Phoebe Philo in Fall 2005

Phoebe Philo is back, but not to bring smooshy leather idealism again to Chloé, but as the next creative director of fellow French fashion house, Céline.

LVMH Moët Hennessy confirmed to WWD exclusively on Sept. 4th. The magazine immediately published the news, but in short, almost byte form - so here you get a detailed reaction with enough information to match…

Despite creating arguably the world’s favorite IT bag with the company, Philo left the design world completely 2 years ago to stay home with a new baby, who’s now 3 with a younger sibling of 18 months*. The deal with Céline that appealed to the new mom is that she would be allowed to stay and work in her home town of London, and not the headquarters of both houses, Paris, France. (*Source) Why the success her Paddington and other beloved purses being responsible for Chloé’s clout of today didn’t cause Phoebe to merely take temporary maternity leave, with parent company, Richemont, offering this same compromise is beyond me. Click for more (story, photos, etc.) »

Based on the style-preference delusion that fashionistas don’t detest big fringe, and seemingly out of the 70’s, has arrived new bag design house MUXO. Designed and crafted solely by Camila Alves and her own dear mother, Muxo’s bags are painstakingly labored over by their own hands, tools and a rarer cowhide from Brazil - no not even sewing machines are used by this team. That’s not to say this indie business isn’t big biz backed or have gone/are going it alone en route to already-instant fame, for the designer is a fashion-and-Hollywood-insider as a former model and current baby-momma to Matthew McConaughey’s newborn son Levi.

So there’s no need for Camila to pray to label namesake, an African goddess of water, for help - which is lucky because what does water have to do with land-animal-skinned accessories? No, with unique “ironing” details and bags that go beyond leather-jacket fringe and long straps, such as a frame satchel and several nice clutches - I even predict mother-daughter team will encounter a bit too much success than four hands and not much more electricity than lighting can handle. Perhaps little Levi will help in the future? The 1 month old was recently quoted, “Dad, mom, I wanna go support mom’s purses”. Aww! I hope this couple is as open-minded as they’d seem.

If you’re interested in these unique bags, they range from $450 to $1,400, are available through their official website, or you can check them out in person at L.A.’s Kitson.

Apparently Barack’s message of change and hope brought “designer” Timmy Woods hopelessly back to vintage style. Even if you love true vintage, you may be bummed by this red, white and blue homage to Obama’s “logo”. I imagine most recessionistas and even Obama-crushers would not feel a strong desire to show off this branded symbol, even for we who think it holds a better message than Ls, Vs and flowers. Woods’s work was previously showcased in Sex and the City and I’m afraid poor, classy Michelle Obama will be forced to “flaunt’ this creation, possibly at the Democratic National Convention.

But will she be alone? This garbage bag will sell to the public, with partial proceeds going to charity. I picture this dressing up the walls of handbag-enthusiasts’ collection areas much more than dangling far below their shoulders.

I bet, no know, that fellow fashionistas and Etsy crafters could sketch better and more stylish interpretations of political idolatry and ideology. In fact, I’d love to see your work, especially if there’s interest in a contest! Leave me a comment.

source

Britney lost the law suit defending against LVMH, but what we care about second to that bit of news is finding this music video, natch!

Britney Spears - Do Somethin’

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=lb-oyK3t7tI[/youtube]

I’ve added the vid to our No Knockoffs playlist on our YouTube account: Lipped Media, as well, so check it out.

And of course you should check out the news story, if you don’t already know all the details.

Dooney & Bourke really knows how to pick a celebrity to give them a little publicity, while also targeting one of their main demographics: teens (no, not sci-fi buffs). Hayden Panettiere has designed a bag for the brand, to come out for the Holidays 2007. Like a hero, super star Hayden, who plays Claire Bennett on the wildly popular, Heroes TV series, actually designed something a bit more toward the classic end of Dooney’s style - no, she didn’t go the teeny-bopper pattern route. (Miss P., you are redeeming yourself from your past escapades of friend’s shirt licking!) Maybe the subtle look of the actress’s design will help to mature her peer’s own senses of fashion?

A limited edition bag, due to arrive to order in early December, it is however just a bit lacking in creativity and that something special to warrant its exclusivity, stature, and the slightly higher price tag than many Dooney’s, at around $500.

Really, in order to warrant me buying a Claire Bennett purse, a kind of plain one, a bit too expensive one — well I want it to be a true super hero bag and be indestructable, with a warranty for free repairs - or “regenerations” by the Dooney company.

But that’s just the Geek Chic in me!

via Bag Bliss

Consumers are cutting back, even fashionistas, even bag ladies - yes, even I am. Are we maturing? singularly, most of us (and me!). Is there a higher cost of living? Of course. Perhaps, it might be due in part to a growing awareness of “right” and “green” and all that. Does the American public have more of a conscience with spending?

I for one have cut back on my IT bags because I’ve gotten my own apartment, am struggling to work hard enough to keep my income rising and fit it in with managing a home. As a first-time parent-free lass, I have a boom of immediately worse costs, as well. Most of that will get better, but responsible times are ahead. It’s today, it’s the future.

But one blog, Luxist, suggests maybe designers’ efforts to produce drool-inducing must-haves in fact brought upon a terrorist attack on arm fashion beauty. Case in point: Louis Vuitton’s “explosion” of popular styles all in one tote. The LV Patchwork Tribute bag may have been the eye-opener to strike some sense into accessory fetishists everywhere. Maybe it’s caused us to see ornate handbags as sillier, or perhaps designers’ creativity (and sense of aesthetic sanity?) was lost or temporarily damaged in pursuit of dollar signs.

It’s something to think about. But rest assured, or perhaps the opposite: the handbag is here to stay of some importance to modern, stylish women. Everything goes in cycles, so if IT bags have either lost their appeal or there just aren’t worthy gorgies to satisfy and salivate us — it’ll come back big time again. The market rises and falls, economies change, budgets are balanced and blown — and presidents swear in and lame duck-tail it out. Fashion is a vicious world of the wild, and it too follows the laws of the circle of life.

Or … perhaps the IT’s still got IT. I mean, handbag always trumps shoes as the iconic symbol of women’s true sinful desires .. doesn’t it?

Fergie is going to design handbags, but for another company, Kipling, and only for two seasons.

President and CEO of VF Sportswear, Denise Seegal, was attracted to Fergie by her mass appeal and fashionista style on the red carpet. This will be the first celebrity-designed collection of many for Kipling, which actually seems like a nice little bag brand, though relatively unknown.

Stacy Ferguson (Fergie) said,

As with every project that I’m involved with, I plan to put all of my heart and creativity into this one, and I’m thrilled to work with such an amazing brand. I look forward to putting my personal touch on each and every design in my signature Kipling collections.

Fergie will not only be hands on with the designs, but she will do a lot to market the bags, including posing for ad campaigns and making personal appearances - all for the brand.

There will be two collections, one for Fall 2007 and the second for Spring 2008. Bags will hit stores (unsure which) September 1st 2007.

Now let’s hope Fergie can get past her devotion to motorcycle bags, as pictured above (a Balenciaga).

Source, Photo Source

It’s a summery tote with gold metallic fabric. It’s quite trendy, I suppose, but that won’t cut it. Where are the Louboutin signature elements? They should think of some - I can:

They have platform shoes, espadrilles, and wedges right? So the bags could be raffia, have wooden elements, or even have pockets on the bottom a la the Zippy by Chloe. That compartment could be a different colour - a tan, perhaps in raffia?

Then of course all Louboutin shoes have the red sole - I think bags could be subtler; red fabric lining. That is a definite must and I will lose all hope if all bags don’t have that already. (The store description doesn’t say.)

The details it does have are a chain drawstring strap, nice, gotta hand them that - but then a dangling key charm? Everyone does that!

Oh sigh, why am I such a better designer than the professionals? Hmm? I need this job and this job needs moi!

The plus side, this seemingly (Neimans doesn’t give size) roomy bag costs only $950.

This tote is from Chanel’s new Paris Biarritz collection for SS 2007. Wow!

If all my body fat were removed (please god) all my extra matter would easily fit in here.
My whole torso would fit in here.
Both of my legs would fit in here.
My paddington collection could fit in here.
A weekend’s worth of clothing could fit in here.

You get the drill, but …

It wouldn’t fit in …

On my lap,
Just barely on a car seat,
On a shelf or hook or in my closet.

Oh boy.

Preview more Paris Biarritz below.

 Here’s Jessica Simpson with the newest upcoming trend, the day clutch. As seen on fashion blogs such as Fab Sugar. Clutches often in brighter colours or bold prints, or anything suitable for day and not evening, but most importantly—these clutches are large.

And that’s what I love about them, however I can’t find any of the big sizes being sold online yet. If you scout a nice, big day clutch, send it in!