No this is not another post about Louis Vuitton bags. This is about spending your time and energy on creative pursuits only to have someone come in and steal your work. Just like fake, knockoff handbags, plagiarism is never in fashion. Lately I've discovered that other 'bloggers' - and I use that term loosely, as real bloggers, editors and journalists understand the writing code - have been stealing my images and posts (from my blog, handbag magazine and fashion/lifestyle magazine) and re-posting them on their site as fresh, new content. I know this is not a new, unique problem but it's happening to me more and more and while some think I should feel flattered that my work is theft-worthy, it's incredibly frustrating to me to see my hard work stolen. I understand how designers, artists and any other creative types feel when they discover that someone else 'repurposed' their work for their own benefit. It's simply wrong. It's certainly not what's haute. Some may say 'It's just blogging, it's no big deal." But this is my work, whether or not one considers it frivolous - it's my thoughts, my creative process, my output, and my time. It belongs to me. Now let's see if this post winds up on another 'bloggers' site.
Mulberry is one of those handbag brands that seems to pride itself on classic luxury. So when I came across the Milton shoulder bag on Net-a-Porter's website, I was baffled. Are fingerprinted handbags the new 'It' bags? The Milton looks like the leather was handled before the paint was dry, or someone put their greasy fingers on the front of the bag. It does have some redeeming qualities:
1) It has multiple outside pockets and interior compartments,
2) The seafoam green / emerald metallic leather is a beautiful hue for the summer,
3) It is a Mulberry!
However, the $1,595 for a bag that looks tarnished is only for those of you with serious disposable income. Got money to spare? Then head on over to NET-A-PORTER.COM.
Fashion Inspiration Comes From Everywhere: Jean Paul Gaultier
May 01, 2008
I never thought I'd see the day I put John Paul Gaultier on a 'Not Haute' list. But designing a women's clutch inspired by men's boxing shorts? That's not haute. Every time I look at this clutch I feel like pulling out my boxing gloves and hitting the speedbag. Ok, he gets points for creativity but really, what woman wants to carry her stuff around in a pair of luxury satin boxing trunks?
Jean Paul Gaultier Satin Boxing Pochette, $415, eLuxury.
I don't blame Burberry for wanting to try something new, I really don't. I mean, Louis Vuitton continues to come up with millions of new ways to re-design its logo and re-brand itself, so why not Burberry? But mixing up a plaid pattern is not quite the same as re-doing a logo in denim or grafitti, and this bag is looking less 'luxury', and more 'Dooney'. The Burberry Patchwork Check Bucket Bag looks like something went awry in the Burberry factory, like the patternmaking machine skipped a few beats. I know Burberry is an iconic brand and the 'check' pattern is as well, however there comes a time to just give it up. And Burberry, with this 'choppy' version of the 'check', I'd say that time is now.
Weekly WTF??!! Michael Kors Beverly Gator Watch Clutch
February 28, 2008
I know this bag isn't new but it was so tacky I didn't feel compelled to write about it before. But now that I've introduced the Weekly WTF category on What's Haute, I think it's worhy to discuss. Michael Kors must be out of his mind. He's charging $3,000 for a Seiko watch band strapped to some gator skin? The Beverly Gator Watch Clutch is one of the worst bags I've seen in a while, and designers are getting bolder and bolder, thinking that the buying public is foolish enough to pay almost four grand for a joke like this. There's really not much more to say...this bag speaks for itself.
I'm seriously thinking about starting a Weekly 'WTF' category on What's Haute because for every six gorgeous bags, there's one that makes you scratch your head, turn up your nose and say, "What the f--k?" This Chloe Saskia clutch (€ 995) fits into that category perfectly. I give Chloe credit for originality but this bag is comical at best. It looks cartoonish, and the soft leather colored flaps resemble some sort of impressionist art piece, like the soft clocks in Salvador Dali's " The Persistence of Memory". Dali is one of my favorite artists so Chloe might take that as a compliment but it's not. The multiple, multicolored flaps are ugly, out of place and simply pointless. And the boxy shape with that thick leather handle is just weird. I don't know what else to say Chloe, this is one strange bag.
Chloe couldn't have given this bag a better name because obviously the brand is going through some transitions themselves. What is this acid-trip, rainbow connection excuse for a bag? There is nothing cute about the pleating, the confetti colors and post-it-note strip fabric pieces on the bag. Even the brown leather trim looks cheap. If I had to find something nice to say, I guess it would be the shape and the strap which converts the bag from a shoulder bag to a satchel. Oh, and the $3575 price tag. (Yeah, right).
Congrats Gwen! We hear that you and Gavin are expecting another 'little lamb' in the Stefani/Rossdale household.
However, WTF is up with this new L.A.M.B. bag!?! The L.A.M.B. Bullseye Mandeville Satchel ($425) has a bullseye target with a lamb in the center and looks a bit ominous. Are we now condoning L.A.M.B. on lamb violence, Gwen? The bag itself is typical L.A.M.B. - the diamond pattern with old English "L"s throughout, and the striped flap down the center, but that lamb just throws everything off. It's off center and looks accidental, not intentional. I think the bag would have looked a lot better without it. What do you think? Do you love or hate the lamb target? Is it haute or not?
Why oh why did a brilliant designer like Zac Posen create this hideous bag? He's the king of brilliantly draped dresses and one of the few designers whose entire debut handbag line impressed me, and now he has ruined it all with this! Is it a hot dog or a handbag? The bag might actually be cute if it were a wristlet or even a handheld clutch, but the oversized handles throw it off completely. And the patent strap that comes over the bag is also way too long - it almost wraps around the entire bag! The proportions are totally off and for a designer who seems to understand body proportions so well, I am extremely disappointed with this purse. The price for this hot dog handbag: $1,100!!! My advice is take the money and go buy some Zac Posen ready-to-wear now available at eLUXURY.com.
Check out more Zac Posen Handbags online at eLUXURY.com
When you shop at a high-end store like Barney's, you tend to have high-end expectations, right? I would think that if Barney's chose to create private label handbags, they'd be so fabulous you'd think they were handmade creations designed by some premier Italian designer. So when I saw this Barney's branded creation that looks 'inspired' by Bert from Sesame Street and a British fire bucket, I was, to say the least, highly disgusted. The Blanket Bucket Satchel is one of the ugliest excuses for a bag that I've ever seen. If curiosity is your thing and you want to know more about this fug bag, click the link. Otherwise, if you're as disgusted as me, don't even waste your time.
$595, Barneys.com
I learned how to crochet in 5th grade in my home economics class and thought it was the coolest thing to make granny squares (yes that once was cool). But that was then, and this is 2007. Are granny squares really what's haute right now? The Chloe Katie embroidered bag looks like a craft project you find in some old bin in your grandmother's attic, except that this craft project costs $1,670.
The body of the bag is actually leather, but you can't see it because it's covered with that hideous wool embroidery on the front and back, and the shoulder strap is a long chain strap doesn't even match the ugly exterior of the bag. Nothing about this bag makes it worth buying, not even the Chloé nameplate on the front.
What is this? Is it a soccer ball or a handbag? Or is it a handbag dressed as a soccer ball? It is Halloween, after all. This is definitely one of the most hideous bags I've ever seen. The top handles and frame have a classic appeal, but then you go lower and see the rest of this atrocity. This bag is stuffed with 100% duvet which makes it way too bulky even without anything inside it; imagine filling it up with stuff - how awful would it look then? It really does look like a slighty deflated ball...I don't know whether to carry it or kick it!
Moncler Large Padded Bag, £545.00, Brown's
The luxury houses seem to be on a downward spiral. Fendi is producing nothing buy fugly bags, and Louis Vuitton seems to be competing with them for the title. LV collaborated with controversial painter Richard Prince to create the 'Joke' Bag for it's Spring '08 runway show. This hideous python-trimmed bag, along with others from the show, feature a combination of Prince's spray-painting technique and jokes from comedian Henny Youngman.
Here's a few of the jokes on the bag:
My wife is always asking for money. $200 one day, $150 the next, $125 after that. "That's crazy", my friend said. "What does she do with it? "I don't know", I said. "I never gave her any."
Every time I meet a girl who can cook like my mother...She looks like my father.
My wife went to the beauty shop and got a mud pack. For two days she looked beautiful. Then the mud fell off.
I've been married for thirty years and I'm still in love with the same woman. If my wife ever finds out, she'll kill me.
I say if you buy it, the joke's on you. What do you think of this bag - haute or not?
Check out some of the other jokes bags from the Spring 2008 collection:
Source
One thing I can always count on is my love hate affair with Fendi. Fendi always gets me up, and then always lets me down. I so long for the days when 'Fendi' wasn't synonymous with 'fugly'; the days of the classic double F's, the simple striped shoulder bags, and high quality leather. Now it seems Fendi is on a quest to outdo itself with ugly bags, season after season. Here's what I found for Fall:
Are you kidding with these bags Fendi? As a handbag designer/buyer/addict and Fendi owner, I am so disappointed with these pieces of scrap leather and fabric you call luxury handbags. And I can't even believe you expect anyone to pay these prices for such non-luxurious items. I continue to ask, what has become of Fendi and what will become of Fendi? I can't imagine that anyone in their right mind would find any of this crap appealing enough to buy, let alone carry, but I guess a bag is a bag, so if you build it give it away, they will carry it:
Coco Chanel once said something like "put everything on and then take one thing off."
Luxury jewelry designer Kara Ross creates elegantly beautiful pieces full of precious gems, wood, gold and diamonds. I think her jewels are the perfect pieces to accompany you on an haute night out, that is, if you can afford them. Her recently launched line of handbags however, needs to heed Coco's advice.
The Lucis Clutch is a particularly overdone bag. Three different types of animal skin make up this clutch! I mean, it is only a clutch. If it were a larger bag, maybe it would look less 'busy', but the three skins are definitely a 'crowd'. The body is constructed of leopard pony skin, trimmed in red ostrich skin, and finished off with a front pocket made of brown caiman skin. I can't imagine where or why you might carry this bag, though the upside is with all of the colors, its bound to match something in your closet.
If you're a fan of aesthetic excess, visit Kara Ross' website. Prices range from $1,600-$7,800.
Haute or Not - Juicy Couture Georgia Patchwork Hobo
August 19, 2007
Juicy Couture bags have come a long way since terry cloth companions to the once ubiquitous sweatsuits. Lately, they've been much more toned down - simple leather satchels, hobos and totes, with a few Juicy details, like chains or charms. In my opinion, Juicy bags may never reach 'It' status, but the designs have been good enough to justify a purchase.
However, this atrocity, the Georgia Patchwork Hobo, should never be seen in public. At least, not on anyone's arm. This bag represents Juicy at its absolute worst. Brown, tan, cream and black leather pieces are slapped patch-worked together and centered with the ugliest crest I have ever seen. The wrapped shoulder strap has contrasting pieces of cream and tan leather at each end to further the ugly.
The price is even more atrocious - $395.
What's your take? Haute or not?
Sigh...
What has become of the legacy of Dooney & Bourke? What ever happened to the classic bags, high quality leather and brass hardware, and simplicity of design? This is one of those bags that left me utterly speechless when I first saw it. The only clue that this is a Dooney & Bourke bag are the D's, B's and the Dooney & Bourke name scrawled across the popsicles.
Popsicles?
Yes, Popsicles. Why are popsicles on a Dooney and Bourke bag? I'm not sure. If I didn't know better, I would think this was some sort of knockoff, like a fake Fendi bag with interlocking L's instead of F's. But I do know better. I know that Dooney and Bourke no longer cares to appeal to a more discriminating clientele, and prefers the teenybopper set. I also know that has lost the fight with themselves to remain a relevant and brilliant design house and is quickly spiraling down the abyss of cheap. And not chic.
Dooney & bourke "Ice Pop" Bucket Bag - $140, Dillards
Louis Vuitton has so many fugly bags coming down the pipe I don't know where to begin. The
Louis Vuitton Dentelle Fersen is one of the ugliest designer bags I've seen in a while. It looks like the LV monogram collided with your grandma's lace doily.
Someone should tell Marc Jacobs that 18th century lace has its place in fashion, and that place is not on a Louis Vuitton bag. And if you're going to use something a delicate as lace, don't add a chunky gold chain and thick brown leather strap. This bag is just wrong on so many levels. Including the £1,220 price tag.
