Trendsetting Handbag Designers

The popularity of designer handbags is at an all-time high. Everywhere we look, from the high street to the nightclub, everyone is carrying a trendy new purse. It seems that we are often so preoccupied with our new handbags that we tend to forget about the people behind the designs. I started trying to develop a shortlist of my favorite designers, but I realized that I am in love with the work of far too many to list. The following are just a few of my favorites.


Chloe is, by far, one the greatest design houses in the world. I absolutely love their work! At times, I feel that some of the French designers are a little over the top…but where would true fashion be without their sense of creativity and innovation. Chloe has been a leader in the world of fashion, especially since the Stella McCartney assumed the helm. Her star power and understanding of classic design reinvigorated a company that was often lacking the cohesive aesthetic that truly binds a collection together. Make no mistake about it…Chloe is the new Gucci!

Vivienne Westwood has done more for British design that any other designer in modern times. In many ways, the entire punk genre owes her a debt of allegiance. Vivienne was just a young girl during the heyday of punk, when she met a fellow named Malcolm McLaren. For those of you not particularly well versed in your punk rock history, Malcolm was the manager of the consummate British punk band – The Sex Pistols. After dressing the Pistols for a number of years, she opened her own shop in London called Sex Boutique. Punks worldwide have adopted her design aesthetic, and the rest is history.

Monica Botkier is yet another brilliant designer. Her designs are held in high esteem by women all around the world. After spending the early part of her career as a fashion photographer, Monica Botkier has certainly spent enough time in the fashion world to know what constitutes a great handbag. She is able to strike the perfect balance between function and form, and her designs are some of the most sought after with fashionistas everywhere. Monica Botkier's designs are famous for their detailing, hardware, and innate sophistication.

Tips When Buying Ladies Handbags

Aside from shoes, bags are definitely the Achilles’ heel of every female homo sapien. Women go gaga over any kind of bag, and they even take pains in matching their bags with their shoes.

Buying a bag can be a major decision for every woman even though she may already have a dozen or more in her closet. Women can never have enough of bags.


Those who have money to spend are lucky because they can splurge their money on bags of all shapes, colors and sizes. However, for the budget conscious who are nevertheless smitten with bags, it is wise to decide which bag would fit an already existing wardrobe.

When buying bags, consider where it is going to be used so that you will not be easily swayed into buying any bag that catches your fancy. Ask yourself whether the bag will fit into your existing wardrobe. A wise dressed will always know how to mix and match her wardrobe with her bags, shoes and accessories to make her wardrobe more cost effective. Bags and shoes, when mixed and matched with different dressed, will give a new set of wardrobe to the wise dresser.

Be able to put a ceiling or a price range for your target bag so you will not be tempted into buying anything that costs more than you budget. Except of if the price is already a bargain and it can be mixed and matched to several clothing wear. This characteristic will of course make the price of the bag more cost effective in the long term.

Fashion victims would always look at magazines and follow the newest craze in bag designs and colors. Wise and elegant dressers will always go for the classic look. Going with a classic look will mean your bag will outlast the newest craze and it can be worn anywhere and anytime, for any occasion.

There are however a few rules that would have to be followed by a woman before buying a bag. A petite woman should avoid very big bags as this will tend to make her look more petite than she already is. Bags can also hide body imperfections so be sure to know which body parts you want understated before choosing a bag. If you want to avoid getting attention on your big hips then choose a shoulder bag. If you have big breasts or broad shoulders then a waste bag is for you.

Bags can come in all types like pouch bags, shoulder bags, tote bags, flap bags, evening bags and many others. It can also come in various materials like leather, satin, velvet, denim or nylon. There are as many bag designs and materials depending on the creativity of bag makers.

Bags are welcome gifts for every female. However, being able to buy the right bag for the right person can be difficult considering that each person has different tastes in bags. When doing this, it would be better to ask the person about her preferences in bags. If the person is close to you, then you would have more knowledge about her fashion style and occupation. This way, your gift would not end up at the bottom of her closet.

Rent-a-bag…the hottest new trend

I was surfing the net the other day, and came across an article that left me flabbergasted. As you all likely know by now, I am a designer handbag fanatic. There have been months where I have seriously considered bouncing my rent check in order to buy a purse I simply could not do without. Who am I kidding? I have bounced my rent to buy a new handbag! And I would likely do it again.

Well, it appears that my dilemma has come to an end. I was surfing the net the other day, and came across an interesting article. It was about the burgeoning industry of designer handbag rentals! Now I have heard of luxury car rentals and even designer wedding dress rentals, but I never imagined a day when I could rent the latest Chanel purse. Can you picture yourself going into Blockbuster Handbags and renting the purse you have been saving your money for? I know I can!

There is a company called Bag Borrow or Steal that, as far as I can tell, is the first of a kind. They have a wonderful website, and a business model like no other. It is very similar to Netflix or something to that effect, but you rent handbags instead of the latest DVD. Somewhat similar to renting videos, you pay annual subscription fee and you are given access to a collection of beautiful handbags to use on a temporary basis. The type of bag you are allowed to borrow is determined by your membership level. Memberships range from $19.95 to $174.95 per year. You can keep the bag for as long as you like, but it must remain in the condition you received it in. I wonder if they have an insurance plan.

After doing some research, I discovered another company that is offering something similar. They are called From Bags to Riches, and their service are slight different from the company mentioned above. Instead of charging an annual membership fee, this company allows you to rent on a weekly or monthly basis. The price of the rental is determined by the duration and type of bag you want to rent. This site organizes their collections by brand name, and monthly rentals range from $$19.90 to $79.80. They also offer their customers the option to purchase their rented purse, if they cannot bring themselves to return it. They know me so well, don’t they?