Vlieger & Vandam
December 6, 2012 § 1 Comment
This summer I became a victim of a pick pocket – late evening in Piccadilly Circus while waiting for a taxi. He simply opened my small turn lock shoulder bag and took my phone out. And I did not notice a thing! Since then, apart from avoiding Piccadilly circus I have been looking for safer bags I can take on evening adventures. That is when I stumbled across Vlieger & Vandam’s collection of handbags that will definitely add some don’t-mess-with-me attitude to your look and maybe even keep your belongings safer! But don’t worry, these bags are totally legal as all the knifes, handcuffs and guns are just cool 3D leather designs created by the Dutch duo. They come in various shapes and sizes – from clutches to roomy bags – and have a few colours to choose from. I am definitely in love! And I’m not the only one – a few celebs, including Rumer Willis, have been seen sporting these designs. Plus they are features in permanent collection of MOMA. See the whole range all those practical modern art pieces here.
- Classic Small Deluxe Gun Bag, €389
- Guardian Angel Soft Large Gun Handbag, €339
- Handcuffs Clutch Bag, €224
- Gun Clutch Bag, €224
- Knife Clutch Bag, €224
Everyone Is Talking About: Anya Hindmarch
November 9, 2012 § Leave a comment
Anya Hindmarch is currently the topic of many fashion-related conversations and there are three specific reasons for it.
First it is hard not to notice amazing holiday spirit window displays dedicated to Anya’s handbags at Selfridges London store. If you haven’t seen it, it is an absolute must. I love the creativity of department stores’ windows in general but this specific display now has a special place in my heart: it is a little workshop with factory line filled with handbags by the designer and all you need is a bit of imagination to create a picture in your head of Anya’s elves working on perfect Christmas gift for women all over the world.
Second, Anya Hindmarch presented new boxes that her All I Ever Wanted collection comes in and it is inspired by retro toy packaging. I am in love. I was immediately transferred to my childhood and remembered the feeling of surprise and pleasure that opening a new Barbie doll, which came in similar packaging, would give me.
And last but not least there is a new handbag design that is so special I haven’t yet made up my mind whether I love it or hate it. But that alone gives me plenty to talk to my friends about. Meet Tiny Tim Dancer Clutch that comes in golf crinkled leather and is covered in (brace for it) small battery powered lights. Yep. Your bag will literally light up your entire outfit. Which is great for the upcoming holiday season for making you really stand out from the crowd. There are two further advantages of taking this bag to a party that I thought of. First if the conversation at the party runs dry, just point at your flashing bag and begin lengthy discussion on the topic. Second even if you had a few drinks and misplaced your bag, it would be the easiest thing to find – it will be lying there flashing at you, and who did not wish for that for Christmas! Tiny Tim Dancer has sold out on the official Anya Hindmarch website but is still available at net-a-porter.com for £450.
The Queen Of Handbags
September 24, 2012 § Leave a comment
If you are ever looking for a classic and luxurious handbag with quality to last you a lifetime, look no further than the handbags worth a real Queen, the ones so often seen on the hand of Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth. Worn to main state appearances including wedding of Will and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge(below left) those handbags made to order by British designer brand Launer have become Queen’s go to accessory. And now the classic collection that featured leather handbags in traditional colours with gold hardware is expanding its palette to feature bold fashionable colours that are likely to attract a much younger hipper customer. Indeed I would not refuse one of these myself, how lovely would it be to have one in, say, pink to take with you to afternoon tea with the girls or dinner with partner’s family. So yes, thanks to completely revamped colour collection, Launer is landing itself on My Fashion Wish List, and I think I am not the only one to want a handbag adorned with royal nod of approval. The only problem – most Launer bags are still made to order and will take 2-3 weeks to be delivered to your door, so plan your purchase in advance. Take a look at the classic range here with styles worn by the Queen starting at £1020, the new range will appear there shortly.
Back To My Roots
July 19, 2012 § Leave a comment
Russia, with its vibrant culture and rich history has been a fashion inspiration for many designers. Being a Russian-born Londoner, it is always touching to see those pieces – they remind me of my mother-land and its infinite cultural treasures. My favourite collection inspired by Russian Empire so far has been Chanel’s pre-fall 2009, but it might be about to change with introduction of Russian Matryoshka (nesting doll) to Fall-Winter 2012 collection by Charlotte Olympia. Quirky handbag, Charlotte Olympia’s well known high heels and my favourite Pandora clutch that has been altered especially for this collection (now it comes in wood – the same material original dolls are made out of) are the first pieces to be unveiled to the world. I seriously hope there is more to come – statement elements and vibrant colours are very much needed in our autumn wardrobes. 
- Baboushka Embroidered Leather Clutch, £375 available at Net-a-Porter.com
- Matryoshka Suede Sandal, $1565 (approximately £1000) available at BergdorfGoodman.com
- Pandora Matryoshka Wooden Clutch, £575 available at Net-a-Porter.com
Love For Books
May 15, 2012 § Leave a comment
I have not read a book for personal enjoyment for a while. And that is one of my biggest regrets in day to day life. A absolutely love reading, experiencing new things through beautiful words of talented authors, sharing lives of wonderful characters. I promised myself to get back to reading good books as soon as I am done with education and the end is indeed near – as soon as I hand in my Masters dissertation in September I will be free from textbooks and assigned reading material for the rest of my life, I hope. But until then my War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, Anna Karenina and other classics are waiting on the shelf.
On a more positive literature related topic, if you like me do not have the time to read the most influential books out there, you can now show your love for good old book by carrying one around with you thanks to Olympia Le-Tan and her beautiful book-clutches. I can not believe I have not blogged about them before! Quirky and interesting yet somehow absolutely elegant and classic these clutches are to die for. And if you follow celebrity fashion you must have seen them on various occasion in the hands of Chloe Moretz, Natalie Portman, Clemence Poesy and especially Michelle Williams who has picked those handbags for various red carpet occasions. Choose from a wide selection available on olympialetan.com with starting price of €1140 (£925).
Splash Of Colour
May 5, 2012 § Leave a comment
Post after post I have been going on about colour as the most important trend setter of the season. And one colour trend in particular is bright neon shades. Earlier this year I have already blogged about bright handbags but this time I have a new addition to the collection – DesignInverso handbags I discovered at Luisaviaroma.com. At £78 they have the designer feel without the high price tag. What I absolutely love about the range is that they are a clever imitation of infamous Chanel shape – quilted and with a long chain. Where is the clever, you might ask? Well the handbags are PVC and not leather plus the colours are world apart from the usual black and red Chanel flap bags we see everywhere. And that is what makes them fashionable – playful and fun interpretation of one of the most classic bags making it not just practical but totally trendy. So pick your favourite shade and wear it with, well, more or less anything for the fashionably required splash of colour!
The Perfect Sport Luxe Bag
April 26, 2012 § 1 Comment
I am absolutely in love with this Diane Von Furstenberg Sporty New Drew bag! At the first look it seems luxurious with its exotic skin embossed leather but with the addition of neon pink strap it acquires currently trending sport luxe feel. This is by far the best handbag interpretation of the trend I have seen so far! Hats off for DVF for getting it so right and making it so desirable. Indeed the fashion house has been going through serious rebranding for a number of years – once famous in 70’s for feminine printed wrap dresses it has once again risen to the fashion heights it deserves becoming a lifestyle brand that offers a wide range of goods from ready-to-wear collections to home accessories! And this bag with its youthful and on-trend approach is another great example of the success story of rebirth of DVF! Purchase your own from dvf.com or matchesfashion.com for £654.
Pinky Swear
March 27, 2012 § Leave a comment
The fashion world this seasons swears by pink handbags: both designer and high street items in the girliest of colours have flooded the market. I could not help but wonder why? (Just had to use Carrie Bradshaw’s favourite quote, excitement for Sex and the City prequel Carrie’s Diaries is in the air.) Maybe they are just giving consumers exactly what they want – a colourful and hopeful break from daily worries that have been brought on us with this long-lasting economic crisis. Maybe it is simply an outcome of different shades of pink proving suitable for two of the biggest seasonal trends: pastel and bright colours. Maybe 2012 is all about love (let’s just assume pink is the colour that represents love) since the rumored apocalypse is looming and we need to find shelter in the most meaningful of feelings. Or maybe we should stop reading into it and enjoy our childhood’s favourite colour making a big comeback to a fashion scene. Below I picked out the most desirable pink handbags to suit any budget for you to enjoy!
- Emilio Pucci Python Shoulder Bag, £1735
- New Look Faux Snake Skin Clutch, £12.99
- River Island Laser Cut Clutch, £28
- Michael by Michael Kors Jet Set Leather Shoulder Bag, £105
- ASOS Laser Cut Zip Top Clutch, £20
- Miu Miu Mini Matelasse Clutch, £670
- Marc Jacobs Single Quilted Leather Shoulder Bag, £530
- Anya Hindmarch Valorie Matte-Rubber Clutch, £250
- Mulberry Bayswater Candy Pink Quilted Dyed Denim, £595
- New Look Jelly Bowler Bag, £15.99
- Mulberry small Bayswater Satchel in Hot Fuchsia Spongy Pebbled, £695
- Mango Shopper Bag, £29.99
If Cinderella Had A Bag…
March 11, 2012 § Leave a comment
This Sunday post is not about a trend or a selection of items. This post is just about one very special bag that caught my eye. It is called Janice Shoulder Bag and it is created by a Raoul. Raoul is a fast growing international designer label that started as a mens shirt company and grew to male and female ready to wear and accessories brand that has been showing at New York and Paris Fashion Weeks and is starting to build a celebrity following (Oscars parties saw Kourtney Kardashian and Viola Davis wearing Raoul).
But back to the bag – made from hard yet incredibly smooth leather this rigid shaped bag with statement closure is just perfection. Simple yet luxurious it has some YSL feel to it yet it comes without the hefty price tag. All in all I developed a crush and decided that I am going to tackle spring summer season with one of those on my arm – maybe it will be to me like glass slipper to Cinderella? You just never know, but if you need that little confidence boost why not invest into some beautiful arm candy to carry around with you?
Get your one on Selfridges (instore or online) for £287. And if white is not your colour there is also a brown version. Plus to add more excitement you can go for the snake skin effect texture in black and taupe for £310.
Things I Love
March 9, 2012 § Leave a comment
I love Alexander McQueen collections. I love Sarah Burton’s creativity. I also love the idea of diffusion lines: there are so many successes (Miu Miu, D&G, See by Chloe to name a few). I also love colourful accents and I love love love studs. Those five reasons should be more than enough to explain why I am drooling over McQ Spring Summer 12 bag collection. I must admit some of the shapes will require getting used to (saddle bag is an exception) e.g. you will need to work out exactly how to fit all the essentials into that clutch, but it is worth it: you are getting a top notch design, quality and trendiness for much lower price. Who would not want a few of these McQ fashion rock chick accessories? Available in surprisingly large range of colours, here are my favourites: 
- Studded Clutch £140
- Clerkenwell Studded Shoulder Bag, £425
- Amwell Studded Leather Saddle Bag, £370
MY FASHION WISH LIST 