I’ve always admired Christian Louboutin’s irreverent approach to fashion design, but the label may have pushed things a step too far with this appliqued Riviera clutch.

I must admit, I was never a great fan of the original Riviera. Its clean lines and minimalist design were timeless and elegant, but also pretty boring. I longed for the playfulness that imbued other Christian Louboutin creations. But you know what they say about being careful what you wish for.

This Riviera has the same sophisticated base, but it’s been desecrated by the colourful Louboutin lettering. Looking at it I get that same feeling that I do when I spot historical sites covered in graffiti. The purse might have more personality now, but it looks much more juvenile. Christian Louboutin calls its applique “fun and playful”; I say it’s just messy.

Christian Louboutin treats us to all those little extras that make us feel pampered. Its golden chain strap is really rich looking, and as it’s detachable it doesn’t need to clutter the interior when it’s not in use. Its signature twill lining, in the same red we see on the soles of Louboutin’s iconic shoes, is also plush.

But Christian Louboutin hasn’t done nearly enough to command $1195 for this clutch. It’s only made from satin twill after all, and its trim isn’t even real leather. The Christian Louboutin name is certainly worth splurging on, but the label has better purses for this money.

More Features of This Christian Louboutin Appliqued Clutch

• Golden hardware
• An internal patch pocket
• Snap fastening
• A 21 inch chain strap
• Measures 10 x 6 x 2 inches
• Comes with a dust bag

Get this Christian Louboutin Riviera Handbag:

• Available to buy at Net-A-Porter
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Christian Louboutin bags on BagBunch
• The Coach Applique clutch bag, a great alternative to this applique bag.
• Searching for more Christian Louboutin bags on eBay
• Other Christian Louboutin Riviera bags on eBay:

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Los Angeles handbag addict Erin Elizabeth wants to keep your accessories looking their best with her new Bag Beautiful purse shapers and covers.

Elizabeth was inspired to create her innovative shapers after growing tired of stuffing her own designer purses with paper for storage.

“I figured since I was dropping a pretty penny on my Chanels, Diors and Louis, it would be nice to have an easy, efficient way of protecting and storing my prized possessions,” she reasoned.

The Bag Beautiful shapers are available in three sizes, so there should be one to suit your favorite clutch and your larger everyday tote bag. Elizabeth claims her shapers preserve the original integrity and extend the life of any handbag. And purses plumped up with shapers are also easier to keep organized!

Elizabeth knows that once you’ve  indulged in a new purse you don’t want to spend a lot more to protect your investment. As such her Bag Beautiful products are affordably priced between $10 and $25. That’s not a lot to spend to prevent saggy bags, unless you’ve got a very full handbag closet! And if yours is bulging with designer purses, the extra cash to maintain them will probably be a drop in the ocean!

[Source: Accessories Magazine]

Christian Dior encourages us to take our wallet out of our tote and make it our ensemble’s showstopper with the Delices.

Really it would be a shame to hide a purse so pretty away. I love the way the sparse quilting adds another dimension to the softly ruched leather. While I’d appreciate a few more color options, I can’t deny how well it works in gray. The delicate shade is a sophisticated complement to the Delice’s feminine design.

Its exterior is so stunning that it’s easy to forget that the Delices is a wallet rather than a regular clutch. The cleverly designed interior reminds us swiftly though. Its six card cases might leave shopaholics disappointed, but they’ll take care of the essentials. I particularly like the double expanding compartments and the open pouches for bills and receipts.

As is invariably the case with wallets posing as clutches though, the Delices is functional for financial items and little else. If you want to use it as a clutch, I suggest stepping out with someone willing to hold your cell phone and keys! This purse certainly isn’t large enough to do it for you!

The Delices’ hefty $1200 price says more about its designer heritage than the purse itself, but if you want to indulge in Dior this wallet isn’t a bad option.

More Features of This Christian Dior Ruched Wallet

• Polished golden hardware
• Snap closure
• Leather and fabric lining
• A detachable chain strap with a 5 inch drop
• Measures 7.5 x 4.25 inches
• Comes with a certificate of authenticity
• Made in Italy

Get this Christian Dior Delices Handbag:

• Available to buy at Bluefly
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Christian Dior bags on BagBunch
• The Christian Dior Timeless wallet bag, a great alternative to this ruched bag.
• Searching for more Christian Dior bags on eBay
• Other ruched wallets on eBay:

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Carolina Herrera Baez is downsizing with the launch of her Mini Matryoshka capsule collection for her CH Carolina Herrera line.

The range of small purses is an ode to Herrera Baez’s mother who often complains that her daughter wears “too big” bags. The pint-sized accessories seem like shrunken versions of the CH Carolina Herrera Matryoshka bucket tote. They’re crafted from an exclusive leather known as Goya and available in a range of seven seasonal colors.

Herrera Baez launched the Mini Matryoshka line at her Paris flagship store this week with a party attended by prominent locals including actress Salome Lelouch and art curator Pamela Golbin.

It’s exciting to see Herrera Baez branching out with capsule collections, and it seems this one is just the beginning. She indicated she plans to release similar small ranges on an annual basis, and the next one’s already in the pipeline.

“I’m already working on next year’s,” Herrera Baez teased. “It’s fun, it’s a collaboration and it’s also an accessory.“

Aren’t you just dying to know what’s in store for 2013?

Until then we’ll just have to be satisfied with the Mini Matryoshka purses, which have just hit CH Carolina Herrera stores and the flagship Carolina Herrera New York boutiques.

[Source: Women’s Wear Daily]
[Image Source: Fashnberry]

Carolina Herrera Bags on eBay

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Chocolate gets us ready for the warm weather ahead with this Yazmin hobo.

Raffia is often used on summery bags, but it rarely looks as smart as it does here. The tight weave brings some sophistication to the casual material, especially when it’s paired with the complementary pink leatherette trim.

The pale pastel color scheme might be too feminine for some fashionistas, but it’s not as sugary as it might have been. Personally I think it’s the pick of the collection. The white hobo with the tan trim is classic but also a bit too safe. The Yazmin’s also available in green, but its citrusy trim doesn’t quite gel with the mellower raffia body.

No matter what color you select, you’ll appreciate the Yazmin’s practical design. This hobo is enormous, so it could easily become a beach bag or market shopper. It could probably use a few more pockets, but the trio Chocolate’s provided do the job well enough. I also appreciate the wide leatherette strap which is long enough for easy carrying but not too lengthy.

The Yazmin isn’t the perfect purse though. Chocolate’s been a bit heavy handed with the hardware, and all those chains muddy what might have otherwise been a really smart summer design. However at just $99 Chocolate’s offered enough to impress.

More Features of This Chocolate Raffia Hobo

• Zip top closure
• Satin signature lining
• A single strap with an 8.5 inch drop
• Measures 9 x 17 x 11 inches

Get this Chocolate Yazmin Handbag:

• Available to buy at Amazon (limited stock)
• Check the eBags eBay store to see if this Chocolate bag is in stock
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Chocolate bags on BagBunch
• The Jimmy Choo Bali bag, a great alternative to this patchwork bag.
• Searching for more Chocolate bags on eBay
• Other raffia hobo bags on eBay:

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See by Chloe takes us back to the swinging sixties with this bohemian inspired Celyn Cross-Body Bag.

The See by Chloe line has always been a more playful cousin to Chloe’s signature collection, so while this bohemian styled bag is quite different to its usual fare it also doesn’t feel too out of place. Its suede finish and fringed base feels a little like boho-chic by the numbers, but the Celyn is still a really good looking purse. Its quality materials make up for any lack of inspiration.

The Celyn is quite petite, but that makes sense for its styling. Its strap is really narrow, and with any real weight behind it we’d start to feel the strain. Just as the original flower children wouldn’t be tied down by worldly goods, Chloe encourages us to carry less and feel lighter. The Celyn should hold the bare essentials, but it’ll require some careful packing.

At $395 the Celyn is no bargain, but it’s reasonably priced for a bag of such quality.

More Features of This See by Chloe Suede Cross-Body Bag

• A suede strap with a 21 inch drop
• Measures 9.75 x 9 x 1.25 inches
• Made in Portugal

Get this See by Chloe Celyn Handbag:

• Available to buy at Endless
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Chloe bags on BagBunch
• The Zara Terez Prince & Elizabeth bag, a great alternative to this suede bag.
• Searching for more Chloe bags on eBay
• Other fringed cross-body bags on eBay:

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We all know that a gorgeous handbag is the way to any woman’s heart. And for Katy Perry and Rihanna, it was the glue that cemented their friendship.

In a new interview with Elle magazine Katy Perry recounts her first meeting with the Barbados born pop star. Perry was taken with Rihanna’s “cool studded Valentino bag that had sparkly stuff on it.” Perry complimented the fellow singer on the purse, who promptly told her she’d send her one of her very own.

Perry was sceptical, believing that Rihanna may be “one of those tricks who talks fast friends but never lives up to it.” But sure enough, Rihanna showed she was a woman of her word and sent Perry a matching Valentino purse around Valentine’s Day.

They’ve been friends ever since. Rihanna was behind Perry’s rocking bachelorette party, and also the one she turned to when her marriage to Russell Brand ended in divorce last year.

Clearly they do things a bit differently in the celebrity world. The gifts are certainly more elaborate! But the core values of honesty and loyalty are the keys to any great friendship, no matter what your status.

What’s the best present you ever received from a friend?

[Source: News.com.au]
[Image Source: LikeRiri/Wikipedia Commons]

Valentino Studded Purses on eBay

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Chinese Laundry serves up a functional but ultimately unsatisfying accessory with the Synch.

There’s no mystery about where the Synch got its name. Its drawstring gathers the synthetic fabric together, cinching it and creating subtle pleats. It’s not a bad aesthetic element, but it hardly seems worthy of anchoring this shoulder bag. The crocodile embossed finish is also quite nice, but it’s far too subtle to make any real impact. In combination with the Synch’s fairly ordinary shape the elements amount to a shoulder bag which is easy to overlook.

Chinese Laundry does an admirable job of organizing its Synch, but it doesn’t do enough to really change our minds. This shoulder bag is spacious and reasonably appointed with a trio of pockets, but that’s really no more than other labels provide. When the most exciting part of a bag is its colourful interior lining, you know it’s a disappointment.

At least the Synch is cheap, at just $29. It’s rare to find a bag this size for that price. Personally I’d keep saving and indulge in a more substantial shoulder bag, but bargain hunters may find their needs met here.

More Features of This Chinese Laundry Pleated Drawstring Shoulder Bag

• Golden hardware
• An adjustable shoulder strap
• Measures 11 x 16 x 6 inches

Get this Chinese Laundry Synch Handbag:

• Available to buy at Amazon (limited stock)
• Check the Buy Now or Never Bargain Resource eBay store to see if this Chinese Laundry bag is in stock
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Chinese Laundry bags on BagBunch
• The Chinese Laundry Sydney bag, a great alternative to this shoulder bag.
• Searching for more Chinese Laundry bags on eBay
• Other drawstring shoulder bags on eBay:

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Canadian accessories designer Jessica Jensen is releasing a new collection exclusively for The Shopping Channel. The limited edition Jessica Jensen Signature range will hit The Shopping Channel’s website on May 1 before it’s advertised on the channel’s television network on May 2.

The Jessica Jensen Signature collection features 14 different accessories, including tote bags, clutch purses, wallets, and cosmetics and tablet cases. The affordable purses are priced between $75 and $395. Jensen said that despite their attainable price points they’ll capture the “classic aesthetic” her namesake label’s known for.

“Partnering with The Shopping Channel gives us the opportunity to make our brand available to a larger audience,” she explained.

Jensen hopes that audience will embrace the handcrafted Italian calf leather and nylon purses, which are all lined with French linen to mimic the quality of her flagship range. The Signature collection’s pieces are available in a range of contemporary colors including grass green, cobalt blue, flame red, and feminine coral pink. Traditionalists needn’t worry either, as Jensen also serves up more sedate black, white, and khaki accessories.

I’ve always appreciated the quality and clean lines of Jessica Jensen’s accessories, but found her neutral color palette a bit pedestrian. The saturated hues of this Signature collection for The Shopping Channel make it feel like the best of both worlds!

[Source: MarketWatch]
[Image Source: Rockitpromo/Flickr]

Jessica Jensen Bags on eBay

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Charles L Thomas serves up a purse that works double duty with the Nancy.

The Nancy has all the features of a wallet, but its styling can go toe to toe with any clutch purse. Its rich garnet leather is so striking, and the curved decorative stitching complements it beautifully. I’m not sure the yellow piping is the best complement for the saturated jewel hue, but I appreciate the way it defines the scalloped flap.

The Nancy’s interior is really impressive, with a plethora of visible pockets and a few secret compartments hidden away. An ID pouch, pen loop, and retractable wrist strap make it even more practical.

While your finances will be sorted, the Nancy has its limitations when used in clutch mode though. It’s so narrow that holding essentials like a cell phone and keys is challenging. As a wallet the Nancy performs admirably, but as a clutch it’s less convincing no matter how chic is appears.

I admire Charles L Thomas’ desire to deliver a wallet and clutch, even if he hasn’t achieved it as well as he might. At an affordable $129, it doesn’t need to be perfect for us to see value.

More Features of This Charles L Thomas Stitched Clutch

• Space for a check book
• Also available in onyx

Get this Charles L Thomas Nancy Handbag:

• Available to buy at Charles L Thomas
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Charles L Thomas bags on BagBunch
• The Brahmin Debi Clutch bag, a great alternative to this wallet-style bag.
• The Charles L Thomas website
• Other clutch wallets on eBay:

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