Funny bags

There have been a lot of funny bags going around lately, this is good to see as i think a bit of humour goes a long way in fashion.

Here is a classic baguette clutch! or not.

CLEAR CLUTCH

You can have a bit of fun with fashion. Check out this clear clutch with a bit of a child-hood twist. Fashion meets fantasy. I really love it and the current trend towards transparent materials in accessories. You would hardly want to put anything inside though. Just a few crucial fashion items.

TRIANGLE AND PATCHED

I like small triangle bags. This one is made from patches in leather that reminds me of the 1970s. Its modern and vintage at the same time.

BAGS WITH FACES

There is something a bit odd about bags with faces. Especially when the face belongs to the poor critter that has given its skin over to become a man-clutch bag as shown in the image below. This picture is by Yvan Rodic on his fantastic blog http://yvanrodic.blogspot.com/


I really want to find a few more examples of this type of thing. There is something slightly unsettling about this but at the same time probably a bit like wearing fur...

I would really love to see an obviously faux version of a bag like this.

SIDE HANDLES

I'm really liking side handles at the moment. Nice flat ones or even ones that do not really work - see the Jas M.B tan bag with the covered over handle.


This bag here is Jas M.B taken at Tranoi tradeshow in Paris a few months ago from their SS11 collection. I love the subtle (or not so subtle) allusion to the hidden handle and the general understated nature of the design.


This is a vintage bag from etsy. The front decorative strip may just be decoration but it reminded me of an oddly placed handle.


This is a recent photo from fashion week. This flat handle is actually functional but i love how it offers another way of carrying the bag but it also acts as a decorative detail.

The flat front handle is my decorative (or not so decorative) detail of the moment.

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN DIES

I don't even know what to say. It is the saddest news. This is a tribute posting to the brilliant Alexander McQueen.

These clutch bags by TsuruBride on etsy are pretty cute. Check out their shop, there have been lots of new additions to the site lately. I think my favourite is the lil piggy.

TAPESTRY CLUTCH

In the theme of tapestry bags, here is a lovely tapestry clutch from etsy, uploaded by VerseauVintage for your viewing pleasure. The plastic frame in swirly plastic really takes the cake. This bag is very neat and compact. I'm not sure if its exactly my style but i think its a nice execution of the old tapestry clutch variety.





And i have to say the photographs are really highly commendable.

MARC JACOBS CLUTCH

I really like the colour blocking of this Marc Jacobs clutch. Its from spring/summer 2009 as its available to purchase now. Aside from the colour blocking, i also like the softness of the leather... yum. Its a nice example of less is more.



I'm really into triangles right now. Triangles triangles triangles.

CORK BAGS

I'm not sure where my fascination with cork came from for this post. It started with this image below. A range of purses of graduating sizes stacked on top of each other more like a pile of placemats than purses.


Cork is such a delicate and amazing material. Functional and curious. I must say that whilst i have never really invested in a cork bag or cork accessories, i can see that there is a whole world waiting out there to be discovered. Its softer and more pliable than wood and textured in a uniquely natural way.


I like the chest below which i found on etsy, the contrasting materials make it look very stylish and robust which is not a usual characteristic of cork.

MARNI SPRING SUMMER 2010 BAGS

Some of my favourite bags from Spring / summer 2010's catwalks. Recently in Milan, Marni presented some really nice understated bags. This one here below has a laser cut perforated design with a bit of an arabic flavour. To chill this out, the rest of the bag has a really simple almost sack like construction with a really basic handle.


Its not to say its not glamorous, in fact, understatement is the key word of the season. There was not much crazy stuff going down on the catwalks this season overall in the accessories world. Brands were bringing back their iconic styles in new materials and slightly updated executions.


I really like the bag in bag look. It communicates a feeling of old meets new, tradition meets modern and more casual methods. The outer layer is a bit like the bag is wearing a pair of trousers or a skirt. I know that is a ridiculous way to describe a bag, but do you see what i mean. Maybe its more like a sleeping bag.


Here we go again with a larger version which, i don't think works as well in the smaller clutch size but is the same idea and executed very elegantly.


I'm not quite sure about the edge piping and i don't really dig the big brushed gold balls as the clasp opening, i can see something a bit more raw and original like some uncut stones or maybe something leather covered.


Strangely the big balls work on the smaller clutch a bit better, but i'd love to see this bag with the frame and balls covered in beautiful soft lambs leather Natalia Brilli-style. (please check out her website, you won't regret it) http://www.nataliabrilli.fr

Over and out.

YVES SAINT LAURENT SATIN CLUTCH

This YSL clutch is pretty. It reminds me of a more elegant version of my wrap bag shown in red in my previous post. I love the idea of wrapping, it makes me think of presents, when i think of presents, i think of being a kid. Them were the good old days.

PORTS 1961

These simple deconstructed bags from the spring summer 2010 shows in new york caught my eye. Some of the pieces seem not much more than folded over pieces of leather. The materials are simple and minimalist, i really love them.

PAINKILLER MADEMOISELLE THAILAND

I love Painkiller Mademoiselle.


This is one of my all time favourite bag brands, its a pretty obscure brand coming out of Bangkok, Thailand. From what i know, the designer used to live in Paris and moved (back) to Bangkok. If you can read thai, you can check out some more information by going to http://painkilleraccessories.blogspot.com/ or http://bangkokkarisma.blogspot.com


This leather shopper is pretty nice, not all that much to it, i have to admit but the central panel of exotic skin - snake it looks like give the bag a level of sophistication achieved through constraint rather than excess. But the real beauties lie below:


I love the shape of this clutch, its a classic shape but the tonal massive stud hardware is cool and its one of the first brands that i have seen do this.


As you can see the bags are really simple and geometric. If the bags were a person, they would be highly sophisticated and refined and be able to speak about 10 different languages.


The oversized wooden hardware is sometimes polished to look like precious stone but at the end of the day is just (just, i say) humble wood. This is one of my favourite aspects of the brand, they are understated and make glamour and preciousness out of not much.


Ok, you are probably thinking, there is something very Chanel about the bags, yes you are right, its hard to go past the quilting and the leather / metal chain, however, its the bold use of the hardware which i really like about this bag above. Lets just admit, the Chanel thing has been copied over and over again. Now even shops like Topshop and New Look have their versions of the bag, it has gained cult status and there is no looking back. BUT.... this is a nice fresh look at a commericalised icon. I'll let you decide.

PEACHY WEDNESDAY BAGS

Today I have put together a few cute bags with repetitive motifs. The flat vintage clutch below is made up lots of little squares joined together in a pixel style format. I love the peachy glow of these bags below, there is something very pretty and feminine about them which is slightly different to a lot of my other posts.

Maryam Vintage

Christian Louboutin

Celestina Clutch bag

Balenciaga

Milan Fashion week mens portfolios

Good morning, its a rainy saturday morning in London town. Yes, i don't have much else to do tan post a few of my favourite bags These are some of my favourite street shots of mens bags from Milan Mens fashion week for Spring / Summer 2010. Sometimes the stylish fashion types that attend the fashion shows can outshine the shows themselves. Its a great place to pick up trends and this one is no big surprise to see italian men with 'man bags' but they are getting more and more interesting as times go on.


I absolutely love this one. Its a portfolio style clutch bag with a table tennis pocket posted onto the front of it. It looks like Fred Perry logo to me, but who knows, the preppy look is certainly in keeping with what Fred Perry would do. This bag says, I-am-a-man-carrying-an-effeminite-clutch-but-becuase-there-it-is-sporty-its-ok. Either way, its a man-clutch otherwise known as a portefeuille.


This one is very much in the man bag territory, but the flat retractable handle makes it more like a bag. The shiny-ish leather gives is a dressy business feel. Perfect to be teamed with a short sleeve red blazer!

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This one is more like a mini briefcase. With its concertina style construction and antique tan leather finish it has a dual purpose as you can see from the detachable shoulder strap peeping around the corner.


I just love this newspaper inspired portefeuille. Dressed up as a spanish newspaper you could definitely be mistaken as someone just popping down to the shops for a croissant and the paper on a saturday morning if you are feeling a bit coy about clutch carrying.

Maria Francesca Pepe

I love the style of Maria Francesca Pepe, the young italian designer who has an amazing rebellious style of design. Her jewellery pieces speak volumes and you really have to check those out but seeing that this is a bag blog, here are her bag pieces. I was recently lucky enough to get one of her lovely pieces of jewellery for my birthday which i absolutely love. Thanks Morgan!




The bags are contemporary in styling but have the sexiness and with the supurb quality of the Italians behind them. The perfectly balanced mix makes sense given that MFP studied at the Royal College of Art in London. The perfect mix if you ask me.


From womenswear to jewellery and bags, there is nothing that this designer cannot do with such original style.


The integration of jewellery into the hardware of the bags works so well giving loads of substance both to the pieces and to MPF as a brand.


Find out more by visiting her site: http://www.mfpepe.com