Handbags

Acme Made for Tech-Savvy Fashionistas

 in General Fashion / Handbags  tagged acme made / laptop cases / tech gear by

One of the biggest challenges Fashionistas face is trying to find a fabulous carrying case for technical gear. Here in the Bay Area, home to tech heavy Silicon Valley, we face this challenge anytime a new technical gadget comes out. We try out all of the cases and totes in our closet until resigning ourselves to the fact that as technology advances, our devices shrink; therefore we need new cases! Although some designers have created fashionable cases for technical devices, many of the cases are pretty to look at, but do not properly protect sensitive technical gear such as iPad’s, laptops and cameras.

Another challenge Fashionistas face when choosing a technical device case, is finding one that is both fabulous and functional. Many times techie gear is fashionable, but does not properly protect our technical gear. Other times, the cases that protect our gear are. . .well. . .anything but fabulous. Thankfully a local company by the name of Acme Made, based in San Francisco, was founded in 2002 to create fashion-forward technical gear which is not only fabulous but actually protects laptops, cameras, video, iPad’s and other digital devices. They even create lunch boxes that look like trendy box handbags! Love it!

Acme Made laptop cases are made to look like totes and feature high-end touches normally only found on designer handbags and upscale brand bags such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Coach. Acme Made provides luxurious touches such as no-slip material under the shoulder straps and metal feet underneath the bag. The interior of Acme Made laptop cases includes pen holders, zipper pockets, roomy middle and a velcro flap closure for the laptop itself. Some of Acme Made’s laptop cases even come with a matching clutch such as “The Kate.” The matching clutch is perfect if the laptop tote is used for work since the clutch can be used during lunch hour and after work for going out on the town. Perfect for traveling too! Acme Made can be found at Fred Segal, Sony Style and acmemade.com.

To see a slideshow click here.

To see the entire line of Acme Made products, visit their website at acmemade.com.

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Clockwise: c/o ACME Made: Interior of The Kate; Laptop pocket features velcro flap closure; metal feet underneath the laptop case provide protection from dirt and help the case stand up while on the ground or on a table; no-slip fabric underneath the shoulder straps helps keep laptop case stay put on shoulders.

Photos: Cathy/Bay Area Fashionista 2010©

Spring 2011 handbag trends hot off the runway!

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged clutches / hobos / runway trends / spring 2011 / summer 2011 / totes by

The New York, London, Paris and Milan ready to wear runways have ended for spring 2011, but the handbag and fashion trends reflected on the catwalk have only begun to make an impact. Let’s face it, Bay Area Fashionistas love a hot designer handbag. Women carry fabulous bags all over the Bay Area, from Chanel to Gucci to Louis Vuitton to Valentino to Balenciaga, the list goes on. Fashionistas in the Bay Area will carry a $4000 handbag while running out to Safeway in $5 flip flops from Target and workout clothes. For many women, it is not about the clothing, it is all about the handbag. 

Designer handbags generally reflect a Fashionistas personal style. A woman who carries a classic Chanel handbag is telling the world she is above the trends and looks for quality; an investment piece. Then there are the edgier yet still classic Fashionistas who live for Balenciaga handbags. Although edgy with tassels and hardware, BBags, as they are so lovingly called, are considered rather classic. The styles do not change from season to season, only the colors. Then there are the Fashionistas who have to have the current “IT” handbag of the moment. The runways have given “IT” bag girls something to look forward to for spring 2011. There were several distinct trends; some classic while other edgy with possible “IT” bag potential.

The top five handbag trends for spring 2011 are:

The north/south tote
The long shoulder strap

The small daytime clutch

The large soft hobo

The tassel

Louis Vuitton and Sonia Rykiel had the standout handbags during fashion week for spring 2011. The long shoulder straps coupled with large, dramatic tassels gave Fashionistas something to call their favorite sales associate about. Can we say waiting list anybody?

The long shoulder strap and the tassel are the “IT” bags off the runway. They should begin hitting the streets here in Silicon Valley, as well as around the globe, any minute now. Don’t do tassel’s or shoulder bags? Never fear! The north/south tote is perfect for work or the weekend. The small, daytime clutch is fabulous enough by itself yet practical enough to be paired with a tote for Fashionistas on the go. Not into it? The large soft hobo will give you that warm and fuzzy feeling, while being one of the more classic and practical handbag trends for spring 2011. Happy shopping and stay fabulous 

Lex Designs: Hot Up and Coming Designer from Santa Cruz

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion / Handbags / Local Designers  tagged interviews / santa cruz designers by

Lex Designs is a hot, up and coming designer brand out of Santa Cruz, CA. Known nationally as a beach destination, hot surf spot and home to UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Ca is actually an artistic city. The city is close enough to San Francisco and San Jose to remain connected to an International, metropolitan area, yet far enough south to maintain it’s own identity and provide natural inspiration for an artistic community. Due to Santa Cruz’s unique geographic location, creative roots and natural beauty it is no wonder that the artistic practice of fashion design would emerge from beach locale.

Alexis Meschi is the designer behind Lex Designs which creates wearable, fashion forward designs that are inspired by the trends as well as the Northern California lifestyle. Alexis describes herself as an “accidental fashion designer.” She found her passion when she began sewing and creating clothing and baby items for her three daughters. Alexis found she really enjoyed sewing and could not get enough of it, so she decided to try her hand at women’s clothing for herself. After trying out a few patterns, Alexis felt constrained and felt the need to create her own designs in order to sew exactly what she envisioned. She found sewing and designing to be her passion, so Alexis started a blog and began to share with the world what she had created and how she did it. Her blog became an instant hit and the traffic inspired Alexis to begin creating designs that she could share with other women through online and boutique sales.

Lex Designs creates easy and wearable fashions that are made from natural fabrics such as linen and cotton. Her designs can easily be worn all year long here in the Bay Area where the temperature ranges between 50 degrees and 90 degrees during the year. Lex Designs clothing can be worn alone during the warmer months and then paired with a fabulous, fashion forward Lex Designs sweatshirt when the fog rolls in and temperature cools down. Lex Designs creates the ultimate fashion for Bay Area Fashionistas as well as Fashionistas everywhere.

www.madebylex.com

We would like to leave you with a wonderful quote from the designer herself:

“I love designing and sewing and am so grateful to be able to do what I love doing. I love fashion and style and expressing yourself through your dress. With it all, remember that it’s not the stuff that you have or wear that makes life important. In the end what we have or own doesn’t matter. What matters is our hearts and the way we love.

You don’t need money, status or influence to create something of beauty or substance. You need heart.”