I Love this bag! with Fendi's famous "FF" Logos all over in a updated shape, with inverted pleats at center, it's a perfect example of uptown chic meets everyday pratical needs of every stylish women!
FENDI- Zucca Chain-Handle Tote $1180
Iconic ZUCCA print canvas, Chain top handles with woven leather with Enameled Zucca clasp and the Inverted pleat details on center front. 11"H x 18"W x 5"D Made in Italy. Click on photo to see more details.
(Available at NeimanMarcus.com)
Chck out this bag at Fendi flagship stores or NeimanMarcus.com ! it's a fabulous bag!
Yves Saint Laurent - Large Embossed Logo Tote - $995
Large YSL logo tote bag in soft leather features contrasting logo patch, interior pockets and nickel hardware. Can be hand carried or worn on the shoulder. 15H x 13W x 5D. Made in Italy. Click on the photo to see more details
(Available at YSL.com)
How can we talk about "Subtle Understate Chic" without mentioning Polo Ralph Lauren? I adore this bag! super soft leather, perfect size for everyday use or going to work and no screaming "Logo" says look at me I spend a lot of money on my bag! haha!
Polo Ralph Lauren - Deerfield Leather Tote Bag $1195
A timeworn vintage quality pervades our handsome leather tote bag, exquisitely crafted in Italy from soft, supple leather for a rugged finish. Two canvas handles at the top are accented with antiqued metal stud hardware and leather reinforcement panels. "Ralph Lauren"-embossed leather proprietor patch accents the front for vintage appeal. 17" L x 6" W x 16" H. Click on photo to see more details.
(Available at RalphLauren.com)
Polo Ralph Lauren- Handle Portfolio Briefcase $350
Sturdy two-handle construction with reinforced bottom. Top-zip closure with pony-embossed side tabs and leather pull. Accompanied by a leather luggage tag with plastic front, adjustable leather strap and our tonal embossed Big Pony at the back. Cotton twill-lined interior with single zip pocket and our signature leather logo tab. Elegantly presented in our signature pouch. 15½" L x 2½" W x 11½" H. Click on photo to see more details
(Available at RalphLauren.com)
Don't think that only stylish women carrys fabulous bags! for us guys, sometimes all it takes is the right accessories to complete your look to make you look sharp and ready to take on the world!
If you are looking for a pure luxury subtle understated style bags, Tod's is the brand for you! This bag is so "Old -Money Chic" it's a must have for any man or woman as a basic tote bag! 16"H x 14"W x 7"D. Made in Italy. Click on photo below to see more details.
(Available at NeimanMarcus.com Men's Dept)
We know a lot of our readers are very stylish men who seeks pure luxury items that goes with their busy daily lives, so continue with "Subtle Understate Chic" theme from the previous bag here is this totally fabulous !!
For me, a fabulous tote bag can perfectly boosting your self-confidence (yes, I am a little shallow..... I will meditate on that tonight...OM..) and showing your style & taste in fashion! They are the perfect items to accessorize your looks from Uptown Luxe, Hamptons casual chic to urban downtown edgy looks or just wanna go over the top to impress & "offend" others to make you stand out in a crowd! haha.
Dark brown/gold degrade leather, Goldtone and silvertone hardware. Removable shoulder strap. Zucca-print brown leather lining peeking through if you unlock the top of the bag and just let it drape like shown in the photo for that extra pop of color and design detail! so fabulous! Inside; one zip and one open pocket. Made in Italy. (Available at NeimanMarcus.com)
FENDI "Peek-A-Boo" Zucca Tote - $2380
Limited Edition Beaded Zucca Fendi Logo Pee-A-Boo $3940
(Available at Luxe-Gifts.com)
fabulous beaded lining is sparkly yet subtle ! so it's very chic
Patent Leather w/ Gold emboridary lining, very uptown chic!
Here is a photo to show you the porportion of this bag.
Roomy yet still has that elegant "Kelly/Birkin Bag" feels to it. Also available in other color combos! Click on the photo below to see more details of these FENDI bags. I got one of this all black one, it's big enough for a man to carry and great for going to work in style!
FENDI "Peek-a-boo" Tote - Black (Available at Nordstrom.com)
If you like the feel of suede, then this one is a must have for you! also the charm of this bag is if you un-hook the top, the red lining peeks out for that pop of color!! so fabulous!
FENDI "Peek-a-boo" Tote Brown Suede (Available at NeimanMarcus.com)
Here is Fendi Fall/Winter 2009 Runway Show, Enjoy!
Rush to the store and check out these fabulous bags !!
One of the world's most famous and fabulous couture house Christian Lacroix has gone to the wall, filing for voluntary bankruptcy in order to protect the company from creditors in Paris this summer. It was a sad day for all of us who loves fashions and to me, I felt the sadness personally (I will explain why in this blog later on)
In 1987 after Bernard Arnault, of global luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which is the owner of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior and Givenchy, asked Christian Lacroix to create a bespoke couture house for his luxury goods giant. At that time Lacroix had just received a Council of Fashion Designers of America award for his creations at Jean Patou and the majority of experts foretold him the brightest future of the next big star after Yves Saint Laurent.
Lacroix draws most of his inspirations from his roots - the south of France, mediterranean. In early childhood, Lacroix attended bullfighting events and enjoyed Gypsy and Provencal traditions as well. Some time afterwards his family moved to Arles, a city in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department. It was the city of southern culture, with breathtaking views and expansive tempers. There was a yearly carnival during Easter, when people and women especially put on their brightest, best clothes, which combined old vintage dresses with laces, modern high heels and hats. Maybe that's was the source and inspiration of the Lacroix's fashion vision.
In Lacroix's very first fashion show in 1987, he designed a puffball skirt "Le Pouf", was an instant fashion classic. A taffeta or satin balloon of fabric that fell like a parachute from the waist and gathered at the hem, it reinvented the ballgown for the late 20th century. "I always love to do scrapbooks and collages," he explains. "I was alone in a hotel in Florence, cutting up some old fashion engravings from the 1880s with bustles, and I was playing around and I had the idea to cut the skirt like a mini-skirt and to put some modern legs underneath." Would he be happy to be remembered for inventing the pouf? "Why not?" he laughs. "When I’m on the phone I’ll sketch silhouettes, and very often it’s still a pouf that I draw.
While it is for sure that Lacroix has been affected by reduced spending amid the economic crisis,the roots fo its troubles lay much deeper. According to Patricia Pao, executive of Pao Principle, a retail New York-based consultant group, "Lacroix, while beautiful, has long struggled to find an audience." she said. The major problem of Lacroix has always been that he could never really come to realization how to make his gourgeous pieces work for the modern working woman. The problem was, and still remains, that the designer kept creating clothes in a style of a Spanish matador, for example, with gypsy fringing, splashes of 18th century corsets and neon psychedelia (more often all in the same piece), which were never practical for wardrobes of working women. And what is even more, the items were not cheap, either.
The major luxury groups such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, and Hermès are now mostly prospering due to the diversity of their holdings. In spite of the recession and crisis, perfume sales, for example, are holding up relatively well. According to MHLV, sales in its fashion and leather accessoires sector went up by 11 per cent to 2.1 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2009.
Haute couture, the basis of Christian Lacroix's operation, will never be able to make the kind of profit that perfume, accessories and ready-to-wear fashion make, and this turns out to be a major reason for the label's demise. While prices for dresses haute coutute often climb up to $10,000 to $250,00, in reality there are very few pieces that are actually being sold. Unlike Chanel, christian Dior and Armani, which have a long ago created their bestselling perfumes and accessories, but even tho how much I love Christian Lacroix I hate to say he has still continued to rely on its gorgeous, but very expensive dresses.
In summer 2009, Lacroix's company owner, Florida-based Falic Group, has been involved in serious discussions with a group of investors from Switzerland since late last year. In a letter to his 125 staff, Lacroix wrote that he will give "200 percent" to keep the 22-year-old couture house in one piece, to "preserve the know-how, without which the lungs and the heart of the house couldn't exist." Lacroix is renowned for lavish and colourful couture shows, and is one of the main drawcards at Paris couture week each season. The reality is that couture customers are few.... Don't you wish the world is still like those movies back in the 50s and 60s everyone went through the whole 9 yards to dressed up and looking fabulous, well, as much as we like them to be, it's still a fantasy and I really hate to see my hero, mentor, who inspired me to be a fashion designer. and here is the story why I was deeply sadden to see Huose of Lacroix filing bankrupt.
Since I was little, I've always love to draw, sketch beautiful dresses. I've always LOVE bright colors, beadings & embroideries embellishments. When I was in sophomore in high school, I started to think which college I want to attend and told my father I wanted to be a fashion designer. Of course as being the oldest son in the family and from a traditional Chinese family, my father was not happy about it, infact we've been fighting ever since daily after I've told him I wanted to choose fashion design as my career. So one day I mustered up some courage and called the French embassy to get a list of address of the fashion houses in Paris then I mailed them my amateur design sketches to ask them what they think of my designs and if I have what it takes to be a fashion designer and which university to go.
2 months went by, I've received no reply of course but one day I received an handmade envelope that's from France, I was so excited and opened the letter, there it was, an hand written 2 pages letter from Monsieur Lacroix. He told me that I should attended Parson School of Design in NYC and encourage me to study fashion as my major and career. I showed the letter to my dad, because of this letter, it has changed my father's view on the path I wanted to choose and it changed my life then I went to Parsons School of Design in NYC in year of 1992. Every season I will mail monsieur lacroix some sketches so he can give me some critiques, and lasted from 1990 ~ 1995. Here is a photo of the letters I've received from Monsieur lacroix.
Here is a Christmas card I've received in 1992 from monsieur Lacroix, wishing me good luck in my first year at Parsons School of Design in NYC
Here are just a few of my designs when I had my own collection (2001 ~ 2003) after I graduated from Parsons School of Design. Can you tell where I got my love of bright & cheerful colors inspirations from? haha
Now I've graduated from Parsons for 12 years, even tho I've never made it big in the fashion industry, but I still thankful that I am able to do what I love for living - designing ! and all of this wouldn't happen if it wasn't because of the very 1st letter I've received from monsieur Lacroix & his encouragements. So now seeing his company went bankrupt, It saddens me personally & all I can say is we've lost a great talent in the fashion industry!
Here is a video of Lacroix's last couture show in May, 2009
But we don't wanna end this blog in a sad note.... so here are 2 clips that featured Christian Lacroix! The first one is the Pet Sho Boy's music video featuring Ab Fab's "Eddy" & "Patsy" chanting "Lacroix darling Lacroix" in the song! haha
One from the hit show "Absolutely Fabulous" that feature Lacroix haha. As we all know "Eddy" idolize Lacroix like "GOD" so of course in the very last episode of "Ab Fab The Last Shout" when her daughter "Saffy" is getting marry & in need a wedding gown, who did she called? of course Christian Lacroix !
Here is a nother music video of Pet Shop Boys featuring Ab Fab in Lacroix outfits haha love that show!
Chanel is going to launch a new line named "Coco Cocoon" and would be available at the boutique at October 10th, 2009. I love the ad campaign! but the bags looks so cheap!! what do you guys think?
I don't really like the bags as i like the name, I think it's a very cute & catchy name, "Coco Cocoon" even tho I LOVE Chanel & the designer Karl Lagerfield, but sometimes you just need to fired your assistant designers if they are not doing their job right! perfect example will be this "Coco Cocoon" bags collection!
They seem to try to remake the successful of the bubble quilt line to a cheaper production, but still, if we're gonna pay $3000 ~ $4000 for a bag that looks like a pillow to use when you travel on the airplane, it better be so fabulous than just slap on the famous "CC" Chanel logo on it and call it the day! But for the ad campaign, they choose Lily Allen as the spokes person, portrayed as Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's which I love!
If any person use this bag as the pillow on airplane either has too much money to burn or just crazy! but Lily Allen makes this bag looks chic in the photo LOL
Maybe the bag looks good because it was shot in Black & White, take a look of these bags in colors..... so disappointing! com'on CHANEL, you can do better than this!
Here are the collections in "Technicolor" haha
Ok, maybe this rolling briefcase / luggage can pass the test but we expect so much for from CHANEL! Holly Golightly may use them if she was seriously broke, but only to sleep on! Just becareful not to burn a hole with her extra long cigarette holder! LOL
Untill next time, don't spend your hard earned money on just the logos, these CHANEL bags are perfect examples!
Louis Vuitton Monogram Eclipse AlmaMake a shining impression with the Alma Monogram Eclipse. Its iconic canvas is embroidered with beautiful light-reflecting sequins to create an unmissable effectHotel room key inspired zip puller, comfortable flat leather handle with handmade leather knots and graphic eyelets, double flat pocket, bottom studs to protect the bag, calfskin leather trim. Size: 11" x 8.3" x 5.5" $2,470.00
Louis Vuitton Monogram Eclipse SpeedyNot only is the Speedy a supremely practical bag but its reflecting sequins – embroidered against a backdrop of iconic Monogram Eclipse canvas – also give it a scintillating, seductive sheenHotel room key inspired zip puller, comfortable flat leather handle with handmade leather knots and graphic eyelets, double flat pocket, bottom studs to protect the bag, calfskin leather trim. $2,160
Louis Vuitton Monogram Eclipse Pochette AccessoiresThe Pochette Accessoires looks suitably stylish re-interpreted in striking Monogram Eclipse. Embroidered with gorgeous sequins, it creates the ultimate effectHotel room key inspired zip puller, removable hook on the bag handle, one interior flat pocket, calfskin leather trim. $2,160
