Fergie is going to design handbags, but for another company, Kipling, and only for two seasons.

President and CEO of VF Sportswear, Denise Seegal, was attracted to Fergie by her mass appeal and fashionista style on the red carpet. This will be the first celebrity-designed collection of many for Kipling, which actually seems like a nice little bag brand, though relatively unknown.

Stacy Ferguson (Fergie) said,

As with every project that I’m involved with, I plan to put all of my heart and creativity into this one, and I’m thrilled to work with such an amazing brand. I look forward to putting my personal touch on each and every design in my signature Kipling collections.

Fergie will not only be hands on with the designs, but she will do a lot to market the bags, including posing for ad campaigns and making personal appearances - all for the brand.

There will be two collections, one for Fall 2007 and the second for Spring 2008. Bags will hit stores (unsure which) September 1st 2007.

Now let’s hope Fergie can get past her devotion to motorcycle bags, as pictured above (a Balenciaga).

Source, Photo Source

Popularity: 48% [?]

It’s a summery tote with gold metallic fabric. It’s quite trendy, I suppose, but that won’t cut it. Where are the Louboutin signature elements? They should think of some - I can:

They have platform shoes, espadrilles, and wedges right? So the bags could be raffia, have wooden elements, or even have pockets on the bottom a la the Zippy by Chloé. That compartment could be a different colour - a tan, perhaps in raffia?

Then of course all Louboutin shoes have the red sole - I think bags could be subtler; red fabric lining. That is a definite must and I will lose all hope if all bags don’t have that already. (The store description doesn’t say.)

The details it does have are a chain drawstring strap, nice, gotta hand them that - but then a dangling key charm? Everyone does that!

Oh sigh, why am I such a better designer than the professionals? Hmm? I need this job and this job needs moi!

The plus side, this seemingly (Neimans doesn’t give size) roomy bag costs only $950.

Popularity: 25% [?]

This tote is from Chanel’s new Paris Biarritz collection for SS 2007. Wow!

If all my body fat were removed (please god) all my extra matter would easily fit in here.
My whole torso would fit in here.
Both of my legs would fit in here.
My paddington collection could fit in here.
A weekend’s worth of clothing could fit in here.

You get the drill, but …

It wouldn’t fit in …

On my lap,
Just barely on a car seat,
On a shelf or hook or in my closet.

Oh boy.

Preview more Paris Biarritz below.

Popularity: 61% [?]

Chloé’s Bay is the IT bag of the season, and like many, I’m interested in one. (But I want the Quilted on sale, heh heh.) We’re all waiting, waiting, wanting. What’s available now, for pre-order, and in which colours/styles? And what are the retail prices, you ask? Here’s the run down.

The Available Styles/prices:

Classic Bay bag - Euro conversion: $1485 ; Japanese Yen conversion $1195 (wow)
Lambskin Classic Bay bag - $1680
Bay Tote bag - $1680
Bay Shoulder Tote bag - $1860
Small Patent Shoulder Bay - $1380
Shoulder Bay bag - Euro conversion: $1419
East/West Bay bag - Japanese Yen conversion: $1191
Lambskin Bay Hobo - $1800
Shoulder Bay - $1600
Classic Quilted Bay shoulder bag - $1780
Quilted Bay Tote bag - $1635
Mini Pouch Bay - Euro conversion: $436
Quilted Big Bay - Euro conversion: $1750

Bay Colors:

Black (noir) Dark Brown (mocha, café), white (blanc), camel/roche/sand, navy, orange

Availability:

Continue to read more bag love »

Popularity: 37% [?]

 Here’s Jessica Simpson with the newest upcoming trend, the day clutch. As seen on fashion blogs such as Fab Sugar. Clutches often in brighter colours or bold prints, or anything suitable for day and not evening, but most importantly—these clutches are large.

And that’s what I love about them, however I can’t find any of the big sizes being sold online yet. If you scout a nice, big day clutch, send it in!

Popularity: 20% [?]

Zac Posen, a hot and popular ready-to-wear designer with celebrities and in-the-knows, has now put out a line of handbags. The bags are on the simple and sophisticated side and quite well designed.

My favorite is this Aurora bag, a tall satchel with kiss-lock closed straps over its framed closure. In creme at 12″ x 9″ x 6″, it costs $1,400. What a way to make an entrance!

Purchase Posen’s bags at eLUXURY and Neiman Marcus.

Popularity: 13% [?]

TORONTO, Jan 16 (Reuters Life!) - With big handbags becoming a key fashion accessory for working women, health experts are warning they can also become a key health concern.

They’re talking about big handbags there, and they probably mean over 17″ wide or very tall ones. Specifically, if a woman’s handbag weighs more than 7 lbs, it’s not a good sign.

But in this modern age, women can’t leave home without their 3 gadget accessories, hair products, face wash wipes, an extra set of under garments, lady-time emergency supplies and of course the required industrial-sized mase can. Some women need to fit changing tables, toy boxes and a whole smaller purse, all inside diaper bags. And yet other women need bags for a laptop, but luckily those are getting smaller and actually - lighter than a Paddington’s padlock.

I feel a bit safer knowing my Paddington only weighs a max of 6 pounds, but I don’t like this widely spreading bit of news here. I read somewhere this means huge bags are out. I think that was a joke though.

Actually, it might just mean large bags are more in than ever, which is pretty cool. We need to stand proud, because if we need larger bags it shows how badly we need bags in general!

And don’t you kind of think people are switching from hating stilettos to bags? Perhaps men want women’s accessories small so they can keep us down! Well, not I, I say! I’m going to have my bags and fill them, too!

Handbag pride!

So what about you, what size are your bags and how much do they weigh? Are you going to downsize now?

Popularity: 8% [?]

Okay, okay. I’ll have to stop the idealist fantasy about keeping my purse if I am ever in a snatch attempt, and I really have to stop encouraging it to my readers. All because of reading two recent news stories, I see how very dangerous it is. (And we can get newer, possibly better bags, anyway.)

• News story 1: Elderly woman dragged when man in car snatches her purse
• News story 2: Robber shoots woman in face when she refuses to hand over purse

What a world we live in. Oh fine, bah, I’ll have to give in and vow to try to stay safe.

But still it’s not easy to replace a Chloé or Fendi! We must let it go, but it’s heartbreaking to let IT go.

Popularity: 4% [?]

PursePage.com, a site for bag shopping and reviews, is holding a contest in its forums to give away one Coach purse.

All one must do to enter is register and post on the thread (or topic), but read the rules first at the official contest page (thread).

The bag in question is a black Signature Gallery Tote, and it’s quite nice. It comes with bag, box, tissue, bow and a catalog. (Everything one might get when shopping at a boutique.) There are also other giveaways for cash! Visit the site for more info.

I’m entering, I think my aunt should enter, and will you?

Popularity: 29% [?]

There is an Internet project for crafters now, called the Counterfeit Crochet Project, for copying big brand designs, but crocheting the new products. Read about it at the project’s website, linked above.

The designs by the starter, Stephanie Syjuco, are so good, they’re shocking. Take a look at this Gucci bag, in progress.

You may be appalled by this news, or enjoy the project idea for various reasons, but there are a few crucial problems at this website’s root.

1. Right off the bat, the project’s referred to as “counterfeit.” That immediately puts the word “illegal” into our minds, doesn’t it? If Stephanie, the manager, instead used another, perhaps creative, word, like “inspired”, it would be widely more friendly to bag lovers and legal aficionados.
2. Participants are allowed to use, and the owner has already used, exact logos copyrighted by the big companies. That is illegal, right? I would love this idea, and it could be a beautiful project that I might even participate in in some way (perhaps by buying?)—if only the crocheters copied styles, and never a logo. I think this is wrong.
3. It’s made pretty clear that the intention of the whole thing is not to admire the beauty of these designs, and make a legal piece of them available to more people—especially people who love knit things, etc. (as I do!). No—here is the subtitle on their website: “debasing designer handbags one step at a time…” Debase’s definition (from Answers.com) being:
   

   de·base (dĭ-bās’) pronunciation
   tr.v., -based, -bas·ing, -bas·es.

   To lower in character, quality, or value; degrade. See synonyms at adulterate, corrupt, degrade.

Well, now I don’t like this at all. What do you think? Would do you think the design companies would/should do?

*Via* Crochet & Other Stuff

Popularity: 17% [?]