The SAK has finally opened its first ever retail outlet. The chosen location isn’t one of the world’s fashion capitals but Sea Girt, New Jersey, the hometown of The SAK chief executive officer and co-founder Mark Talucci.

“Five years ago my family moved from San Francisco, where The Sak was started 23 years ago, to Sea Girt. Ever since, we have had the dream of opening a retail store here,” explained Talucci. “It’s home to my immediate family and it’s not too far from our NYC corporate office, which I call my extended family.“

The 2600-square-foot retail space houses goodies from The SAK’s three lifestyle brands: The SAK, SAKroots, and Elliott Lucca. Handbags, footwear, travel accessories, and tech products are all represented.

The SAK fans will notice the new space features a replica of the Peace Print graffiti mural seen in the company’s New York City showroom. This handpainted artwork features the iconic SAKroots bird and peace bubble, as well as other bubbles displaying the words “nature,” “listen,” “share,” and “Sea Girt.” The boutique has a minimalist design which allows the accessories to shine.

The SAK and its associated labels are currently sold in more than 6000 outlets across the United States, but the opening of a standalone store represents a new chapter in the company’s history. Where would you like the see The SAK open its next boutique?

[Source: Accessories Magazine]
[Image Source: Am1969/Stock.xchng]

The SAK Bags on eBay

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Is there a bag in there? I can hardly find Frye’s Lola underneath the flurry of fringe!

The Lola’s wide fringing is used as the bag’s centrepiece rather than a design enhancer. The soft finish looks like it’s made from suede, but Frye has cleverly opted for nubuck. This leather is just as luxurious, but it wears much better than the more common skin.

Frye continues the 70s vibe with its warm neutral color palette. I love this gray hue, which is almost tending towards taupe, but you can also find it in a dusty pink or gentle jade. The whipstitching around the collar and hand-braided strap only add to the cross-body’s retro spirit.

Whether you love the Lola will probably depend on whether you like fringe. I can just imagine pairing this bag with my favorite pair of flared corduroys and milking the 70s trend for all its worth. The fringing would swish about as I strutted with all the attitude of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

However I’m not sure it’s appeal will endure once fashion becomes besotted with the next decade from the past. At an affordable $348 though, it doesn’t really need longevity on its side.

More Features of This Frye Fringed Cross-Body Bag

• Snap closure
• An interior zip pocket
• Striped fabric lining
• A single strap with a 27 inch drop
• Measures 8 x 7.75 x 2 inches
• Made in China

Get this Frye Lola Handbag:

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

You may also be interested in:

• More Frye bags on BagBunch
• The Frye Fringe Hobo bag, a great alternative to this fringed bag.
• Searching for more Frye bags on eBay
• Other fringed cross-body bags on eBay:

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Jimmy Choo has really been on a roll, lately, and I don’t mean that in a good way. The label’s been churning out cheesy plastic purses at an astonishing rate, and this Union Jack version of the Candy is a sad addition to the line.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Union Jack. It was cool for mods and it was cool for punks, and it’s patriotic to boot. But here on the Candy clutch it just isn’t working. Jimmy Choo put leopard spots on the classic blue background and muddied up its crisp, traditional aesthetic. Bummer.

I sort of like the overall design of the Candy, but it really needs to be carefully handled. It’s an unusual bag, and when you add so many extra details, you just end up with a mishmash of styles that doesn’t work. The usually clean looking lines of the bag intersect with the pattern in an odd way and add further distraction from any design sensibility.

$795 isn’t bad for a Choo bag, but this is a pretty bad Choo bag. Skip it and save your pennies.

More Features Of The Jimmy Choo Union Jack Candy Acrylic Clutch

• 7″ x 6″ x 2″ size
• 21″ handle drop
• Interior slit pocket
• Fully lined in champagne satin

Get this Jimmy Choo Union Jack Acrylic Clutch:

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

You may also be interested in:

• More Jimmy Choo bags on BagBunch
• The Jimmy Choo Simone hobo, a stylish alternative to this bag.
• Searching for more Jimmy Choo bags on eBay
• Other acrylic clutches on eBay:

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Project Repat and Threadless have teamed up for an eco-friendly tote bag collection.

Each of the six bags in the range is crafted from old Threadless T-shirts. The upcycled nature of the totes will see them produced in limited edition runs of 100 bags. The creation of each tote saves three T-shirts from landfill, and gives garment makers one hour of fair wage work.

The materials are undeniably green, but they’re also very functional. The double-layered totes can be turned inside out for two fun looks. The existing T-shirt pockets become handy places for stashing a cell phone or keys. The fabric’s also very strong. Project Repat founder Nathan Rothstein says they can hold watermelons and bowling balls. Chances are you won’t need them to carry anything so heavy, but isn’t it nice to know they can?

The bags will be handcrafted at Opportunity Threads, a worker-owned cut and sew firm operating in Morganton, North Carolina. This unique business puts its clients first, but keeps its workers at the heart of the firm. It looks to revolutionize the textile industry with its emphasis on the planet and its people.

The limited edition totes are available from the Project Repat website for $27.99.

[Source: Ecosalon]

T-Shirt Tote Bags on eBay

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The estate of late American artist Vera Neumann is taking Kate Spade to task for copyright infringement. The Vera Company claims the fashion house used Neumann’s Poppy Field print without consent on its apparel items and accessories.

It seems Spade has long admired Neumann’s work. In fact, in her 2004 Style by Kate Spade, she wrote, “When Vera made scarves, there was nothing cutesy about them. They always made you feel happy.” Now that seemingly innocent passage will be used as evidence in upcoming legal proceedings.

It could be a costly blunder for Kate Spade, as The Vera Company is reportedly asking for a million dollars plus interest in damages. It’s also seeking legal fees and all copies of the infringing products and the paraphernalia used to make them. So far representatives for Kate Spade and its parent company Fifth & Pacific Cos are refusing to comment. Perhaps that’s for the best.

Looking at the prints side by side, I’m not sure how this one will pan out. Kate Spade’s used different colors and her poppies are more scattered than they were in Neumann’s work. There’s definitely an influence, as acknowledged in Spade’s book, but exactly how many ways can one draw poppies? Are the similarities so great that a lawsuit’s deserved?

[Source: The Fashion Law]

Kate Spade Poppy Bags on eBay

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Judith Leiber shows she knows about more than minaudieres with this elegant Nabila purse.

Judith Leiber calls it a clutch, but it isn’t a clutch in the conventional sense of the word. Its tubular handle isn’t detachable, so we can’t clutch it as we would a traditional clutch. Perhaps calling it an evening purse is a better description, although I can imagine the Nabila shining during the daylight hours too. It’s a truly luxurious creation, but I couldn’t bear to leave it sitting at home, gathering dust while it waits for a special event, could you? Just imagine the way it’d dress up a dark pair of jeans and a blouse!

The Nabila’s difference isn’t just about its styling. It also sees Judith Leiber taking a departure from the crystal covered purses she’s famous for. We don’t lose any opulence though. The golden python skin she’s used is gorgeous!

The Nabila is a little larger than your average evening purse, so it could probably make that day to night transition without too much trouble. You’ll probably need to get that use from it too, because as you might expect it comes at a significant price. You’d better start saving ladies, because at $3495 this Judith Leiber beauty is no impulse buy.

More Features of This Judith Leiber Python Clutch

• Crystal detailed magnetic clasp
• Satin lined interior
• Metal feet at the base
• Measures 6 x 10 x 3.5 inches
• Made in Italy

Get this Judith Leiber Nabila Handbag:

• Available to buy at Neiman Marcus
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Judith Leiber bags on BagBunch
• The Gucci Python Shoulder bag, a great alternative to this python bag.
• Searching for more Judith Leiber bags on eBay
• Other python bags on eBay:

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Chloé will celebrate its 60th year with the opening of a retrospective exhibition in Paris. The newly refurbished Palais de Tokyo will host Chloé Attitudes from September 29 to November 18.

The display will celebrate the fashion house’s six-decade contribution to sartorial style with key pieces from each of the label’s nine creative directors. They’ll date back to the creations of company founder Gaby Aghion, but we’ll also see more modern pieces from current creative director Clare Waight Keller represented.

Waight Keller said she was surprised by what she uncovered while researching the company’s history for the display.

“Whereas I’d imagined something very bohemian in spirit, in reality, it’s much, much more than that,” she explained. “What we found is quite provocative and powerful – clothes at the intersection of couture ‘savoir- faire’ and youth ‘savoir-être.’ They speak to an independent woman who embraces the challenges of modern life. You might associate the maison with a rather dreamy, hippy girl but in fact, at the heart of Chloé there has always been that free-spirited attitude that defies the status quo in fashion.“

Of course no matter how much we love Chloé, we can’t all afford a trip to Paris to see the exhibition. So Chloe is also reissuing some of its most iconic pieces for the anniversary. These include Phoebe Philo’s Paddington Bag from 2005, Stella McCartney’s pineapple T-shirt from 2001, and Karl Lagerfeld’s violin dress from 1983. Look for the Anniversaire items in Chloé boutiques next February.

[Source: The Moodie Report]
[Image Source: Wikipedia Commons]

Chloe Paddington Purses on eBay

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Ashley M’s made a name for itself by taking risks. Often these fashion gambles result in kitschy accessories we’d never use, but occasionally the label’s daring pays off. And then we get a bag like this Saucer Shaped Handbag.

I still don’t expect this Saucer Shaped Handbag to be everyone’s cup of tea, but its avante-garde design could have easily come from a high-end designer like Jil Sander or Emilio Pucci. It appears something like a flying saucer, or in this coffee brown perhaps it seems more like a football! Either way it’s striking, but it doesn’t cross the line and become silly.

This Saucer Shaped Handbag is let down by its finer details. As we find through the Ashley M line, it’s made from synthetic rather than real leather. That keeps costs down, but it also sees the finish suffer. It’s quite thin, and not as supple as it should be. I’m also not sure about the bow decoration, or those tiny wrist straps. The effect’s lost a little when you attach the cross-body strap, but the purse is much more practical in this mode.

Ashley M hasn’t created the handbag we’ve all been waiting for here, but it’s come close. And for a mere $46, it encourages us all to take a few more fashion risks.

More Features of This Ashley M Quirky Handbag

• Gold toned hardware
• Fabric lined interior
• Measures 2 x 15 x 13 inches
• Also available in black and gold

Get this Ashley M Saucer Handbag:

• Available to buy at Amazon
• Check the eBags eBay store to see if this Ashley M bag is in stock
• Search online for this bag

You may also be interested in:

• More Ashley M bags on BagBunch
• The Bottega Veneta Cushion bag, a great alternative to this round bag.
• Searching for more Ashley M bags on eBay
• Other quirky bags on eBay:

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Why should girls have all the fun? After releasing a flurry of limited edition women’s handbags and footwear to celebrate his 20th year in the biz, Christian Louboutin is treating his male fans to a limited edition convertible accessory dubbed the 3Way Limited Edition Bag.

The 3Way Limited Edition Bag first appears like a backpack. Detaching the shoulder straps converts it into a tote. Its removable front pouch can also be used as a stand-alone accessory.

The 3Way Limited Edition Bag is crafted from high quality leather and available in masculine black. That material adds luxury to the functional piece while making it even more versatile. I imagine men might use it as a backpack during the day, and then transform it for a more elegant look once the sun goes down.

It had better be versatile for the price though. I never expect anything with Christian Louboutin’s name attached to come cheaply, but I didn’t expect it to cost $2900. Women tend to pay whatever the designer asks simply because they’re so enamored with his work, but will men be so keen to embrace the 3Way?

The release of the 3Way Limited Edition Bag is part of Louboutin’s long-term strategy to expand his men’s line. It’s available from selected retailers around the globe.

[Source: Men Fashion Trends]

Christian Louboutin Bags on eBay

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