As much as I am loving a colorful palette for my spring/summer wardrobe, I am also coveting a light grey handbag to offset my new love of color. Light grey is the perfect neutral to compliment pretty much every outfit I can think of. Picture it with navy, green, pink, OK...black and even yellow. It just works!
- Lauren Dimet Waters
That didn't take long! Less than a year after launching, Twenty8Twelve, the London ready-to-wear label designed by sisters Sienna and Savannah Miller, plans to get into the accessories market for fall.
According to WWD, the label has produced a 12-piece collection of tote bags, wallets and clutch bags in a range of leathers, from soft palma leather to glossy leathers embossed with crocodile and elephant textures.
For fall, the accessories' color palette includes black and brown crocodile-look leathers; patent leathers in Oxblood, a burnished red; Flag, a rich blue, and Ebonised, a shiny black.
Retail prices for the collection will run from $168, for a wallet, to 460 pounds, or $913, for the line's largest bag. Most of the bags are priced at around $592. Stores, including Harvey Nichols in London, Tracey Ross and Aura in Los Angeles, We One You Too in Washington and neimanmarcus.com, will carry the collection for fall. Miller said the pieces would stand separately from Twenty8Twelve's ready-to-wear line in the stores' accessories departments.
Read "Miller Sisters in the Bags" here.
Source & Photo: WWD
By now we all get that Hermès bags are the most fabulous bags ever made. Mind you, most of us will never own one, let alone an original Kelly bag once belonging to the late Princess Grace of Monaco. However, according to WWD a very unique version of the iconic bag (screen-printed with an image of the princess) will be up for auction on June 2 as part of a vintage Hermès sale organized by auction house Artcurial in Paris. The bag, donated by HRH Princess Stephanie, was produced for the “Grace Kelly Years” exhibition last year. Proceeds will go to the Fight Aids Monaco charity.
Hopefully, it won't look as ridiculous as the Gucci "I Love NY" bag!
Source: WWD
Christian Louboutin Framed Clutch, $740
Versace Croc-stamped Boston Bag, $1655
Marc Jacobs Day Fluo Zip Clutch with Strap, $550
Lady Dior Stamped Carnage Bag, $1690
Marc Jacobs Day Fluo Quilted Stam, $950
Save the black, white and tan for your daily uniform and spring into sunny neon brights when you pick your bag this season. It's amazing what just a little color will do!
First it was Coach, now Gwen Stefani is adding high-end handbags to its L.A.M.B. label
According to WWD, the four-year-old firm, whose accessories are produced in partnership with Schifter + Partners, has launched a Black Label line called Aston, hitting stores this fall.
The collection retails from $525 for a clutch to $1,495 for a limited edition carryall and is inspired by vintage British sports cars. With style names such as the Lotus and Winston, the Aston bags feature special detailing such as layers of perforated and pebble-grain leather mixed with patent leather piping and suede strips. Each of the eight styles is equipped with black and gray striped lining, gunmetal hardware and matte black hangtags.
The Aston collection will be available in limited distribution at the top 35 of L.A.M.B.'s 250 doors, including certain Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's locations as well as Intermix and Henri Bendel.The bags will also sell on eluxury as well as appear in the luxury catalogue Vivre.
"I love the designing process for the handbags," said Stefani. "It's always evolving and changing each season. This season I loved mixing different materials like leather and suede and then putting the L.A.M.B. twist on it....I look forward to expanding the L.A.M.B. brand even more."
Personally, I wouldn't buy a regular L.A.M.B. bag, so I don't see myself buying one of these. Would/will you? Leave a comment.
Read "Stefani's L.A.M.B. Bags Go Luxe"
Source & Photo: WWD
It all began with the Yves Saint Laurent Oversized Muse in blue grey for me. Now I'm obsessed with blue handbags. I have to have a muse for spring/summer. Come to think of it I really want a blue handbag, period. Blue is the color for handbags this season so whether you chose navy, blue grey, sky or colbolt...you can't go wrong. No really. You can't miss. In fact, you will look terribly chic. Just check back and see if I got my muse. Everyone needs one, right? (Honey, did you read this?)
Yves Saint Laurent Blue Grey Oversized Muse $1,395
Anya Hindmarch Naplack Leather Doctor Bag $1,100
Tod's Softy Messenger Media $1,800
Hobo International Quilted Patent Leather Clutch $138
Marc Jacobs Klein patchwork tote $1,395
Zac Posen Zac Sac Hobo $1,295
Botkier 'Bianca Medium' Patent Leather Satchel $595
Yves Saint Laurent Large Muse Two $1,895
Goldenbleu Glitter Fold-Over Clutch $500
D&G Dolce & Gabbana Patent Karen Satchel Bag $1,295
Diane von Furstenberg Leather Wrap Bag $900
Miu Miu Matelasse Leather Tote $1,590
Marc Jacobs Collection Patchwork Patent Pochette $1,095
B. Makowsky 'Splendor' Hobo Bag $228
- Lauren Dimet Waters
The Grass is Greener, from Greenheart
From Greenheart
Heather Clutches, from Greenheart
Tweet, from Greenheart
Gotta love Greenheart. They're offering great bags (under $100) and also support a great cause: supporting artisan women from around the world. The popular River North shop is the first and only fair trade and eco-friendly gift and home accessory shop in Chicago.Each handbag is a socially and environmentally responsible bag handmade by women in Madagascar. Using renewable raw materials, the women create vivid and original clutches, totes and shoulder bags. The sale of the bags enables families to gain economic independence and promotes environmental conservation.
"These bags are gorgeous – the saturated colors are vibrant and really stand out," says Katherine Bissell Cordova, Greenheart's store manager. "The embroidery work on the clutches is a wonderful detail and the shapes of the bags are very much in style right now. It is the perfect bag for a mother who wants to add some punch to her wardrobe."
Greenheart features several styles and colors of the handbags including a structured baguette clutch and totes made from raffia and lined with cotton. Retail prices range from $56-$89. Greenheart features gifts and home accent pieces from artists and artisans from over 30 countries including Vietnam and Ghana. Products include jewelry, bowls, stationery, bath and body, kitchen accessories and home accents. More importantly, each product allows the artisan to send their children to school, build a home, or buy a new cow for their family.
Additionally, creating these items helps preserve traditional craft techniques and provides critical economic empowerment to the artisans, their families, and their communities.
Greenheart is located at 746 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago and open Monday – Saturday from 11:00 – 7:00 p.m. Visitors can call (312) 264-1625 to reach the shop during business hours or visit Greenheartshop.org for more information. Greenheart is a proud member of Chicago Fair Trade.
Yes, even your cosmetic bag needs some updating this spring. What goes inside your handbag counts too. Just as refreshing one's face is mandatory if you want to look your best, so is your cosmetic bag. We have discovered this stylish and affordable cosmetic bag line by M Z Wallace. In fact, they are so fab, we want to carry them around as clutches! Ranging from $35-$75, go ahead and get two!
Bedford Nylon Cosmetic Orange with Brown - Half Moon Cosmetic Case $75
Bedford Nylon Cosmetic Pearl with Silver Royal - Medium Cosmetic Case $65
Mercury with Pale - Zipper Pouch with stitching Case $35
Snake with Pale Cosmetic- Large Cosmetic Case $65
Shop mzwallace.com for their new summer cosmetic collections.
It seems every bag I fall in love with these days has a price tag of at least $1,200! Has the whole world gone mad? First it was getting over the $200 threshold for jeans and now over the $1,000 luxury bag! So I love when I am surprised to swoon for bags under $800.
Check out the Spring 2008 Rebecca Minkoff handbags and tell me you don't love at least one!
Elisha $585
Morning After $585
Nikki $600
No Strings Clutch $375
Plan B $655
Tryst $380
Rebecca Minkoff bags are available online at: Shopbop & rebeccaminkoff.com
In Chicago visit: Roslyn & Nordstrom
In NYC visit: Wink, Shop & Tallulah
In Atlanta visit: Lisa Brown & P. Valentine
In L.A. visit: Nordstrom, Aura & Milk
- Lauren Dimet Waters
Signed, sealed, delivered...I'm yours! Bigger is better for spring. Especially when it comes to clutches. So try an envelope clutch. Just pack the little ones (clutches, not kids) away, it's time to get large! Besides, isn't it time you went out with more than just your lipstick and a credit card?
Loeffler Randall Snakeskin-Stamped Envelope Clutch $395
Brian Atwood Mattie Patent Clutch $1,660
Hayden-Harnett Floripa Clutch $427
Ted Rossi Mirror Leather Envelope Clutch $375
Tory Burch Suzie Straw Clutch $395
Maison Martin Margiela Metallic Envelope Clutch $745
Renaud Pellegrino Ibiza Vernis Corset Clutch $1,495
Femme Sud 'Photos' Ex Libris Clutch $395 
Catherine Rapetti 'Elisabeth' Envelope Clutch $180
