Lamarthe, spring 2001
9 ½” l. x 4 ¾” w. (base) x 9 ½” h. + 7 ½” drop

Like the Calvin Klein seafoam pieces which I showed 06.23.2009—06.25.2009, the dusky aqua of this crisp, fresh tote is a just-beyond-neutral color—easy on the eyes, easy to wear. I love the effortless combination of the satin finished split cowhide with the natural cotton cord handle—another great summer look. And, the bag is beautifully, minimally crafted, unlined and with clean-cut edges.

Alfred Lamarthe founded his French luxury leather goods line in 1930 with the premise that his bags should be functional as well as beautiful; after patenting several accessories innovations he opened his first boutique in Paris in 1936. In addition to the Lamarthe boutique at 19, Avenue Opera, 75001 Paris, this European top seller can be found at Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, and Le Bon Marche. My bag was featured at Nordstrom, but I found the last one at T.J.Maxx!

Popularity: 58% [?]

Technorati Tags: Designer Handbags, lamarthe, leather, tote

anonymous, spring 2005
6 ½” l. x 4 ½” w. (base) x 8 ¾” h. + 5” drop;                                
bag flairs to 20” @ top edge

This light-hearted nude saddle leather tote works equally well with a simple linen sun dress or jeans and a tee. It’s another feel good piece—so much fun to carry—it seems that flowers should be spilling over the top!

I can’t tell you any more about it than what you see in the pictures—it has no label, logo, or “made-in” tag. However, the Loehmann’s price tag did say it was from Italy.

Popularity: 55% [?]

Technorati Tags: Designer Handbags, leather, tote

Charles Jourdan, spring 2000                                                                                                        
10” l. x 3 ¾” w. (base) x 7 ½” h. + 6” drop
Spring 2000 was a stellar season for handbags, and this very clever, unusually handled tote took me to the moon! I found it at the tres chic Charles Jourdan boutique on the Champs Elysses in Paris (Yes, the same shopping trip as the fabulous Jean Paul Gaultier pieces which I showed you 06.08.2009—06.11.2009). Part of the fun of carrying this bag is the memory of a wonderful experience in France!

This tote was made in Spain—I don’t think many (or even any) Charles Jourdan bags were still being made in France at this point. It’s a beautifully crafted piece, but the finish on the leather is too fragile for everyday use.

Popularity: 56% [?]

Technorati Tags: charles jourdan, Designer Handbags, tote, vinyl

Furla, spring 2005
10 ⅜” l. x 4 ¾” w. (base) x 10 ¾” h. + 6 ½” drop

I love when my colors have yummy food names! And when I think they’re not really accurately descriptive, no matter how delicious they sound, I come up with another! I’ve never seen paprika quite this hue…let’s see, how about coral cream? Or nectarine sorbet? Anyway, that’s the designer in me—I have to make it my own.

This tote is really my go-to summer bag—it’s a clean, simple design and useful size (big enough for a statement/presence and to hold plenty; not so large as to weigh me down). Like the Francesco Biasia Wave Tote, there is no extraneous hardware to clutter up the bag or to compete with my jewelry. And, this beautiful not-really-paprika works equally well as a pop of color with black and white or a bright accent for neutrals.

Even after several summers of use, this bag still looks fresh and only lightly worn. I’m pretty careful with my bags, but high praise goes to Furla for its amazingly stain and scuff resistant leather. And Furla always has beautiful color choices which you are free to rename! When in New York, be sure to visit one of the two Furla boutiques, either 598 Madison Avenue @ 57th Street or 727 Madison Avenue @ 64th Street. Furla is known as an affordable luxury brand, but mine was even more affordable since it came from Loehmann’s!

Popularity: 54% [?]

Technorati Tags: Designer Handbags, furla, tote

Francesco Biasia, spring 2002
11 ½” l. x 4 ¾” w. (base) x 10 ½” h. + 8 ½” drop

This Italian tote was designed two years after the three Jean Paul Gaultier bags which I showed on 06.08.2009—06.10.2009, and it employs laser-cut leather in a new and ingenious way. I love the clean edges and elegant simplicity of the wave design—look at my detail shot—it looks like a detail of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum! The color is just gorgeous—a warm coral with a mellow metallic glow, with antique gold inner surfaces and drawstring pouch. I usually carry this tote with a small black zipper pouch (really necessary so small item don’t slip through the cracks) which just disappears in the shadows and gives the bag a more minimal appearance—my personal style. I also love that there is no extraneous hardware to clutter up the bag!  This is a real feel-good piece!
Is there really a Francesco Biasia, or is it just the name of the company? Neither from the website nor Google could I find much to pass along, except that Francesco Biasia is once again supporting “Baby nel Cuore”, a non-profit organization which develops solidarity for children in need throughout the world.
 
From the “Spotlight “ section of the Francesco Biasia site:

“The association also uses a non-profit Web portal called eforpeople.com that sells designer clothing and accessories at competitive prices to raise money for its projects. To this end, Francesco Biasia has donated some of its unique pieces for sale on the website. The proceeds from the sale of the bags will be used to create children’s homes for street children in the city of Salvador de Bahia in Brazil. Currently about 30 percent of the population in Salvador de Bahia lives below the poverty line in “favelas.” The illiteracy rate among young people is more than 30 percent. These alarming numbers along with problems in terms of health care, education and professional training among young people make for a real emergency. This is why Francesco Biasia is proud to participate in this initiative to help resolve the problems in this part of the world.”

For more information or to support the project by making a purchase online, go to:
www.eforpeople.com

Kudos to the company for their compassion and generosity!

Popularity: 23% [?]

Technorati Tags: Designer Handbags, francesco biasia, tote