The art of collecting handbags

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a bag under $500 that perks our interest but the latest from Coach is absolutely fabulous. In glittery bronze or soft white, the “Legacy” is a chic bag that won’t break the bank at $498. Which means you can splurge on this season’s must have crocodile platforms from Gucci or Hermes.

HEREMES: The blind stamp under the strap is usually the first giveaway. Hermes uses the alphabet in chronological order to date the bags(not too bright cuz how hard is it to figure out that A comes before B?), for example, year 2004 was H and currently we are on year I. The craftsman ID should also be next to the blindstamp. However, we’ve recently spotted fakes with the blindstamps so the next step is to check the zipper on the inside pocket. The leather pull strip should be horiontal to the zipper, which should have Hermes engraved on it. You should also check the glue on the inside corners, does it look sloppy? The borders on the exterior leather is very hard to reproduce, check to see if it’s smooth, the fakes usually have ridges. The keys and lock should have matching numbers and Hermes engraved on them (very easy to reproduce though). The hardware should be made of palladium or 24 carat gold plate, the fakes are made of flimsy steel. Lastly, check the feet on the bottom of the bag, do they look wobbly or screw off easily? Hermes no longer authenticates bags in it’s boutiques so unless you know the person you’re buying the bag from, I’d try to get on the waitlist and wait for the real thing. (More on tips to get on the Hermes waitlist later.)

LOUIS VUITTON: This is probably the single most popular reproduced line of bags. First of all, they are made of plasic (they call it “monogrammed canvas”, whatever!) that is produced in factories in Asia so some of the fakes are made of the canvas from these factories (which makes them “real” fakes right?). It’s really hard to authenticate these bags but this is what we suggest: check the borders on the exterior, does the monogram match up? Next, is the trim real leather (light colored natural cowhide)? There is also a serial number hidden somewhere in the bag, but again, very easy to reproduce. If you like to waste money and want to pay thousands of dollars for bags made of plastic laminated canvas, we recommend you purchase them from Louis Vuitton boutiques or at a major department store.

BALENCIAGA: The le Dix motorcycle bags are everywhere, on the arms of Nicole Ritchie and Lindsay Lohan as well as our cleaning lady. The only way to tell if it’s real is to check the inside of the bag. There should be a zipper that says “Lampo” and a Balenciaga tag with it’s serial number. You’ll have to call Balenciaga and give them that number to see if it’s real or not. But seriously, this bag is so over who cares if it’s real. Just get rid of it or do what we did and give it to your maid.

CHLOE: The Paddington is easier to authenticate as the locks are very heavy (half a pound each), the key and the rest of the hardware should also be heavy, “Chloe” should be engraved on the corners of the hardware. The lock and hardware on the fakes are light and the stitching is not as sturdy. Put it on a scale and if it doesn’t weigh 3.5 pounds, it’s probably not real.

GUCCI: Like Louis Vuitton, the line is very blurred when it comes to Gucci fakes. Look for an ID number somewhere inside the bag or take it to a Gucci boutique to get authenticated.

It was bound to happen, I mean how many crocodiles and ostrich birds do you think there are in the world? With so many new bag designers showing exotic bag collections, (like Alexandra Knight) supply was bound to run short. The price of Alligator skins have gone up 40% in the last two years but that has not slowed down the demand for this ultimate symbol of luxury bags and it has led to a game of heavy bidding wars amongst bag designers. Carlos Falchi, a designer who has been working with exotic skins for over three decades even bought his own crocodile farm in South America to ensure his suppy! Nancy Gonzales’s son Santiago operates his own crocodile farms as well and rarely has problems getting what he needs, no wonder their crocodile prices have stayed so reasonable! I really can’t complain about this as I am as guilty as every other girl obsessed with exotic skin handbags which is driving the price hikes and supply lows.

Fred Distenfeld, owner of accessories firm LAI and an exotic skin manufacturer for more than 50 years, said brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Gucci all have secured their share of the market in the last eight years by buying and employing their own tanneries, some of which other designers once relied on. “These brands are the powerhouses of the luxury world and they have to make sure their supplies exist,” Distenfeld said. “The problem is not in the skins themselves, but the quality for the people who want the best possible skins.”

   As hard as I try, I can’t seem to get over my love for the giant plastic framed shades. Everytime when I think I’ve found the perfect pair that would last me a lifetime, I find a new pair that is more perfect than the last. And the thing is, they’re all basically huge shades with plastic frames!

   So I am perfectly aware that this will probably not be the last time I utter this sentence, but I swear this time I’ve found the perfect giant plastic shades. Wandering aimlessly around the department store, I glanced over at the shades selection they just popped out from amongst the rows of oddly shaped new trendy shades that I doubt would look flattering on me. It was almost like in those cartoons when the character finally finds the item they’ve been looking for and the item just shines in the distant and music comes up and the world is perfect again. These Gucci shades are perfectly rounded and the nose support is just right that the bottom of the frames do not touch your cheeks (I have to admit, my current one does touch the cheek). And they look fabulous on. They are just brilliant in its simplicity and elegant shape. It comes in brown and black, but somehow I prefer the brown, thinking its more chic and not quite so dark. Plus, since I already have black plastic frames….brown plastic frames would be a variation.

  My current huge plastic framed shades are from Dior, and don’t get me wrong, I still love it to bits. I especially love the Dior “D” on the side with the pretty flower detail on the edges. And it looks great. But I’m sure all of you will agree that they are very different from the Gucci pair……so it is a different kind of perfect. OR maybe the trend for huge plastic frames has evolved over seasons and I have not even noticed but just blindly followed to my liking. Wow, now even I am slightly confused with my logic. Whichever way, those Gucci are just soooo beautiful!

    For anyone wondering about those awesome sunglassesJessica Simpson was wearing on TRL, they are Gucci’s new 2927 Sunglasses. According to our fabulous LA sunglasses source, Karina from C by Karina, these sunglasses are hot! They are available in black with a dark grey lens or in tortoise with a brown/grey gradient lens.

   While designers such as Versace or Dolce&Gabbana presented collections that had sex written all over the place, Gucci came with an interesting alternative, inspired from the ‘60s fashion.    Gucci’s new designer, Frida Giannini, has stopped following the trend set by Gucci’s previous designer, Tom Ford, and took a new direction by using the floral models so popular when she started this career in the early ’70.    Huge glasses and crazy color combinations define this spring’s collection.   Frida Gianini became known at Gucci as a top handbag designer. 

  But with all the success in that area, fashion critics weren’t as satisfied with the collection pulled out here at Milan Fashion Week. Especially now that the retro chic idea was presented by other designers.

         Cameron Diaz sure is mixing up the handbags. Her latest arm candy is this woven natural straw Gucci Positano purse with white leather trim and a very summer-appropriate bamboo handle. To be honest, I’ve never been a huge fan of this Gucci offering, but I have to say that the natural look suits Cameron’s light and breezy outfit well and is a good choice for this season. By looking at Cam you can tell the bamboo handle is a bit awkward to carry, but we all make sacrifices for fashion. More Gucci items ….  

   Even though it seems to be making an effort to be different, the Gucci Snow Glam Small Boston Purse is really a bit of a bore. The straight lines and flat color do nothing to make it stand out, and that lengthy shape is sure to leave you digging around for things far too much. The double G logo is constructed of rubber, which is an element so unusual on a high-end bag that seeing it here makes you realize exactly why designers don’t use it much. Gucci may want to reconsider calling this glam!

                                Vanessa Minnillo with her Gucci Dog Carrier

   Can a four-legged creature have a more luxurious ride? The hidden pooch here is snuggled up next to Celebrity arm candy Vanessa Minnillo in a Gucci Dog Carrier. While there are plenty of people out there whose cars probably don’t cost this much, this little pup gets to sleep/poop in exquisitely tanned Italian leather. Gucci certainly takes luxury up a few notches for all creatures, bipeds or not. Judging from Ms. Minnillo’s outfit, (top from Plenty, jeans) she truly loves that canine, as that carrier probably costs about 8 times as much as everything she has on herself.

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