I’ve never heard of Collina Strada before. But when I saw these handbags pop up on StefaniBags, I was intrigued. So I decided to do a little homework about the brand and here’s what I found!

Collina Strada was launched in Fall 2008 by Los Angeles fashion designer, Hillary Taymour. When it comes to handbags, uniqueness can sometimes be hard to find. With her passion for things that are a bit outside-the-box, Hillary has managed to fill that void. Collina Strada is described as a true combination of vintage and modern style. The styles are quirky and fun, yet seasonless enough that you can easily carry them year-round. Below you will find a couple of styles that I find particularly interesting!

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My love of handbags is more than just being attracted to “pretty bags”. The designers creativity, intent, design and fabrication are all fascinating to me. That’s why my personal interview with Monica Botkier is so special.

The Botkier office space is clean and well organized with lots of white walls, glass and white sofa inviting visitors to sit down. It’s the perfect blank canvas to be creative. Monica war warm, energetic and ever so easy to talk to about how she started Botkier, her vision for the company and of course, the bags!
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Clothing brand Magaschoni is adding a full range of handbags to the family, in an effort to expand to a full range women’s lifestyle collection. Magaschoni isn’t a new brand. The apparel brand has been around for about 22 years so the addition brings no surprise.

WWD is reporting that the Magaschoni’s bag collection will feature 18 silhouettes in exotic skins, such as pebble grain leather, hair calf, python, crocodile and microfiber, in earth tones, black, white, gray and maroon.

The bags will be available when Fall (around September) rolls around with three price tiers, ranging from $327 to $2,000.

When I walk by a gumball machine, I have to smile. The bright colored little balls of gum are cheerful and whimsical. It’s what initially caught my eye with the Kate Spade Essex Scout Leather Cross Body Flap Bag. Hmmm. just like the gumball, that’s quite a mouthful.

Bright colors are another big trend this season as we shake off the winter grey and all that black clothing we’ve been wearing. What better than to do a 180 degree turn and go super bright! Bone white, Citronella yellow and Hot Pink catch your eye and make you smile. They are such fun colors and can surprisingly be worn with a lot of different wardrobe choices!

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A Calgary native, Lindsay Hufnagel, moved to New York to develop her line of unconventional, statement bags that reflect her heritage and style aesthetic. Using high quality leathers, simple shapes and unique details, Horse + Nail handbags are eye-catching and bold. The brand name is derived from her last name Huf (horse) and nagel (nail).

Aside from quality and attention to detail, the key to a designers success in standing apart from others is a signature look. These handbags have them in stage with their huge gesture toward’s Miss Hufnagel’s western heritage. Oversized fringe accents the Walker Apache bag as well as the Chinook Lexington.

The Walker Apache bag features an oversized (14″ x 20″) rounded hobo shape surrounded by graduated fringe trim. Bullet charms dangle on the sides with over-sized, silver-toned horsebit hardware create a striking contrast as the handle for this bag. Soft grey suede skin makes up the body of the bag. A bold fabric lining with tiger print transitioning to snakeskin print create an unexpected interior. Zippered main compartment with interior zippered pocket finish the interior. This is definitely a statement bag with heavy western influences. This is a beautiful bag, but I might avoid wearing it to the airport. $1270.

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With dreams of designing the ultimate day-to-night bag, Italian-born Melissa Del Bono introduced her collection to the world in 2004. She named the line Meli Melo, which she says is her nickname that means “tangled hair” in french. More important though is the company’s dedication to bringing stylish, yet practical and versatile pieces to the table. Melissa draws her inspiration from a pool of Sicilian roots, international travel, and a passion for everyday life. She then brings all of these elements together in such a unique way, giving her designs a degree of charm and character found nowhere else. But did I mention these bags are also gorgeous? It’s no wonder that they have so quickly become “must-haves” among celebrities and everyday bagistas alike! Wow! And to think all of this started out as nothing more than a hobby!
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It’s official! We have yet another “new” trend for Spring 2011! It is, of course, Color Blocking! It may come as a surprise to you though that when I normally think of color blocking, I think of each item being a single solid color. For example, you might pair a solid hot pink shift dress with a sunny yellow handbag. But I guess there is another way to do color blocking and that is having more than one “block” of color on the same item. I have seen this done with articles of clothing before, particularly dresses. But there are now quite a few handbags floating around out there, so I thought it would be fun to explore this trend a little further!

What I have found most interesting about this trend is that color blocking can be done in just about any color scheme. Not only will you find tons of bright color combinations, but you will find neutrals as well! Also keep an eye out for color blocking in black and white! Very art deco-esque! Below I have a sample of what the color blocking trend has to offer!

Dior Lady Dior Tricolor Cannage Bag – $3,000 (Pre-Order)
It’s Lady Dior with a fun and funky twist! I love the combination of pink, purple, and orange. The ultimate accessory for spring, just be sure to keep the accompanying wardrobe simple!
Shop the Dior Boutique at Saks Fifth Avenue

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If you’re in the NYC area you must stop by and see the new accessory line R&Em launch event! R&Em is making it’s big debut today at Macy’s Herald Square!

Bring a friend and enjoy music and beverages while you shop this designers new collection. R&EM is a subsidiary of the Rebecca Minkoff Corporation with a price range of almost every item in the collection retailing for under $110! ($15 for small accessories to $110 for larger totes)

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Whatever happened to Devi Kroell? You may have heard that the CFDA Swarovski Perry Ellis Award recipient left her namesake company (Devi Kroell Inc.) in May of 2010. While this may be true, the designer has not given up her love for the fashion world. In fact, she will be returning to the New York fashion scene for Fall 2011 with her brand new line called Dax Gabler!

Kroell named her new line after her grandmother’s maiden name, which is of Tyrolean heritage. Kroell says she drew inspiration for the collection from the Austrian/German art movement known as “New Objectivity”. Of particular interest to her was a lesser known artist from the movement named Alfons Walde. He was a Tyrolean painter who specialized in snow capped mountains and Tyrolean daily life.

The new collection features a subdued color palette of grays, browns, and blacks which is traditional of Tyrolean costumes. Many of the designs also feature century old necessities for the hunters and gatherers of the region. The dangling straps with the loops at the ends, for example, are like those used by hunters or gatherers to tie their catch to. Although today’s bagista would probably not use this feature for such a thing, they do add a very interesting element to the bags nonetheless!

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