. But then I kept looking and wondered: is this bag actually any good?

Like many handbag lovers, I’ve been more interested in Diane von Furstenberg bags after the release of the Stephanie Bag. That bag was an instant sensation and I’ve been waiting for more like it ever since. However, I think this bag is off. The materials used are fantastic, but when combined, they seem to fall short. Although I understand the adjustable, wraparound buttoned strap, again, it seems off. Everything works against one another, not with one another. This bag, if done correctly would be fabulous to tote around during the day as it would be for certain nights out. But, there is something that just doesn’t work. What do you think? Buy through Shopbop for $950.

Original post by Shannon Mahoney

I’m not sure if it’s Lady Gaga’s influence or what, but I’m sure that I’m not the only person that has noticed sequins everywhere for the past few months. High-end handbag designers have largely avoided the trend, but Jimmy Choo has been embracing some rather fly-by-night trends as of late, so the Jimmy Choo Sequined Snake Pattern Tote doesn’t really surprise me.

It’s difficult to see the sequins in this picture since they’re clear, but I assure you that they’re there and they appear to cover the entire bag. As much as I love sequins (and really, I adore them), I just can’t support their inclusion on an everyday tote for a variety of reasons.

First, this bag is busy enough as it is. The blue-silver metallic snake print leather has plenty going on, and it gives you more than enough to look at. Plus it’s already metallic, so there’s no need to have an extra layer of shine on top. The sequins are unnecessary and create visual clutter when the light shines on them.

And then there’s the functional problem of sequins. When they’re covering a clutch, they mostly stay in your hand and away from your clothes. But when they’re on a shoulder bag, the sequins will constantly be rubbing against your clothes, and I can think of a few sweaters in my closet that wouldn’t be particularly thrilled about that. There’s also the problem of sequins coming loose when you’re in constant contact with other materials, and that’s just a problem that I don’t want to deal with. Buy through Saks for $1195.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I have a hard time pinning down the Miu Miu handbag aesthetic. Their bags seem to roam freely between minimalist and intricate, taking a pit stop at every level in between. Since “brand cohesion” is probably only something that obtuse fashion people (like moi) ever think/care about, it doesn’t necessarily seem to be a bad thing – it certainly brings them attention from a wide swath of stylish girls and women.

The Miu Miu Lurex Jeweled Shoulder Bag is the brand at its most intricate extreme. Based on how successful the bag is, maybe they should spend more time at that end of the spectrum.

This lively clutch-alternative reminds me of the glory days of the early aughts, when brightly patterned Dior Saddle Bags and Fendi Baguettes rules the accessories roost. This bag is like those bags were, except with an elegant, ladylike bent that most of the accessories of that era sorely lacked. This is the Queen’s Baguette, if you will.

The lurex/brocade combination is just updated enough to be cool and modern while still an obvious retro reference, and the smokey jewels on the chain are just perfection. I know this clutch probably has too much personality to appeal to everyone, but that just means that there will be more for me. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $950.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Ahh, the eternal handbag questions: how much should we, as consumers, be willing to pay for bags that aren’t made out of leather? How about one made out of canvas? How about a really SIMPLE bag made out of canvas? Should it vary by brand? If it does, does that mean we’ve all fallen victim to someone’s marketing scheme? For me, the Yves Saint Laurent Safety Pins Tote brings up all of those questions and more.

For what it is, I quite like this bag. But is the bag that it is worthy of the price that Yves Saint Laurent is asking? I suppose that depends on who you are and how much extra money is sitting in your bank account.

If I disregard the price tag, I kind of enjoy the form factor of this bag by itself. Sure, it’s just a canvas tote, and it’s probably just like the canvas totes that the natural-foods grocery store I go to gives away. There are precious few ways to make something like this “high quality” – at a certain point, it just is what it is. Taking that into consideration, the graphic safety pins are still not only an appreciated visual departure for this bag line, but they remind me of the pins I used to put in the canvas messenger bag that I carried as a scenester and punk music obsessive in high school. So, it’s possible that I’m a bit biased, since this seems to be a post-modern rendering of the look I spent years of my youth trying to achieve.

But then I have the unfortunate duty of considering the price. If I had a bunch of extra money, I’d probably buy it just because it makes me smile, even though I think that $195 is too much for untreated canvas in such a simple, common tote form. As I stand right now, I’m a fairly recent college graduate that hopes to maybe buy a new car (Audi A3, come to me) in the next couple of years and upgrade my apartment furnishings, and a $200 canvas tote just seems like the last thing I need to be buying. Then again, I guess “need” isn’t really the point here.

So if “need” isn’t what we should be considering here, what about “want?” Do I want to pay $200 for a canvas tote of any kind? No, I want to spend $200 on a dress and sweater at Anthropologie. This tote may not be quite as egregiously priced as some that I’ve seen in the past few years, but I think I’ve answered my own question. Buy through Saks for $195.

Original post by Amanda Mull

A few months ago, we brought you news that friend-of-PurseBlog Carlos Falchi would be collaborating with his daughter on a new line of graffiti-inspired bags to debut in the coming months.

Well, the future is now: the bags are here! We already had some pictures of what they would look like, so that isn’t much of a surprise, but it’s nice to see something so unique and fun arrive in stores nonetheless.

What we know now is that the bags are made of snake-embossed microfiber (great for animal lovers) and priced accordingly. The tote pictured here is available via Bloomingdale’s for $295.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I kind of love the Marc Jacobs Fluorescent Tweed Bag, although I kind of wish I didn’t.

What exactly do I find so charming about it? What is there to find charming about a tweed bag with some random, oddly colored gemstones stuck to it? I’m not sure, but as usual, I’m buying whatever it is that Marc Jacobs is selling.

I’m not sure what place wit has in fashion, but I can’t help find this bag (along with the birdcage bag that Shannon wrote about last week) incredibly witty and irreverent. They both made me smile immediately when I saw them, and the more I think about it, the more I think that Marc Jacobs probably is smiling too.

Fashion doesn’t always need to be so serious, and often it’s so much more fun when it’s not. That’s one of the reasons for my personal love of Lady Gaga – I think she gets it, and she infuriates people that don’t. It’s no coincidence that she’s also a public fan of Mr. Jacobs. This bag might not be his most practical or classic, but the fact that it exists says good things about the fashion industry. Buy through Net-a-Porter for $995.

Original post by Amanda Mull

Is it just me, or does the Fendi Rose Zucca Chef Bag look like it really wishes it was born a Louis Vuitton instead?

When you’re dealing with a design element as obvious as graphic roses layered over logo canvas, it’s hard not to draw parallels between this and the Stephen Sprouse collection that garnered so much attention last season for Vuitton. I wonder if Fendi’s accessories designers would even be able to keep a straight face while they were claiming that this isn’t a ripoff.

And it’s not even a halfway attractive ripoff. The Vuitton bags were successful because not only did they feature the art of a widely respected pop artist, but they were also visually quite interesting. The roses were robust and colorful, and they overshadowed the traditional monogram on which they sat.

The Fendi, on the other hand, is just kind of sad. The roses are boring and small, and they do nothing to spruce up the zucca print fabric that we’re all used to seeing. Find your own gimmick, Fendi – Vuitton’s already got this one on lock. Buy through Nordstrom for $940.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I’m usually a bit dubious when Bottega Veneta decides to layer a pattern on top of their signature intrecciato woven leather. The material itself is so beautiful and luxurious that it seem a waste to mask it, and often the extra patterns compete with the weave’s natural lines.

This time, though, I think they got it right – the argyle pattern of the Bottega Veneta Argyle Veneta Intrec Argyle Boston Bag works on its own and with the weaving.

The traditional diamond structure of the painted argyle shares some of the diagonal lines of the intrecciato leather without completely mimicking it, which is the key to its success. The rounded edges of the argyle is in contrast to the right angles of the leather, but the two still fit together in a logical and visually pleasing way. From a distance, you don’t notice the woven structure, but it provides a nice surprise when the bag is examined close-up. The bag works on both levels, and it provides a great example for how to mix textures and patterns the right way. Buy through Barneys for $2700.

Original post by Amanda Mull

I’ve got to say at least one nice thing about this bag: Dolce & Gabbana, I like your enthusiasm.

No, actually, I love it. Because the kind of chutzpah it takes to put together seven (that I can count) types of fuzzy animal print onto one bag is the kind of chutzpah that it takes to occasionally create a stinkin’ awesome bag. But at this point, ladies and gentlemen, I have but one caveat: the Dolce & Gabbana Miss Martini Flap Bag is not that bag.

Oddly enough, I think that what this bag suffers from the most is not that there are too many patterns, but that all of the patterns are too similar. Instead of creating contrast and visual interest, they all sort of meld together into one big tan animal print glob, and the result is decidedly “craft store.”

Not that it would have been any better had they added in, say, zebra print or snake print. This idea was more or less dead in the water from the get-go, but if it takes making a thousand ridiculous bags to finally get to one that’s genuinely great, then I’m okay with that. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Buy through Nordstrom for $1075.

Original post by Amanda Mull