Joy Bryant has teamed up with Monica Botkier to bring us the Botkier Joy Satchel. Bryant is one of Oxfam America’s Sisters on the Planet ambassadors. “It’s an initiative engaging women of all walks of life to raise awareness about the environment”, says Bryant. The relief and anti-poverty organization specializes in helping communities, all around the world, realize individualized solutions to their problems. To help them in their efforts, Botkier will be donating 50% of the proceeds from the sale of these bags.

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If you have been paying attention, you will see that we have a contest running RIGHT NOW for the Muratori Petal Hobo bag. If you are just noticing it, please sign up now! You will thank me if you are the winner!

In the meantime, here is bit more info about this up and coming handbag designer and one of their fabulous handbags: the Twiggy!

Muratori is all about luxurious, beautiful and environmentally friendly handbags! Muratori is Italian for builder. The designers are focused on designing and building handbags that will satisfy their clients desire for only the best, yet help us become build a better world. They use chrome free vegetable based dyes, organic cotton and provide durability that will make a handbag last, thereby reducing waste. They even are focused on a green work environment. They want their clients to be able to shop green and guilt-free!

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I’ve been a busy, busy girl! I’d like to tell you about an event very close to my heart. It’s called Couture for Cancer and it supports the American Cancer Society. This is the 6th year for the event and my 4th. It is my second year as the Chair!

The event is a lively, cocktail party for women with live & silent auctions and a runway show featuring designers from all over the world! Imagine hosting an event that features fashion items from world-renowned designers like Be & D, Etro, Katherine Kwei, Tory Burch, Kate Spade, Coach, Juicy Couture, Bottega Veneta, Oscar de La Renta and so many others!

This year, Couture will offer a New York fashion experience – four days and three nights, Sept. 9-12, with airfare and hotel included. The top bidder will receive a planned itinerary for Fashion Night Out, a studio tour of handbag designer Katherine Kwei and the chance to meet Hayden-Harnett’s handbag, accessory, apparel and footwear designer – Toni Hacker. Both designers will be also be donating handbags to the event.

Couture for Cancer provides women (and a few lucky men) the opportunity to enjoy designer fashion and home décor from all over the world. The trendy fashion event raises funds for the American Cancer Society’s research, education, advocacy and patient services. Attendees will enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails all while shopping for designer clothes, jewelry, handbags, home items, cosmetic treatments, spa experiences and more.

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When I think of handbags that are composed of natural materials, I normally think of those chunky straw beach totes. You remember those, right? I think they were pretty popular a few years ago. Well guess what ladies! Natural materials are making a comeback for Spring/Summer 2010! But these new accessories are far from the stereotypical straw tote. In fact, they are like nothing you have ever seen before! Think organic accents, unexpected materials, and reinvented straw. Be prepared to throw all of your old ideas about natural materials out the window because these handbags are anything but ordinary. Below you will find some of my favorite pieces from this new organic elements trend. And the best part? These definitely aren’t beach bags!

Mar Y Sol Opal Metallic Clutch
This cute little straw clutch features a metallic pinstripe accent. I think it would be the perfect accessory for those summer evening outings.
Find it at ShopBop.com!
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Do any of you ladies remember the Jimmy Choo Project Pep Tote? My good ol’ buddy Marissa wrote about it back in October.

To be honest, I felt as though the bag had been ripped on a bit too harshly. After all, the bag was produced for the purpose of benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Admittedly, the Jimmy Choo Project Pep Tote is a bit flashy and loud. It is definitely not for the faint of heart. But from what I was reading in the blog comments section, it appeared that there were quite a few people out there that liked the bag and felt that it was donating to a good cause. But what if you liked the bag, but you thought the collage look was just a little too over-the-top for everyday use? Well fear not, my friends!
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The concept of a recycled leather handbag was first introduced to me when I wrote about the Novella Royal Mister Stud Bowler Bag back in August.

It was this LA-based designer that made me think of eco-friendly handbags in a whole new (and insanely creative) way. So I suppose it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that there would be other companies wishing to jump on the recycled leather bandwagon. Novella Royale may not have been the first designer to think of this wonderful idea, but they certainly will not be the last!

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Sandra Bullock, who recently donated $1 million to the relief efforts in Haiti, has teamed up with Coach to benefit another one of her favorite charities: the Beauty Bus Foundation.

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Yes seriously. Our very generous friends over at Gorjana are fully donating 100% of all sales from their retail site gorjana.com to help those devastated by the earthquake in Haiti.

The proceeds from all the sales will be donated equally between Unicef, American Red Cross, and Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.

This is only happening today, Wednesday the 27th, so don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity.

Finding a designer handbag that incorporates both style and trend with eco-friendly material is often a rare find. And Novella Royale has done just that with a beautiful execution.

Novella Royale is a fresh face among the designer handbag crowd. The birth of the brand came to light when the designers over at Novella Royale became inspired by the simplistic concept of designing luxury handbags without creating waste from new materials. Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse. An idea that we all wish more designers would take advantage of. So with that as their core model, they went about creating the most amazing one-of-a-kind pieces. The leather from each of their bags is hand selected and hand cut from vintage jackets! How many designers out there do that? Not only are the bags exterior shell made of 100% recycled leather, but each bag as well is lined with organic fabric.

The little studded piece we have pictured here is the “Clover”. Currently available in four, perfect for Fall – Autumn shades of Olive, Copper, Grey, and Brown. Measurements are about 13” length, 13″ height. Very spacious, no doubt about that. And the thick strap allows you to stuff up your bag with as much as your heart desires, without causing strain to your shoulder. The strap drop on this purse is about 34″, which is the perfect length to either wear resting on one shoulder, or slinged across as a crossbody messenger. And if you find the strap to be a little long, don’t be afraid to tie the strap into a little knot at the top. That would take inches off instantly.

Right now you can find this designer sitting on the shelves of PinkMascara and CoutureCandy. Right now, the new Clover is available for $644.

@ PinkMascara they are currently featuring a Novella Royale Mister Giveaway

@ CoutureCandy they are applying a 15% deal to all new customers! Code: firsttime