BagBible

Image from Coolspotters

Eva Longoria spotted in her Be & D Kan Kan tote May 11 and 12^th in Los Angeles, which she was first seen rocking back in December 2007! It is nice to see that celebs aren’t always wearing their standard Birkins and Chanels! Lucky for us Be & D is continuing this style for AW 09, as well as introducing some new Kan Kan silhouettes!

The Kan-Kan tote is a true statement bag. Large and roomy enough to hold files or a laptop, the Kan-Kan has delicate ruffle panels on both sides, and suede and signature hardware accents. Can be handheld, or worn with a detachable shoulder strap. Made from Italian leather, with a magnetic closure, an interior zipper pocket, PDA and cell phone pocket, and keyleash.
Available in Cream, Black, and Gunmetal.
Dimensions are 14.5″ L x 3″ W x 14″ H.

From Be & D $1,390

I got so excited when I saw this bag, I have never seen exotics done like this before. The python colors are really rich, it adds a lot of depth and dimension to the bag and the pearl effect just makes the bag pop even more.

There is nothing new with the shape and the drawstring.  It’s pretty much a nice basic shaped bag, which I think is very wise because you don’t want a busy design with this kind of material.  You don’t even want to wear busy looking clothing with this bag. a plain, simple, and sleek outfit will definitely showcase the bag. This bag will definitely be the first thing that people notice if you were to wear it.

The only thing that bothers me about this bag is the size.  It only measures 7″H x 10″W x 6″D. I think it’s kind of smallish and you won’t be able to put a whole lot in it.

Pre-order from Neiman Marcus for $2,675

It puzzles me that someone who designs something like the elegant Pearlized Python Bag is also the one who designs this flowery thing that they call a bag.  I admire a lot of Carlos Falchi designs, but obviously not this one.

I know that is spring now, and I also know that flowers bloom in spring.  But do you have to take it so literally?

If you must do a flower bag, at least do it tastefully like Valentino’s flower bags. This bag look like some art project that my daughter would make, except this one is made of leather and the flowers probably would not fall off when you tug it.

To make things worse, this bag will set you back more than a thousand dollars. What do you think about that?

You can buy this from Neiman Marcus for $1,050.

I am pretty impressed with B.Makowsky bags.  First of all, they have good quality.  Neat stitching, fine leather, and some great designs.   Second, their prices are reasonable unlike some high end designers who ask for thousands of dollars in exchange for their canvas bag.

I like this pleated satchel, it doesn’t have too much going on, but still manages to look interesting.  I also like the hardware. In my opinion, gold toned hardware looks better on white bags compared to silver toned hardware. The bottom corners’ hardware is a combination of good design and functionality.  When we throw our bags around, the corners tend to suffer the greatest wear and tear.  However, with hardware protecting the corners, the bag will stay nice longer.

There is another variant of this same model on which the hardware does not cover the bottom corners,  but instead covers the top corners.  I prefer the one with the hardware on the bottom (pictured). From Nordstrom $298

This is one funny bag.  It looks like a regular bag in the picture, but when I was trying it on at Nordstrom, I found out otherwise…  I pretended that was actually wearing this bag and using it. Oh boy, those zippered flaps were a nightmare. Imagine being in a hurry and trying to get something out from the bag.  First, you have to lift the flap and hold the flap so you can unzip it, and then finally you can reach deep deep down for whatever you are looking for.  As if you can’t get enough of the flap, instead of one they give you two. Isn’t it funny?

I can understand if something so pretty sometimes can be unpractical. However, this bag is not pretty AND not practical.

The funniest thing about this bag is actually the price.  For a “mere” $1,595 you can get this non-pretty and non-practical bag.  I used to think that if something is expensive it must be really good. Now, I know that is not always the case.  So, before you spent your hard-earned money on a bag, make sure that the bag is really worth your money.

If you must, you can buy this from Nordstrom for $1,595

Please click the links for sale invitation!

At first sight, I thought this bag was made of fabric because of the way the pleats looked.  I was pretty impressed when I found out that it was actually made of leather.  This means that the leather must be very supple to be able to do that “dress-like” design.

Zooming into the bag, it does look like the leather is as soft as butter! The lizard skin trim and buckle add a bit more interest and texture to the bag without making it look too “animally” like a full blown exotic bag.

On top of that, I’m also loving the fact that it has minimal hardware, which means that it must be light. Enough already with the heavy bags!  I just want to look stylish and not break my back.  We are already wearing heels, why do we have to carry a heavy bag as well?

The Large Nancy Bag retails for $1,805 from Smythson

At Rue La La, please click HERE if you are not a member yet!

Buy from Forzieri for $574

Buti Charm Drop Dark Brown Pebble Italian Leather Hobo Bag reminds me of Celine Bittersweet. Mainly because of it’s charm drop.  I like the Buti bag better compared to the Celine Bittersweet, because it has more interesting hardware and strap. Do you notice how the knots attach the strap to the rings? They add the much needed interest to a simple bag without sacrificing its elegance. However, I’m not a big fan of contrast stitching.  In my opinion, contrast stitching can cheapen the look of a bag if not done right.

The Buti bag ends just above the waist, which is really flattering for curvy women, while the Celine Bittersweet is more suitable for women with larger hips since the strap is shorter so it can easily be tucked under the arm.

Celine Bittersweet

Buy from Bloomingdale’s for $980

This Elephant cosmetic bag is adorable.  The elephant design is unexpected, and makes this cosmetic bag look different than any other cosmetic bags.  Although, I love the leather elephant, I’m not so sure about the white canvas.  It looks beautiful with the brown leather, but cosmetic bags tend to get dirty easily from cosmetics smudges. I’m sure you can’t put this in the washing machine, because of the leather part. I guess this is perfect for a non clumsy person:  Someone who does not spill, drop or knock things down constantly.

You can buy this from Forzieri for $142

I know these bags are probably not as functional as bigger bags (they measure only 8″W x 7 1/2″H x 6″D), but that’s what makes them so cute. Another plus of small bags is that you can’t carry a lot of stuff in them, therefore your bags will be light and your back will thank you.

I just love the pastel colors. Maybe because it is spring.  I noticed that I’m often drawn to colorful bags at this time of year.

When I was growing up my mom always picked black bags for me.  She said that they go with everything. That is true if you are only allowed to have one bag, but it was not fun if all you had was a closet full of black bags.  Now, I only have a few black bags.  Probably because of the black bags “trauma” that I have, I tend to avoid black bags.

You can buy these cuties from Nordstrom for $295

Here are some of the items that will be on sale:
Cosette: Was $995; now $325
Kan Kan Portfolio: Was $595; now $200
Greta Clutch: Was $595; now $125
Crawford: Was $995; now $200
Check out their entire collection!

NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) – Italian fashion house Gucci sued rival fashion and leather goods label Guess Inc. on Wednesday, claiming it copied a dress design and several trademarked logos.

Gucci accused Guess Inc (GES.N) of imitating trademarked designs, including a green and red stripe, a repeated interlocking GG mark and stylized G mark it emblazoned on accessories like handbags, belts, gloves, watches and glasses.

The lawsuit, which was filed in Manhattan federal court and seeks unspecified monetary damages, also accused Guess of copying a dress featuring an interlocking GG diamond motif.

“Rather than going through the effort and expense of developing and creating their own unique designs, defendants have chosen to target Gucci by knowingly and slavishly replicating Gucci’s world famous design elements and designations,” the lawsuit said.

Article from Reuters

After reading that news article I immediately thought about Target. I’ve seen so many copycat designer handbags sold on Target. They are not counterfeits, since they use their own brand. However, the designs of the Target bags are almost identical to the high end designer bags. I am aware that Target has been collaborating with many designers in producing affordable designer goods, but this is not it.

Here are some examples:

Louis Vuitton Mahina Copycat from Target	Louis Vuitton Mahina
Image from Target	Image from Momist
Chloe Paraty Python Copycat from Target	Chloe Paraty Phyton Tote
Image from my camera	Image from Net-A-Porter

I can’t help but wonder: Is it ok for Target to sell these bags? Where do you draw the line between counterfeits and copycat?

Likes:

The Weight
This bag is feather light, even when I put a lot of stuff in it, it is still reasonably light.

The Leather
Balenciaga is known for its gorgeous leather, it is thin and soft, and comes in lots of different colors.

The Removable Shoulder Strap
I like the shoulder strap because I sometimes need both of my hands when I’m out with my kids.

The Size
The bag is not too big nor too small, it is just the right size for petites (15” x 9.8” x 3.9”). For non petites, you might want to try the Part Time version, which is slightly bigger.

The Mirror
The mirror is very handy for checking your makeup on the go.

Dislikes:

None

You might want to know:

It comes with extra tassels for the zippers. After some time the tassels will split in two, however, it won’t effect the beauty of the bag.

You can buy this from Balenciaga for $1,395

Deal Tips:

Check out the Balenciaga sample sale at Rue La La. For more info about the upcoming sale, click HERE

Recommended: Yes

Likes:

The Size
It has a generous size for your necessities and more (17” x 13” x 7” deep)

Lots of Compartments
There are three compartments on the front and three on the back (four smaller pockets and two bigger pockets). One interior zippered pocket and patch pockets.

Adjustable Shoulder Strap
This can be worn as a shoulder bag or as a messenger bag. There are only two length settings.

The Leather
Supple grained Italian leather. Very good quality leather.

Dislikes:

The Weight
This bag is super heavy even when it is empty. I tried downsizing the content of my bag to just cell phone, camera, wallet, and keys. The bag is still super heavy.

The Same Design for Front and Back
At first I really liked it, but when I start putting different stuff in different pockets, I got confused of what is where.

You might want to know:

All the buckles are non functional, they are only for decoration purposes. The pockets close with magnetic snap buttons.  The adjustable strap is somewhat hard to maneuver.

You can buy this from 80’s Purple for $765

Deal Tips:

I bought this from my local Saks outlet, when they were having buy one get one free deal. I kept one, and sold one on eBay (with profit). I paid $212

Recommended: No