Independent Handbag Designer Awards Launch Bags presents THE INDEPENDENT HANDBAG DESIGNER AWARDS ( Click here to register or purchase tickets ) Handbag Designer 101 invites you to compete in the Second Annual Independent Handbag Designer Awards, the only handbag competition of its kind in the world. Win a chance to present your handbag at a high profile New York event and compete for one of six Awards for Handbag Design Excellence, international recognition, a variety of coveted prizes and a chance to have your handbag go on a marketing press tour.  read more »

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*Reproduced from The Wall Street Journal, 26th Jan 2008. Style Why 'It' Bags Are Out* Luxury bags fall victim to their own success; exclusive over ostentatious By *CHERYL LU-LIEN TAN* and *RACHEL DODES* January 26, 2008; Page W1 Irene Weisburd used to buy 20 handbags a year, dutifully getting on waiting lists for the season's designated "it" bag and filling her "bag wardrobe" with Fendi Baguettes, a Louis Vuitton Murakami bag and Prada nylon backpacks. Recently, however, she has bypassed popular styles such as last fall's Gucci Indy bag and the ubiquitous Fendi 'B' bag in favor of unadorned pieces from Bottega Veneta and lesser-known labels such as New York's MZ Wallace.  read more »

---Quote--- *Bags for people with bags more money than sense* Linda Grant Wednesday January 9, 2008 Guardian If western civilisation were to fall tomorrow as a result of the kind of meteor attack that supposedly killed the dinosaurs, future archaeologists would discover a landscape littered with almost indestructible It Bags. It is the received wisdom handed down from my mother that a good handbag makes the outfit but there is "good" and there is Burberry's new 13,000 gold alligator bag, which is not even the most expensive currently available. You could, for example, spend $55,000 (28,000) on an Hermes crocodile bag, the clasp of which is encrusted in diamonds. As designer fakes proliferate, handbag makers have aggressively put up their prices.  read more »

Fashion Free Gift With Purchase offers are hard enough to come by, and designer GWPs are even more rare. So, how excited are we that fashion wonder store Saks Fifth Avenue is currently offering a fabulous Marc by Marc Jacobs Free Gift. This is a great excuse to go shopping.  read more »

I was recently asked to review a new line of bags called Jumeau that is being sold at bagsbuy.com . Jumeau is described by the company as, Jumeau [is] young and hip with a fun modish feel to it. They have four lines of bags under Jumeau : Institution Collection: Fusion between form and function. The Institution collection uses "NeauStop" next generation rip-stop fabric, wrinkle-free with soft exterior. NeauStop makes the bags in this collection virtually indestructible. ($75-$229 Retail) Now Collection: designs that are trendy, cutting edge, and progressive. Now is an ageless look for anyone who wants to be exciting and in fashion Now. ($55-$99 Retail) Commando Collection: a tough progressive series that goes beyond any limitation. These urban designs give functionality and style for those individuals that are on the go and mean business. The commando collection uses our proprietary and patented "Triple-Dense Nylon" - high density, Extra-strong, extra-light, durable nylon. ($75-$139 Retail) Green Collection: The green collection is the style of the future. Focusing on natural materials such as organic cotton, bamboo and natural dyes, this collection takes fashion to an Earth friendly sustainable level. ($75-$229 Retail) I received the Calder in the Cappuccino Color, and the Elon in the Neptune/Bark color combination; both bags are from the Institution collection. I chose these two bags because these bags are not my typical style for a day bag. I felt the Calder would be a great bag to tote around my books and papers for work and classes, and the Elon reminded me of a bag I have used for years as my tourist bag: can wear as a handbag or over the body, pickpocket-resistant, slim-line and durable. Both bags arrived quite quickly and were packaged with individual fabric dust bags (a very nice touch).  read more »

Like most modern women, I feel the need to cart my entire life around with me where ever I go. The result is an impressive collection of tote bags, most of which have been acquired as conference swag or free GWPs. They are useful, but stand in stark contrast to my carefully chosen ensembles and pricey purses. Perhaps it's time for an upgrade.  read more »

Like most modern women, I feel the need to cart my entire life around with me where ever I go. The result is an impressive collection of tote bags, most of which have been acquired as conference swag or free GWPs. They are useful, but stand in stark contrast to my carefully chosen ensembles and pricey purses. Perhaps it's time for an upgrade.  read more »

To some of you who were mildly/semi interested in the trip to New York courtesy of Gucci and those who were dismayed at my confounded week of tech-mistakes, I am trying to make up for it now that I'm back...susie_bubble