Tuesday, January 29, 2008

 

Latest Fashion Trends in Unique Handbags and Purses

By Lynn Donn

If you’re looking for something a little different, there are literally thousands of beautifully crafted unique handbags and purses available for purchase online. If you’re tired of the mass-produced offerings you tend to find at the mall, the online handbag, purse and fashion accessory market is an exciting and exotic new world.


The variety of unique handbag and purse designs keeps getting bigger, better and more innovative all the time, but as with every kind of fashion accessory, interesting trends emerge with every new season. Here is a brief rundown of what’s coming in unique purses and handbags in 2006.

Cloth PursesCloth purses are very casual fashion items, so colorful fabrics and whimsical patterns are the strongest trend. If you love bold colors and striking contrasts you’ll have a great time shopping for cloth purses this season.

A cloth purse is mostly a spring/summer fashion accessory, so expect to see warm colors, and light breezy cotton or nylon fabrics. Fresh, summery patterned fabrics with flowers, fruits and ladybugs are always popular.

Also very fashionable is the clever and practical reversible cloth purse. You can literally turn the purse inside out to reveal the alternative fabric pattern, so you have two purses in one.

Monogrammed handbags

Monogrammed bags and purses never really go out of style, and this season we’ll see a huge range of colors, shapes sizes and styles.

A strong upcoming trend is leather sling hipster handbags with elegantly embossed initials or a name. Soft leather is a beautiful fabric for handbags because it’s durable, always very stylish, and it goes with everything. Sling handbags are very comfortable to carry, and perfect either for business or as a casual accessory.

Monogrammed tote bags

Tote bags are the most casual fashion accessory of all, and perfect for the beach, for picnics, or for a little shopping. Monogrammed tote bags are also great for kids to carry their school books or gym clothes, and having their initials or name printed on the bag means they won’t lose it.

Soft cotton canvas is the classic fabric for tote bags, and we’ll see an abundance of canvas tote bags this season.

The big trend for monogrammed tote bags will be big initials, printed across the whole side panel of the bag in big, bold colors. A single first initial of your first name as a monogram has a casual, whimsical kind of feel.

Dog purses

Everyone loves dogs, which is why the fashion for handbags, tote bags and purses decorated with a full panel photo of a gorgeous dachshund, poodle, beagle, yorkie or dalmatian just keeps getting stronger and stronger every year. Dog purses are a great gift idea for anyone whose best friend is their beloved hound.

Custom-made dog purses are also becoming more and more popular. You can have your own photograph of your dog printed onto a handbag, so your bag, like your dog, will be truly one of a kind.

Photo purses

Photo purses are simply ultra-cool, and the most individual and personal of fashion statements. You can have your own photo of anything you like printed onto a purse or handbag, like a special person in your life, your cat, dog or bird, or even your car.

A very trendy idea is to use a romantic old photograph of a relative as a model for your photo purse, so you can cherish their memory wherever you go.

Initial purses

Initial purses are a fashion accessory with a personal touch, and they make wonderful gifts. You can have just about any kind of purse printed, embroidered or embossed with a single initial or set of two or three initials in a wide variety of styles.

As for handbags, leather will be a big trend in the upcoming season for purses. We’ll see lots of small leather purses with a comfortable sling shoulder strap, elegantly embossed with two or three initials.

Cigar box purses

Cigar box purses are another strong trend for the coming year. They’re literally made from a wooden cigar box, fitted with a clasp and a handle, and embossed with an artistic or photographic image.

The most fashionable cigar box purses are decorated with advertising images from the glamorous 1920’s and 30’s. European advertising artwork from that period has a particularly elegant and alluring style, so we’ll be seeing a lot of Cinzano, Cognac and French Perfume labels on cigar box purses.

Hobo pursesHobo purses can be cool and casual for shopping, or groovy and glamorous to go with evening wear. Casual style hobo purses come in suede or leather, and soft colors like pastel pinks, beige, cream and white are very much in vogue.

A new look for hobo purses which is on the way in is a small purse in a gold or silver mesh fabric, or even ultra-glamorous sequins and rhinestones. These purses are a new take on the traditional evening purse, and make an eye-catching alternative.

Clutch handbags
Clutch purses and handbags have an elegant, streamlined look, but they’re the perfect size to carry all those little necessities.The big look for clutch purses and clutch handbags in the coming year will be all glamour. Shiny metallic gold, silver, bronze and platinum shades will be the strong colors of the season, in soft suede leather.

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'It' bag dies of overexposure

By Monica Corcoran
Los Angeles Times

Appeal of purse disappears when everyone has one.

The “it” bag, a status purse that costs more than a round-trip ticket to Paris and a favorite among stylish affluent women, is officially dead. “It” always refused to reveal its age but first hit the scene in the early ’90s and was most prominently seen swinging gleefully from toned arms in the last five years.

The “it” bag was often known for its vibrant hides, large-toothed zippers and flamboyant hardware.

Designers like Louis Vuitton, Chloe and Fendi all vied for the prestigious title with seasonal offerings of hobo bags and zaftig satchels – all gifted to celebrities, of course.

The species did not die of natural causes. Fashion authorities suspect that a recent “it” bag – the Yves Saint Laurent Muse – is mostly responsible for wiping out the trend of women coveting one brand of designer bag ad nauseam.

The Muse, a jaunty and haughty take on a bowling bag, was the Palme d’Or among accessory addicts. Like a slain stag slung across the roof of a pickup truck, the

Muse signified that a woman had bagged the right bag.

Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and other starlets reserved the cozy crooks of their arms for the popular purse.

These days, life pales for the Muse. The newest gray-felt version of the YSL handbag was last seen sheepishly lurking on discount retailer Bluefly.com . It was priced at 20 percent off. (Muse’s distant cousins – the Burberry Edna and a patent leather satchel by Fendi – are currently selling at Costco.)

Much like the popular pretty girl who always dies first in a horror film, the “it” bag was a victim of its own ambition.

“A bag is only an ‘it’ bag when it’s not accessible to everyone,” says Christos Garkinos, the co-owner of designer consignment store Decades Two, who admits that he is currently harboring a few secondhand Muses in his shop. “When Banana Republic and Forever 21 came out with a version of the Muse, it was suddenly everywhere.”

Not to mention the coy Muse clones sold by Guess, H&M and almost every counterfeit purse hustler from Canal Street to Santee Alley.

Muse-carrying studio execs and talent agents were horrified to see their assistants rifling through their very own Muses. Beverly Hills, Calif., socialites mistakenly grabbed the wrong white Muse after a few mimosas.

“I ordered one when I was in New York, but then came home and saw everyone carrying it,” says Jessica Wu, a chic Los Angeles dermatologist with an A-list clientele. “I sent it right back without even opening the box.”

The Muse’s noxious ubiquity has spurred the most fashionable women to stray from the retail herd mentality. A purse touted as the next “it” bag holds as much cachet as a VIP Blockbuster membership.

“There’s a backlash because women feel betrayed by the fact that a company calls a bag ‘limited edition’ and then makes 100,000 of them,” says Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a retail research company in New York. “That’s deadly.”

The “it” bag – in all its incarnations – will be fondly remembered.

The Muse is survived by its sister, the YSL Downtown bag, and offspring including the Muse charm bracelet, Muse wrap sunglasses and Muse sandals.
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Sunday, January 27, 2008

 

Get her what she really wants for Valentine's Day



See New Arrivals at eFashionHouse.com

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Shop FIVE Online Fashion Stores - http://www.eFashionHouse.com
BrandsBoutique - LuxuryVintage - ValueBags - ItalysOutlet - DesignersLA

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Thursday, January 24, 2008

 

Chanel New Arrives - Up to 40%!




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Free Shipping on purchase $200+ and No Sales Tax worldwide

Shop Five Designer Stores:
BrandsBoutique - LuxuryVintage - ValueBags - ItalysOutlet - DesignersLA
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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

 

Case-by-case basis for designer bags


Click on the image above to see this bag at below retail prices. Shop online at eFashionHouse.com. The best online for authentic YSL Downtown bags at below retail prices guaranteed.
Eric Wilson

FOR products that are truly in demand, it may seem reasonable to limit the number a customer can buy at one time.

Now readers of the fine print on the websites of luxury retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman are discovering that such a policy also applies to designer handbags such as Prada's latest ruched nylon styles, which cost $US1290 ($A1442); Bottega Veneta's signature woven leather hobos, at $US1490; and the new rectangular Yves Saint Laurent clutch, which looks like a postcard addressed to the designer (with a $US1395 stamp).

"Due to popular demand," potential shoppers are warned, "a customer may order no more than three units of these items every 30 days."

The bags may be popular, but how many customers who can afford them really want more than one?

On its face, the policy sounds odd; that is, because it really doesn't have anything to do with popular demand. Rather, it is the fear that foreign buyers, taking advantage of the severely weakened US dollar, will hoard the bags, then resell them in Europe or Asia, where the same items in Prada and Gucci stores typically cost 20 to 40% more.

The popular Yves Saint Laurent Downtown bag, restricted to three per customer at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, costs $US1495. At Harvey Nichols in London, the same bag is £910 (about $US1796).

Foreign tourists who are treating American department stores like a nationwide outlet sale have largely been viewed as beneficial to retailers, and by some estimates, those shoppers were the only bright spot in what was a feeble holiday sales season.

But that spending power has not been so welcome at luxury companies such as Gucci and Prada, which have spent the past decade trying to reach those customers in their home countries by opening expensive new shops throughout Europe and Asia.

Now those companies stand to suffer a sting from increasingly educated comparison shoppers, if not a more serious blow from a grey market of designer goods resold from American stores.

Ron Frasch, the chief merchant of Saks Fifth Avenue, which has 54 stores across the US, said the number of foreign shoppers trying to buy multiple items in stores was "pretty minor", but he added, "it is certainly an issue that we watch".

Besides restricting online sales, Saks may also deny a customer's purchases of duplicate merchandise in stores on a case-by-case basis. "What we try to do is use a lot of logic and common sense if we sense that someone is taking advantage," Mr Frasch said. "We monitor at the store level and at the corporate level for any patterns."

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Sunday, January 20, 2008

 

eFashionHouse offers online shoppers unlimited designer handbag purchases



Unlike other online stores, eFashionHouse.com offers online shoppers freedom to purchase an unlimited amount of designer handbags. Many large department stores limit online designer handbag purchases to one item per customer.

Sky Valley, CA (PRWEB) January 21, 2008eFashionHouse announced today they have no limits when it comes to online shoppers. They do not limit the amount of items one customer can purchase. Unlike the department stores who announced on January 10, 2008, a worldwide purchase control of designer handbags, eFashionHouse proclaims the opposite.

“Our Internet business moto is ‘Shopping without Boundaries.’ We are in business to cater to the world,” said Anna Miller, eFashionHouse.com’s owner. Online shoppers can purchase as many items as they want when placing an online order at eFashionHouse.com.

eFashionHouse was named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch and recognized by About.com as the top online retailer of Chanel.

eFashionHouse ships worldwide, offers deep discounts off retail, charges no sales tax and provides free USA FedEx delivery for orders over $200. Selling online for over twelve years, eFashionHouse lists high end brands like Chanel, Prada, YSL, Gucci, Fendi, Bottega Veneta, Tods, Coach, Tano, Marc Jacobs, Ferragamo, Dior and more.

Unlike many of the other online stores selling the same products, eFashionHouse allows online shoppers to purchase as many designer fashion accessories they want. There’s no limit to the items online shoppers can purchase and the money they can save. eFashionHouse is known for deep discounts on their entire product line.

Aboute FashionHouse.com
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She operates the website http://www.efashionhouse.com/ and sells high-end authentic designer handbags and accessories at off-retail prices. eFashionHouse.com was named BEST OF THE WEB by People StyleWatch Magazine for Discount Designer Handbags and Purses. eFashionHouse.com should not be confused with any other website selling a similar product or using a similar name. eFashionHouse.com is the home of five fashion ecommerce stores: BrandsBoutique, LuxuryVintage, DesignersLA, ItalysOutlet, and ValueBags. Anna is considered an Internet Pioneer and has been reselling Designer Merchandise online since the early 90s.

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Sunday, January 13, 2008

 

Gone, baby, gone



By Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan
Daily Herald


The fashion industry spun out dozens of new looks in 2007, with highlights (or lowlights, depending on your point of view) including angular trapeze dresses, wide pants and jackets with voluminous sleeves. While fashion is famously fickle, retailers, historians and stylists say it's growing easier to predict which trends have staying power.

A trend's endurance is often determined by two factors: "comfort and sex appeal," says David Wolfe, creative director for Doneger Group, a retail trend-consulting company. "If it suits the way people live today," he says, a trend has staying power.

Another key to figuring out whether a trendy item will last is the level of exposure it gets. The swingy trapeze dress from this spring got so much attention following runway shows in fall 2006 that fast-fashion retailers -- who copy runway looks immediately -- produced many versions that hit stores at the same time as the designer pieces. As a result, the style became too ubiquitous quickly.

"It seemed really tired very fast," says Sass Brown, assistant professor of fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

Trends often last two to three seasons at most today, compared with two to three years in the 1960s, says Beth Dincuff Charleston, a fashion history professor at Parsons, the New School for Design, in New York. But even in the fast-fashion era, some looks have staying power.

Here's a list of what's expected to stick around in 2008 and what's better off in the donation pile.

What to keep:

• Dressy suits, polished looks: This fall, pencil skirts, tailored dresses and expensive-looking, couture-inspired shapes in jackets and coats pushed aside loose, casual looks. Chic suits with matching tops and bottoms flooded retail stores.

The dressy pieces didn't always sell well. Michael Fink, vice president and women's fashion director of Saks Fifth Avenue, says unseasonably warm weather in early fall hurt sales of the more polished pieces, as shoppers weren't in the mood for dressing up. "The charcoals and blacks made the idea of it very serious," Fink says.

Style experts predict that the polished, put-together aesthetic is going to continue through 2008 -- thanks in part to baby boomers.

"There are so many older people now who are too old to be playing the young fashion game and don't want to look like idiots," says Doneger's Wolfe.

Still, shoppers should store away pieces "with overtly feminine and sweet details such as rosettes and ruffles," says Jennifer Wheeler, Nordstrom's vice president for women's designer apparel, since 2008 styles will be more streamlined.

• Higher waistlines: The low-slung, hip-hugger look definitively went out this year, as designers from Marc Jacobs to Ralph Lauren showed skirts and pants with super-high waists on the runway. Some pants even extended several inches above the natural waistline.

Shoppers have embraced such looks because they work for more "realistic body types," says personal stylist Amy Salinger, who dresses business executives in Chicago and New York. "The reality is, most people can't do the low-waisted look because we have these things called 'love handles.' "

Style experts advise women to keep the higher-waisted pieces as the look will be trendy next year as well.

• Ballerina flats: Footwear followed designers' dressier looks for fall. The clunky platform shoes that complemented casual ensembles suddenly looked out of place, making way for a number of stiletto heels, sleek, ankle-high boots and ladylike pumps.

But the one style that caught fire this year was the ballerina flat. Labels from Tory Burch to Nine West churned out several styles of this comfortable, versatile shoe. It even managed to displace the flip-flop.

Experts across the board say the style is a keeper. "They are here to stay and are a strong staple for '08," says Wheeler.

• Bold colors: After years of neutrals dominating fashion trends, bright, rich colors were prominent this year in high-end runway shows, as well as middle-market stores. Sari Sloane, vice president for fashion merchandising at boutique chain Intermix, says ensembles in distinctive colors such as marigold, ruby and emerald sold well this year. At J.C. Penney, apparel in yellow and green has sold well in 2007, says Karolyn Wangstad, vice president of trend at the retailer.

These pieces have staying power for 2008. Neiman Marcus's spring accessory lineup includes bags and shoes from designers including Prada done in bright bubble-gum pink, orange and yellow.

• Eco-friendly clothing: Eco-friendly style -- apparel made of organic cotton or substances such as soy or milk protein -- came into its own in 2007. Large retailers from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to Marks & Spencer Group PLC now use organic cotton in their lines. At Los Angeles Fashion Week in October, a dozen eco-friendly designers, including Linda Loudermilk and London-based Gary Harvey, staged shows. And last month, Rogan Gregory, the New York designer of eco-friendly denim brands Edun, Loomstate and Rogan, won the top prize at the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund.

Such pieces are unlikely to cycle out of style anytime soon, says Brown of the Fashion Institute of Technology. "Global warming is not going away," she says.

What to toss:

• Trapeze dresses: This year could mark the death of the baby-doll shape. Fitted at the bust and flaring out in an A-line cut, the baby-doll shape was an inescapable fashion silhouette in recent years as women embraced its youthful look and loose fit en masse. The look took an extreme turn this past spring when triangular trapeze-shaped dresses, last seen in a big way in the 1960s, suddenly were ubiquitous in stores from Target to Bergdorf Goodman. Women took to the streets "looking like they were pregnant with triplets," says Salinger. "You could be any size under those things and no one knew any better."

These tentlike silhouettes are now considered a big no-no. Hanging onto them for the next time the look will be back would be impractical, too, as the style is so youthful it might be harder to pull off the second time around.

• Puffy sleeves: This fall, volume shifted from the bodice to the sleeve. Jackets and dresses featuring voluminous raglan or leg-of-muttonlike sleeves began surfacing in stores like H&M and J.C. Penney. The look, while striking, didn't resonate with all shoppers, some retailers say.

"It didn't sell well," says Sloane of Intermix. "Women didn't want to look like that any more. They wanted more of a form-conscious look."

Style experts say jackets with big sleeves are so distinctly tied to 2007 that it might be best to shelve them for now. Stylist Anthea Tolomei, who dresses business executives in San Francisco, notes that for 2008, the jackets have a longer and leaner look.

• Giant handbags: Massive handbags, many as large as carryalls for weekend trips, were everywhere this year. "People are going to look back on 2007 and say that this was the peak of the oversized bag," says Hollywood stylist Cristina Erlich. "Women have been walking around with ginormous bags that are large enough to put themselves in."

Bags like that served as a good punctuation point on runways because "they're outrageous," says Fink of Saks. But they were too heavy and hard to walk with. "What really sells are medium-sized bags," he says, "not (bags large enough to be) overnighters or body bags."

If you have one, however, it might be worth keeping through spring. Clutches, too, are getting supersized -- just don't load them up.

• Flashy daytime pieces: Designers and retailers have been pushing metallics, sequins and baubles affixed to apparel for daytime. Not all shoppers have bitten, however. "It's a little far out there," says Wangstad at J.C. Penney, who noted that was "not a disaster but it wasn't a home run" for the retailer.

While the metallic looks may go out in 2008, stylist Tolomei advises hanging onto accessories, blouses or dresses in fabrics that have some shine, since the looks are likely to come back again soon. "Lames recycle through fashion all the time," she says, "and always come back really fast."

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Saturday, January 12, 2008

 

Could Designer Handbag Sales Limits Hurt Luxury ETF?




by Tom Lydon

The luxury exchange traded fund (ETF) could take a hit after retailers announced that they'd limit sales of luxury handbags.

That means you're out of luck if you were planning to run out this afternoon and buy a dozen Louis Vuitton bags. But really, the limits aren't because people just can't have enough luxury bags, reports Eric Wilson of the New York Times. The real reason is our falling dollar.

Because the dollar has slid in value relative to currencies such as the euro and pound, many foreign buyers are treating the United States as one giant outlet mall. They can get handbags here for (relatively) dirt-cheap, then re-sell them in Asia and Europe at a premium. Companies such as Prada and Gucci want to discourage that, as they've been trying to reach customers in those other countries by opening new shops.

How will this affect the Claymore/Robb Report Global Luxury ETF (ROB)? After the dismal holiday sales report issued today, might retailers want to take their sales where they can get them?

Among the holdings in the fund are LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (5.7%), Hermes (2.81%), Coach (COH, 2.5%), Burberry (BRBY; 0.97%) and Macy's (SKS, 0.60%).


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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

 

Would you pay £13,000 for this bag?

The Independent

Thirteen grand? For a handbag? Burberry's latest model may not be for everyone, but even in these uncertain times, there'll be no shortage of eager customers.

It is called the Warrior and it costs £13,000. It is not a small car, nor an artwork. And by this time next year, its owner will want a new one. This is the latest handbag by Burberry, a British fashion house previously best known for classic trench coats.

So what could possibly justify this stupendous price tag? Well, let's have a look at this baby. A nice slouchy crescent shape, the Warrior has drawstrings and snazzy armour-plating. It's cut from gold alligator skin – gold-painted, one assumes, although if Burberry had chosen to plate it with the 24-carat stuff, they wouldn't have been the first to bejewel a bag.

In December, Chanel introduced its Forever bag, which is not only cut from alligator skin but has a clasp studded with 334 diamonds. Its price? A shade over £100,000. Last year, there was the Louis Vuitton Tribute Patchwork bag, a creation that earned the nickname "Frankenstein's monster" in the fashion press but still carried a £23,484 price tag. And sold out.

These are what the fashion industry, with atypical understatement, term "luxury bags". But who is buying them? As the American economy wavers and the credit crunch bites, you might assume that the demand for exorbitantly priced reticules will plummet.

But the super-rich who buy bags like the Warrior – and, though fashion houses are notoriously discreet, they do admit that most orders come from the Middle East, Russia and Texas – seem immune to anything as banal as belt-tightening. They feel no guilt when the likes of Harriet Harman thunder, as she did on Newsnight last year: "Do we want to be a divided society where some people struggle and others spend £10,000 on a handbag?" They just want a bag that will make their girlfriends really, really jealous.

Burberry won't say how many Warriors will sell, but it confirms that several have been ordered already and there is a healthy interest from clients who "don't seem to mind such prices".

What those clients do mind, apparently, is shopping with the plebs. The "luxury bags" are sold either at private appointments or at special invitation-only events attended by women whose credit is matched only by their love of alligator skin. Burberry says it held such a party at its London store, where ladies chose their bags and had them engraved with their initials. The bags were later delivered to their homes in quilted boxes. Similar events were held in Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, Milan, Rome, Madrid, Kuwait and Moscow.

The allure of these bags is their scarcity. So, yes, they're made from alligator, ostrich or snakeskin, and might be studded with jewels – but, more than that, they're produced in tiny numbers. When every other woman on the street owns an "entry level" Prada nylon bag or totes a fake Balenciaga Lariat on her arm, the customer with more ample financial means turns her nose up at mere off-the-shelf It bags.

"That whole phenomenon has changed," Julie Gilhart, fashion director of Barneys New York, told The New York Times. "Our customers seem to be looking for something more interesting. They don't want to spend money on something everyone else has."

Spending £13,000 on a handbag might seem offensively profligate, but it is emblematic of a bag mania that has gripped women of more average means. According to recent surveys, British women own between four and 14 handbags and are prepared to spend, on average, up to £380 per bag. A more conservative survey by Mintel showed that 55 per cent of women have bought a handbag in the past 12 months. Handbag sales in the UK have gone up by 146 per cent in the last five years.

The reasons are straightforward; handbags convey status both financial and fashionable, do not require a size four figure, and are utterly frivolous. "People want to spend their money on frivolous things," says Pamela Danziger, author of Why People Buy Things They Don't Need and founder of the research company Unity Marketing. "Handbags definitely fall into that category."

No wonder the handbag has become the top fashion signifier. There had long been expensive bags, courtesy of the likes of Chanel and Hermès (whose classic designs were born in the 1950s). But the It bag pandemic began in 1997 with the Baguette, a small, squishy bag by the Rome fur and accessories house Fendi that was designed to be carried under the arm like a stick of bread. Celebrities started carrying the little clutch, and the It bag's concomitant irritation, the waiting list, also arrived.

The Baguette's designer, Silvia Venturini Fendi, has since said she could never have predicted that it would be a hit – although she managed to follow up with the Spy and the B bags. This year, the company has produced an anniversary model of the Baguette, in canvas – and, predictably, there is a top-end made-to-order model. This time, amusingly, it's the box (in snakeskin, or any rare leather you choose) rather than the bag that pushes up the price, which starts at £21,000.

Women have long been attached to their handbags, for reasons that Freud and others were moved to guess at. Classical analysis believes that a dream of a stolen purse signifies the missing penis, which isn't much comfort to a woman who's been beaten to the top of the Hermès Birkin waiting-list). Anna Karenina signals she is about to end it all by tossing aside her red handbag. The Queen and Mrs Thatcher both use handbags as part of their armour. More contemporarily, blogs such as Baglady, Bagsnob and Purseblog, which debate the appeal of each new must-have, have helped to create a sophisticated status code that transcends language barriers. Or, to look at it from another angle, make us look very foolish indeed.

"I bought three Chloé Paddington bags, which of course no one carries any more," the actress Donatella Panayiotou told the Daily Mail last year. "And I bought a Dior saddle bag in every colour. Again, they aren't fashionable any more, so I can't use them."

Within the fashion industry many privately hope that the trend must soon run its course. Open any fashion magazine, and even the new spring/summer ad campaigns are solely focused on marketing the bags that are clasped close to near-naked celebrity or model bodies. Clothing gets, at best, a walk-on role.

Nowhere is the pre-eminence of the bag more apparent that at catwalk shows. The magazine editors in the front rows of Milan fashion shows have for several seasons been rolling their eyes as yet another luxury goods house with its mind on profit margins sends out every model with a sack-sized handbag adorned with chains, padlocks, tassels, flowers and gewgaws.

There was a sense of inevitability about the appointment of Frida Giannini to the top job at Gucci back in 2005; she may have had no experience as a fashion designer, but she had proved her worth as the creator of the Flora range of bags. The appointment seemed to signal that, at Gucci at least, expertise in accessories now trumps tailoring know-how.

Bags, you see, are very profitable. They are the fastest-growing sector of the fashion market, they take up little space in stock rooms, and clients need to replace them each season. And, year on year, designers have pushed the prices up far beyond inflation; Burberry reported that the average price point of a bag has risen by 25 per cent in the past year. The most basic version of the Warrior, in plain calfskin leather, costs £1,195. That's considered "entry level". No wonder the numbers of female British bankrupts are up.

The fashion equivalent of $100 per barrel of oil happened a few years back, when the average It bag in mass production broke through the $1,000 mark. Selfridges reports that the average price of designer bags is now £850, a rise of 55 per cent since 2005. Luxury goods companies are testing the laws of economics.

But, as "entry level" bag addicts are made to choose between mortgage repayments or the new Mulberry Henley, there are more signs that the It bag must soon start losing it. Subtle signs of handbag fatigue, or at least a waning aspiration for the most expensive totes, appeared late last year. The Anya Hindmarch "I'm not a plastic bag" caused stampedes and created a less-than-charitable resale economy on eBay. Kate Moss was photographed, twice, carrying a charity bag produced by Superdrug. Lauren Bush's "Feed" bag, made from nothing less glamorous than hemp, was launched in December.

This spring, the proudly vegan Stella McCartney has teamed up with LeSportsac to produce a range of nonleather bags, none of which will cost more than £125. "That $5,000 (£2,500) Marc Jacobs bag is so yesterday's news," Elizabeth Kiester of LeSportsac told The New York Times. "The luxury market is so over the top now that it is demented. I call them limo bags. I don't have a limo."

In fact, visitors to the Greenwich Village shop of Marc by Marc Jacobs, the younger line of the American designer, are often surprised to find limited-edition runs of simple cloth shoppers selling for less than £10.

"It's only a very small minority, obviously, buying the very expensive bags," says Katrin Magnussun, Mintel's senior retail analyst. "But there is also a majority here in Britain that are happy to buy five bags a year at £20 each. Copies of designer bags are also driving the market, and at this end of the scale, there are affordable bags that you can buy for £2.50 and throw away when you are bored with them."

True label snobs, meanwhile, note that Balenciaga, the most elite house and often cited as the fashion insider's label, has a policy of never featuring its (soaraway successful) bags in its ad campaigns. So, if you feel that a £13,000 bag made from a majestic predator or a £2.50 copy from Primark isn't much of a choice, perhaps it's better to do what both Carine Roitfeld, editor of Paris Vogue, and Anna Wintour, her counterpart in New York, both do – they don't bother carrying one at all.

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Tuesday, January 8, 2008

 

Designer Brands - Ferragamo Messenger Bag



We are really loving the messenger bag right now. It's comfortable and updated style is a great alternative to the shoulder bag because you give your back a rest without having to give up carrying around everything you need. Plus so many designers are jumping on this trend and making the once sporty messenger bag into the trendy "it-bag." We especially like this Ferragamo large black leather messenger bag that is sophisticated enough to take to work but comfortable enough to wear on the weekends. FERRAGAMO messenger bag measures approximately 15 W x 10 H with a 6 inch depth. Shoulder strap measures about 36 inches long with a 20 inch drop.

Click here to shop this FERRAGAMO messenger bag at 31% off.

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Designer Brands - Online Shopping Bargain



Although Tods isn't known for being trendy, the reputable Italian label makes timeless handbags that will last a lifetime. The last Tods purse we purchased was three years ago and not only does it still look new to this day but we get compliments as if the handbag was new. This TODS silver lizard embossed leather shoulder bag is about as trendy as Tods gets but notice how it's wearable at the same time. TODS handbag measures about 9 x 5 x 4 inches with a single strap about 13 inches.

Click here to shop this authentic Tods handbag at 17% off retail.

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Sunday, January 6, 2008

 

Purses and Handbags: Wear your style



By Gary Billman

Have you ever thought that you can make your own fashion statement with designer purses and handbags that add to your style and personality? Yes it’s quite right that purses and handbags are one accessory that cannot go unnoticed if you carry them according to the outfit and the occasion. They make you look more trendy and attractive.

Handbags and purses are an essential part of every woman’s wardrobe. Women of every age carry handbags for primary two reasons -- for personal convenience to carry their basic items such as money, cell phone, keys, tissue, makeup items, perfume, hair brush, etc and to look fashionable. Good-quality, trendy handbags complement ones personality and therefore it is very important to select the right handbag that suits you.

Today a wide variety of handbags in different styles and unique designs are available in the market. Some of the most popular brands of designer bags are Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, DKNY, Christian Dior, Celine, Kate Spade and many more. They offer great quality and variety of colors and styles. For those who cannot afford expensive designer bags, replica designer bags which are a low cost alternative are also available.

Few important things that one should consider when selecting a perfect handbag are the design, color, size, material, and shape of the handbag. Here is some advice:

Click here to shop authentic designer handbags and purses at a discount to update or create your style!

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Purchasing Designer Handbag Tips


By Elena Potoupa

Women love handbags. Every time they go out, they prefer to bring one of their handbags with them. Every time they go shopping, they make sure that they purchase at least one hand bag. Handbag is very essential in woman's wardrobe. It is one of their accessories that complete their image.

There are several types and designs of handbags in the market. Among these are designer bags such as Louis Vuitton, Prada, D&G Dolce and Gabana, Chanel, Fendi, Gucci and Versace. These brands cost as much as $50,000 for a certain style and design. Investing in these types of hand bags is okay as long as you know how to check the genuine handbags and purchase only the original handbags.

When buying designer handbags, it is best to purchase on licensed retail stores that are certified to sell these designer handbags. In cases wherein you want to avail of discounts and low prices of these handbags, ensure that you know the definite characteristics of the designer handbag that you want to avail.

To start with, you should check on the particular design and style that you want. Make sure to verify from the catalogue of the designer if such design do exists. There are some fake handbags which are proliferating that looks like the real ones. It is handcrafted in such a way that with a first glance, you will really believe that it is an authentic bag.

Another thing to consider is the distinguishing mark of the designer label. Example of this is that for Chanel handbags, the logo is a double C which is placed back-to-back with each other. You should be cautious with the tags, care cards as well as the warranties that go with the handbags. There are original bags which only uses embossed tags while the replicas where printed. Be wary on such things.

You should also check on the workmanship and the materials used for the bag. Designer bags are very 'clean' and efficiently made. There are no double stitches and there is consistent spacing in between each stitch. There is also a particular color of thread used by the designers. The zipper that is use to zip the bag usually has the name of the designer embossed in it. It is likewise made from good quality of zipper and is not easily damaged. It is likewise durable and can last longer than the bag itself. The leather of the bag feels leather when you touch it. It is not very smooth or shiny at all. The straps are not made from scraps or any extra materials. It has the same quality as the original leather of the bag itself.

Aside from these, you should also be able to check the serial number of the bag. Designer handbags have its serial number. There are no the same serial numbers because the handbag manufacturer usually has the original list with them.

These handbags are very expensive. There is a definite price range for each style and design. If a designer handbag is given to you at a very low price, you should be careful. This is a give away that the handbag is not authentic. There is no such thing as bargain designer handbags. Each handbag is valuable and there are a lot of individuals who would want to have one.

If you are planning to buy any of the designer handbags, make sure that you go to reliable stores. You can prefer to buy online since there are more online shops which offers discount for designer handbags. These shops can give higher discounts compared with retail stores because they do not have to pay for stores to display their products. Likewise, they also do not pay any employee to watch every day sales. Overhead expenses are lesser compared when they have a retail shop.

You can avail for discounts with the use of discount coupons which are also available online. Do not let your hard earned money go anywhere else. Save and purchase from reliable stores only.

Shop for authentic designer handbags at http://www.efashionhouse.com. Brands like Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Tods, Chloe, Juicy Couture and many more!

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Designer Brands - Chanel Naked Bag


Coined the "naked bag," Karl Lagerfeld created this latest must-have CHANEL handbag with the busy woman in mind. Now you can jet-set without having to worry about being held up at the x-ray machine. Plus if you have nothing to hide, than why not flaunt how fabulous you are. Add a Chanel wallet and lipstick and you are ready to go. With a classic Chanel silouette and chain-link strap, here's one to add to your collection. The Chanel Naked Bag in classic flap front design with a CC turn lock closure measures about 11"L x 7"W x 3" depth.

Click here to shop this authentic CHANEL handbag at 30% off retail price.

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Saturday, January 5, 2008

 

Designer Brands - Bottega Veneta Handbags


Mustard was one of the breakout colors for the season and definitely one of our favorites. Whether it is a sweater coat, pencil skirt or this BOTTEGA VENETA hobo, we love the way mustard makes our black staples pop. Bottega Veneta handbag measures approximately 13 W x 10 H with a 4 inch depth. Woven leather strap handle measures about 18 inches long with an 8 inch drop.

Click here to shop this authentic BOTTEGA VENETA handbag at 28% off. Plus for a limited time take 25% off your purchase with coupon code 25EFH08.

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Chanel "naked" purse




by Ellen Warren, Chicago Tribune

How many of us would invite strangers off the street to take a tour of our closets?

Would you follow that up with a gander at the contents of the medicine cabinet? Then, perhaps pull open the dresser drawers for a close inspection of what lurks in the bottom of the underwear drawer. Not likely. Well, think of a woman’s purse as a portable closet. A closet blessedly and firmly shut to all prying eyes. Which is why the popularity of the see-through handbag this season is so very peculiar. From Target to Dolce & Gabbana, the transparent purse is a big seller.

The Chanel “naked bag” shown here was created by one of the chicest designers on the planet, Karl Lagerfeld. He made it in reaction to the airline regulations requiring travelers to put their cosmetics in clear plastic bags. Surely it was just a fashion-y joke, right?

I buy my Baggies in bulk for a few bucks at Jewel but this clear plastic bag, trimmed in white patent calfskin and embellished with the Chanel interlocking Cs, costs $950. The larger model goes for $1250. Setting aside the cost, what would possess anyone to parade their messy ways for all to see?

Even the neatniks among us, after all, carries the embarrassing drugs (Rx only, of course), the occasional used Kleenex and products sufficiently personal that they that still command the euphemism “feminine hygiene.” Why show all that off to passersby, not to mention co-workers and potential boyfriends?

A Chanel rep reveals that among the celebrities who own this purse is a woman so cutting edge that she that she is designated a fashion “muse”—actress Chloe Sevigny. (ed: put two dots over e in chloe) Only a pristine lifestyle admits a purse of this stunning transparency. Is it possible that there are no lint-covered Lifesavers, revealing to-do lists or female necessities jumbled in Ms. Sevigny’s handbag? If so, give her an Emmy for overcoming the inner slob that affects us all. And an Oscar for tidiness.
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eFashionHouse.com is recognized as the top online retailer of off-priced authentic CHANEL handbags & accessories by About.com. For more information, please visit the eFashionHouse.com Press Page - Click Here. CHANEL items are priced as marked at 30% - 60% off retail - everyday prices, no coupon code needed.

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Friday, January 4, 2008

 

Designer Brands - Dolce & Gabbana Handbags



One look at this designer handbag and you know it's undeniably DOLCE & GABBANA. Made from anthracite gray snakeskin and contrasting taupe leather, this DOLCE & GABBANA may have a basic handbag shape but most definitely isn't your basic look. Always the trendsetter and never the follower, DOLCE & GABBANA pushes fashion boundaries to the edge but still manages to make it wearable. Handbag measures approximately 14 inch length by 6.5 inch tall with a 4 inch depth. Magnetic snap closure under buckle. Interior is fully lined in a leopard print.

Shop this authentic DOLCE & GABBANA at 27% off now. Plus take an extra 25% off with coupon code 25EFH08.
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Thursday, January 3, 2008

 

Designer Brands - Chloe Handbags



Although Chloe handbags are known for starting trends, this Chole bucket bag boasts the same fine Chloe craftsmanship but won't go out of style. Soft leather, hip pockets, roomy enough for everyday wear and at 50% below retail, a Chloe handbag never looked so good. Guaranteed authentic. Comes with Chloe care card and sleeper bag.

Click here to shop this authentic Chloe handbag at 50% off now.

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Wednesday, January 2, 2008

 

Designer Brands - Prada Handbags




If you want to dress things up during the day than check out this velvet PRADA shopper. Made from rich velvet and adorned with the Prada embossed logo, this bag can go from day to evening for any occasion. PRADA designer handbags black BN1246 velvet shopper measures approximately 8 inch wide by 8 inch tall by 1 inch deep. Double leather handles measure approx. 11 inch long with a 4 inch drop. Top closure is magnetic. Top inside of bag is lined in leather and the remainder is lined with the Prada logo nylon lining. There is one inside zippered pocket. Hardware is gold colored. Edges of bag are leather with a black cross stitch. Guaranteed authentic. Comes with sleeper bag. SKU: B07PR03C1XBLK

Click here to shop this authentic Prada handbag at 25% off. Plus for a limited time take an extra 25% off with coupon code 25EFH08.
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Tuesday, January 1, 2008

 

eFashionHouse.com 2008 New Year Event: Designer Handbag Liquidation Prices



Dedicated to offering authentic designer handbags and accessories at below retail prices, eFashionHouse.com announced today a New Year's Celebration with final markdowns throughout the website for handbag lovers around the globe.


Sky Valley, CA (PRWEB) January 1, 2008. eFashionHouse.com named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch for below retail priced designer handbags and recognized by About.com as the top of three online retailers of off-priced Chanel announced today a year-end clearance with lowered prices throughout the site and an extra 25% off savings on its designer handbags and accessories.

There's nothing fake about this New Year Celebration, and there's nothing fake about the designer fashion accessories sold by eFashionHou
se. eFashionHouse made a conscious decision to lower all their prices site wide to celebrate the new year, and to give fashionistas world wide a head's up about the increased prices to expect in 2008 for the same branded products.

In 2005, the average price of a high-end designer purse was about $2000. In 2007, the average price hit about $3000. In 2008, expect price
s throughout all major Department Stores and ecommerce sites to increase again. "Some Designers have already increased their new collections as high as 20% per item," said Anna Miller, eFashionHouse Owner. "We don't expect this trend to change or fade in the near future."

Unlike other ecommerce sites, eFashionHouse has systems in place for global shipping. Online since the mid-90's, eFashionHouse has offered its shoppers deep discounts on names like Gucci, Fendi, Hermes, Chanel, Prada, Etro, Marc Jacobs, Tods, Burberry, Tano, Furla, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Moschino, Dolce & Gabbana, Pietro Alessandro, and many more high-end designer brands. eFashionHouse.com is the home of five fashion stores with an variety of items at all price points. The site was recently recognized by About.com for being the top of three online retailers with below-retail Chanel merchandise -- both, new and vintage. The eFashionHouse.com New Year Celebration requires a coupon discount code to be used at checkout, the code is 25EFH08. The code is valid January 2, 2008 and expires January 11, at which time all items will return to their everyday prices of 25% - 60% off retail.

About eFashionHouse.com
Anna Miller is the President of i-GlobalMall.com, Inc. She operates the website http://www.efashionhouse.com and sells high-end authentic designer handbags and accessories at off-retail prices. EFashionHouse.com
was named Best of the Web by People Magazine StyleWatch for Discount Designer Handbags and Purses. eFashionHouse.com should not be confused with any other website selling a similar product or using a similar name. EfashionHouse.com is the home of five fashion ecommerce stores: BrandsBoutique, LuxuryVintage, DesignersLA, ItalysOutlet, and ValueBags. Anna is considered an Internet Pioneer & Ecommerce Entrepreneur. She’s been reselling Designer Merchandise online since the early 90s. eFashionHouse.com has an extensive Press Page and a Fashion Blog Network. Visit the site for more details.


eFashionHouse.com 2008 New Year Event: Designer Handbag Store Liquidation

Year-End Clearance - FINAL MARKDOWNS - Everyting Must Go!

Be the first to know.

January 2 - January 11, 2008

Use coupon code 25EFH08 for an extra 25% off Site Wide!

Our everday prices are 30% - 60% off retail. Beginning January 2 through January 11 take an extra 25% off the lowest marked price.

Click here to shop Final Markdowns

http://www.efashionhouse.com/productlist_saleefh.html/clearance/4


This offer is for a limited time only. All items will return to their original prices after January 11, 2008. This offer can't be combined with any other coupon or discount code, on layaway plans or prior purchases. Some restrictions apply. Write to CustomerCare@eFashionHouse.com with questions. Thank you for shopping with us. Happy New Year!
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eFashionHouse named Best of the Web by People StyleWatch for Off-Retail Priced Designer Handbags. About.com named eFashionHouse Top Chanel Online Retailer. Online since 1996 offers FREE SHIPPING $200 orders and NO SALES TAX worldwide. Questions? Write CustomerCare@eFashionHouse.com - 24-hour message center 310.828.1281.

Shop FIVE Online Fashion Stores - http://www.eFashionHouse.com
BrandsBoutique - LuxuryVintage - ValueBags - ItalysOutlet - DesignersLA

Visit the eFashionHouse Blog Network.

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Designer Brands - Ferragamo Accessories


Like designer handbags, you can never have too many designer scarves and accessories. The French have got it right with their obsession with designer scarves. Silk, wool or cashmere, you can always 'complete' a outfit with the simple elegance of a designer scarf. FERRAGAMO designer scarves cream colored floral and heart motif silk scarf. 100 per cent silk. Made in Italy. Measures approximately 26 inch square with hand rolled edges. Background is a cream color with red pink gray tan and rose colors. Guaranteed authentic. SKU: B07F07X69CRM

Click here to shop this authentic FERRAGAMO scarf at 28% off. Plus take an extra 25% off your purchase with coupon code 25EFH08.
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