Inside Coach: The Kristin Line
One of the most well-known brands in the handbag world is Coach. Both men and women recognize the Coach logo and millions continue to support Coach bags season after season. Established in 1941 as a family run workshop in Manhattan, Coach quickly became renown not only for their style but also quality. With an expanding company and product line, we continue to expect and be given innovative lines and multiple collections every season.
We were given the opportunity to review the upcoming Coach Kristin Collection which is set to launch online and in stores on November 1st, 2009. The Kristin line is clean and effortless, possessing many Coach qualities without having the Coach signature logo. The colors used for this line are soft and elegant, including shades of coral, pink, ivory, and burnished amber. Not just simple leather, the bags are given different finishes for optimum dimension and appeal, including fresh color blocking, embossed exotics, and rich glazed leather.
Valentino Small Loop Hobo Shoulder Bag
I like to cuddle. Even from a young age, Iād fall asleep with a stuffed animal and would hold it tight! I didnāt really drag around a blanket, but a stuffed animal (āBear Bearā) went with me everywhere. Long story short and many years later I still have a soft spot in my heart for things that seem smooshy and soft. Thus, you can see why I am one who continues to love soft, smooshy and downright touchable handbags. Sure, there is a time and a place for everything, but certain bags catch my eye instantly!The Valentino Small Loop Hobo Shoulder Bag boasts gorgeous color as well as leather that I canāt help but wanting to touch! First of all, I love the lack of structure here. There is a fine line between lack of structure and sloppy and this bag hits the nail on the head. This bag says no nonsense and fashionable all in one swoop. Pair the bag with your newly purchased boyfriend jeans and a t-shirt or a more form fitting outfit and the bag will still stand out. Without much effort, this Valentino bag just made itself onto my ābags worth saving up forā list.
Valentino Bow Hobo
In stark contrast to my enthusiasm for embellishment of all types (and of the industrial type in particular) for fall and winter, I canāt help but swoon upon seeing the Valentino Bow Hobo. Itās incredibly simple, monochromatic, without external hardware, and conspicuously lacking some of the outer intricacies for which Valentino handbags are so often known. And despite all of that, or perhaps because of it, I think Iām in love. Of all the bags on display to molest at fine department stores, Valentino bags are my favorite to pick up and feel. The quality of materials used in their bags continues to surprise and delight me, even after eight solid months of writing about handbags for 40 hours per week. And when you combine their obscenely soft leathers with a design so deconstructed, so slouchy, so irresistibly French-looking (despite the fact that the brand itself is Italian), you come up with a bag like this: gorgeous, casually elegant, and not trying too hard in the least. The amount of style contained in this simple hobo clearly adds up to more than the sum of its parts.
Carlos Falchi Python Floral Sling
One of our favorite aspects of this job is having the opportunity to meet amazing, talented designers. We have lucked out with every designer being so personable and fun, and each one having an entirely different story. And some stories stick out in your mind, with the people behind the story being unforgettable. This is true with Carlos Falchi who we absolutely adore and look forward to seeing again soon! When we interviewed Carlos Falchi we not only had the opportunity to ask him about his line, but we got a tour of his entire studio, saw the painting that he did with each bag, saw the skins, and saw the factory. It was truly an experience of a lifetime. One aspect that stuck out in my mind was Carlos painting on the skins, which would soon be formed into the bags. Carlos Falchi himself hand paints many of the skins and that is entirely unique. And one of the most interesting aspects about the Carlos Falchi Python Floral Sling is that Vlad and I saw this pattern being painted by Carlos while we visited him last October. This bag is exclusive to Saks and shows off colorful exotic blooms which were hand-painted onto the shiny white python skin. All Carlos Falchi bags are rather light, since Carlos is not a user of hardware, rather lets the skin and design stand on its own. This bag is perfect for spring. Light and airy, floral and colorful. There is a single strap with a 12ā³ drop along with inside pockets. Dimensions are 22ā³W X 12ā³H x 8ā³D.
Carlos Falchi Flower Flat Clutch
I recently reveled in the beauty of the hand painted Carlos Falchi Floral Sling. And it was not just me who loved the bag, many of you did. But then a question popped up; āWill the paint run? Is the bag too delicate?ā. I asked over at Carlos Falchi and they said to assure you all that no, the paint will not run as it is glazed over. And no, the bag is not too delicate to use, they use the stomach of the snake which is very resilient. Now that we have covered that, there is a perfect option for those of you who loved the idea of the hand-painted floral pattern but prefer it in a smaller bag. The Carlos Falchi Flower Flat Clutch is also designed with hand-painted flowers and has an optional chain shoulder strap. This is a thin clutch, but long and capable of holding night out necessities (12ā³W x 5.75ā³H x 1ā³D). The interior features a zip pocket. Again, this is a brilliant design from Carlos Falchi. A simple sleek python clutch with a burst of color, which is hand-painted. This makes the bag entirely different from any other in my collection and in most collections. Leave it to the genius, Carlos Falchi.
Michael Kors ID Chain Shopper
I got an opportunity to take a look at some handbags the other day with a friend of mine thatās in to fashion, but doesnāt WORSHIP bags the way that a lot of the ladies here do. And I realized that sometimes, itās good to get some perspective, because without it we might miss things.
For example, I might have missed the Michael Kors ID Chain Shopper. A lot of people donāt pay much attention to Korsā bags, and heās had a misstep or two in the past, but Iāve seen his last season or two become much stronger and more drool-worthy. This bag I like in particular ā the multi-material chain is huge and industrial, which gives the smooth, soft black leather a rocker edge without being over-the-top or over-designed. The bag is exceedingly simple while still exuding tons of attitude and style, and thatās not an easy balance to strike. The version with the all-plastic chain reminds me a bit of some recent Chanel collections, but Iāve never seen them do a chain with more than one material, and I actually like this bag better. Itās more accessible, less gimmicky, and certainly at a much better price point.
Prada Velluto Jacquard Tote
Iām so split on Pradaās Fall 2009 collection. Iāve seen some bags from it that look great ā a bit boring, but made of nice materials and stylish enough to appeal to a lot of people. And then Iāve seen some bags that are apparently slightly more āconceptual,ā and most of those donāt work as well. A new entry on that list is the Prada Velluto Jacquard Tote.
It looks like what Prada was going for here was a modern-day carpet bag, this time made of nylon and velvet instead of more old-fashioned materials. I guess they partially succeeded, since itās possible to see their goal in the finished product, but itās hard to look at pictures of the bag and go, āYes, exactly, this is exactly what a modern carpet bag should be.ā The pattern looks vaguely like a cult logo, and Iām not paying $1500 for mustard-colored nylon that labels me as part of the Dharma Initiative. Sorry, Prada. Try harder next time.
Nancy Gonzalez Large Crocodile Tote
There are two things that I hope to do before my handbag career is over: own an Hermes bag and own something in crocodile or alligator. Those two dreams are both far off in the distance, but that doesnāt mean my wandering eyes canāt check out the merchandise. And lately, I canāt get the image of the Nancy Gonzalez Large Crocodile Tote out of my head.
I first covered this bag in a different color for Bag That Style, and this is another one of those situations where seeing it on a person makes all the difference. The pink looks like a wonderful sugary confection, but Iām more interested in the super-dark, shiny black option. What is it with me and giant black bags lately? Iām not sure, but if this is wrong, I donāt want to be right. The finish of the crocodile gives the bag a younger, edgier slant than most similar exotics, and the price could be a lot worse ā Nancy Gonzalez charges for croc what a lot of other brands charge for python.
Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile Striped Tote
I both love and hate the Nancy Gonzalez Crocodile Striped Tote. I love it because it is, without a doubt, pretty much gorgeous. The color is listed as tan, which would normally be boring, but the subtle olive green undertones that run through it are enough to make the color something that you donāt see everyday while still maintaining its neutrality. The pale, unobtrusive color does wonders to highlight whatās really important about this bag ā the structure. This is the second bag weāve seen today that has juxtaposed exotic leathers and suede, and the effect here is simultaneously just as successful and totally different. The crocodile mixed with the softer, tactile suede gives the sewn-together strips a depth of visual interest and texture that is absolutely brilliant; I really canāt say enough about it.
What bothers me, though, is that the beauty of the crocodile skin is somewhat lost in the strips of leather and suede. My feeling, as I have explained before, is always that a bag made out of an exotic leather should use that leatherās natural texture to its greatest advantage. In tiny strips, itās basically impossibly to do that. Stamped croc would have probably been a more cost-effective and appropriate material to use here, even though Iām not generally a proponent of stamping anything on high-end handbags. The price is somewhat reasonable for a bag that does use a great deal of exotic leather, though, so when thatās combined with the bagās sleek beauty, I canāt hate it too much.
Nancy Gonzalez Python/Crocodile Tote
Despite the beauty of the last Nancy Gonzalez bag that we reviewed, the combination of exotics and non-exotics didnāt exactly inspire all of our commenters. Using multiple materials is difficult to pull off, for sure, but what about using two exotics? Is the whole more than the sum of its parts? I think it is for the Nancy Gonzalez Python/Crocodile Tote. And just look at the end resultā¦This may be one of my favorite Nancy Gonzalez bags of all time, which says a lot, given my penchant for exotics. This particular shade of blue-undertoned grey is fantastic for highlighting scale and texture differences on exotic skins and bringing out their natural patterns and variations, which is exactly what a well-designed exotic bag should do. Python is the main event here, making up the front and back of the bag, while the sturdier crocodile skin forms the bagās gussets. Iād be interested to see what the bag would look like if the material usage was flipped, but either way, itās still beyond gorgeous. The neat rows of studs that run on either side of the bagās front panel are the perfect finishing touch and something slightly out of character for the designer ā I hope we see more of it in the future.