Handbags

Mansur Gavriel drawstring bucket bag and Pretty Living feature

 in Announcements / Handbags  tagged bucket bag / drawstring bag / interviews / mansur gavriel / pretty living magazine / spring 2014 by

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Photo: Mansur Gavriel handbags online here and here /  Nail Polish c/o Laura Mercier

I cannot contain my excitement; I got my hands on a Mansur Gavriel drawstring bucket bag! This beautiful handcrafted handbag is vegetable dyed and made from exquisite leather. The interior is carefully finished with a beautiful red hue and looks just as beautiful on the inside as the outside. I love pieces which are carefully crafted and exude pride, quality craftsmanship and timeless appeal.

Aside from being the “IT” handbag of the moment, the Mansur Gavriel drawstring bucket bag offers a classic look which I look forward to enjoying for many years to come. The leather will soften and eventually display scratches which will give the handbag character much like vintage Coach handbags with their famous patina everyone longed for back in the 1980’s and 1990’s when Coach’s baseball glove leather was in high demand.

The Mansur Gavriel handbags have a cult following, and since they are handmade in Italy, they are not mass produced in high quantity. This has made the demand for the Mansur Gavriel bag far exceed supply; resulting in a seven month wait, on average. I absolutely adore well-made handbags and I love the ease of being able to reach in and out of the top of the handbag without needing to fiddle with a zipper or unreliable clasp. I have my eye on the light tan with pale pink interior drawstring bag by Mansur Gavriel. I may need to add my name to the waitlist for it!

I would also like to thank “Pretty Living” magazine for the recent feature! You can read the article at PrettyLivingMag.com.

Where to find Mansur Gavriel online. Be prepared for a wait list!

Balenciaga handbags are about to have a price increase

 in Handbags / Shopping  tagged balenciaga / news / spring 2014 / totes by

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That’s right! On May 1, 2014 Balenciaga will be increasing their price points. The increase is rumored to be as much as 20%. This means if you have been eyeing a classic Balenciaga City Tote, you may want to act on it before April 30, 2014. Of course, which styles will experience a price increase has yet to be seen. It could be all Balenciaga handbag styles, or it could be a select few. But, do you want to risk waiting to see if the style you have been coveting will experience a price increase or not?

After May 1, 2014, the prices could go up by 20% and you may need to either continue to save up for the Balenciaga bag of your dreams, or abandon the thought of purchasing one altogether. Now no-one wants to abandon a purchase!!!

Over the past few years handbag fans everywhere have watched as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and more have rapidly increased their price points. Many of the price increases have been due to the fact that there are less suppliers in the handbag industry producing high quality materials.

A few years ago, during the economic downturn, many suppliers in Europe did not weather the storm. This meant the usual suppliers used by the top luxury design houses went out of business. When the economy recovered and the demand for luxury handbags bounced back from a small dip, designers such as Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and the like, went scrambling to fill their orders. Unfortunately there was a smaller supply of luxury leather and materials than had been available before the economic downturn. As a result, there are less materials today than there were eight years ago for luxury handbag designers to purchase. This is simple economics. Low supply +  increased demand = higher prices. Those costs end up being passed on to the consumer. 

In addition to an increase in materials, labor has gone up since the economy rebounded. As with materials, smaller manufacturers did not weather the economic downturn. These were manufacturers who had been in business for over a century. Again, less manufacturers and increased demand will result in higher manufacturing costs; which causes prices to rise.

It was only a matter of time that the supply and demand issues in Europe would reach the House of Balenciaga. As a result, on May 1, 2014, the prices of Balenciaga handbags will increase. Buy now, or empty out your wallet.

Balenciaga around the web:

Drawstring bags for spring and summer 2014

 in Handbags / Shopping / Trends  tagged casual fashion / casual style / drawstring bag / mansur gavriel / spring 2014 / street style trends / summer 2014 by

It is no secret that drawstring bucket bags are the “IT” handbag style of 2014. They started to become hot last year, which you can read more about here. For spring and summer 2014, more designers and brands have released drawstring handbag styles than we saw on the market last year; this means we have a plethora of choices in a range of colors, sizes and prices! Love that!

There are so many variations of the drawstring bag for spring and summer 2014; there is literally a style for everyone! Drawstring bags are being shown in mini versions as well as traditional medium sizes, backpacks, sling-bags and large totes. There are structured versions by designers such as Louis Vuitton which work well with office attire and sophisticated ensembles. There are also more casual versions such as ones by Vince and Mansur Gavriel-who started it all!

That’s right! The ultimate “IT” bag to own this season is the moderately priced version by Mansur Gavriel. The Mansur Gavriel drawstring bag started the trend and is the hardest drawstring handbag to get your hands on! Yours truly ordered one last fall and I have yet to receive it!

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer in line for a Mansur Gavriel drawstring handbag; there are plenty other ones on store shelves right now! I found a few fabulous drawstring handbags in varying price points around the web and assembled them into the shopping widget below. Of course, if you are like me and you NEED the Mansur Gavriel version, you can get in line here. Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉