Luxury Designer Handbags

Since we got the cell phone, watch had become dispensable for me. Someone told me watch is a symbol of fashion and status and wearing a watch can help me go through my day in a more organized fashion. I accepted their suggestion and began to keep my eyes on watches. Last year, Guccireleased the Chiodo watch collection which casted a spell on me. I fell in love with it at my first sight, especially the 18kt yellow gold watch with 64 diamonds.

The striking timepieces collection is inspired by the iconic square head nail employed by Gucci since 1960s. The 18kt yellow gold watch features a sophisticated square case shape, enriched by a luminescent mother-of-pearl dial with graceful flinking. The case is sized at 21.5 x 23.5 mm. It is decorated with sapphire crystal, 18kt yellow gold case with 64 diamonds and 18kt yellow gold bracelet with white mother-of-pearl flique dial lending an unusual, jewel-like quality to their appearance. Beside the delicate and distinctive appearance, the watch is functional. Made in Swiss, the quartz watch is water-resistant to 3 atm (100feet/meters). 

This Chiodo watch aptly illustrates Frida Giannini’s unique flair to reinventing classic Gucci luxury into desirable modernity for today; meanwhile, this watch aptly illustrates your unique perspective to discover beauty and fashion. More Gucci Products are on sale at

Joke c Posted by Lesley Howard | Posted in Thursday 30 April 2009 9:24 pm

Nowadays Christian Louboutin is definitely a girl’s best friend!

Not only he creates the most exquisite and comfortable high-heels but he also made one of our dream come true: to put his magical shoes on Barbie.

Because deep down inside, every girl has wished even for 1 second to dress her Barbie with designer clothes. The iconic blond hair doll has inspired so many fashionistas, young girls, designers… well pretty much everyone.

So to honor his muse, Christian Louboutin has conceived 3 dolls with each a different personality, looks and shoes of course! The best part is that each doll comes with a collection of 4 red-soled Louboutins with their own Louboutin shoe box and bag.

“Anemone” is dressed with a green and purple gown, bow bracelet and Anemone shoes.

“Dolly Forever” is wearing a khaki mini dress, sunglasses, gold extras and Forever Tina fringed boots.

“Cat Burglar” wears a sexy black catsuit and Differa sandals.

You can buy Dolly Forever Barbie, Cat Burglar Barbie and Anemone Barbie EXCLUSIVELY at Net-A-Porter for only $150.Ca

After three years at the helm of Menswear, Franck Boclet is leaving Ungaro.

It couldn’t come at a worst time because Ungaro has just lost its chief designer (see ELB past article here).

Boclet was recruited in 2007 at the same time as Esteban Cortazar after working at Smalto for more than 15 years! He is considered as Francesco Smalto’s spiritual son.

Franck Boclet begun his career at renowned fashion houses: Kenzo, Arrow and Courrège. In 1991 he joins Smalto and works alongside Francesco Smalto himself, then 5 years later he flies solo and becomes Smalto only Artistic Director.

Franck Boclet has his own approach of fashion, inspired by his love for contemporary art and glam rock music.

He impersonates the new Dandyism.

Now rumor has it that Giles Deacon will soon join Ungaro; but it is still unclear if he is going to take over the menswear as well.

The British designer has previously worked alongside Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, Tom Ford during his Gucci years and as Bottega Veneta head designer.

Deacon launched his eponymous brand, GILES, in 2003 which brought him great success. Indeed he has received since many awards from the industry among them, he won “Best New Designer” at the 2004 British Fashion Awards and “Best British Designer” at the 2006 edition.

Giles Deacon is also known for his collaboration with Mulberry Handbags in 2007 and the same year he created a capsule collection for New Look with the campaign modeled by American actress Drew Barrymore. His latest Resort 2010 campaign is modeled by British model/ socialite Pixie Geldof.

Deacon’s hallmark is unlikely proportions, wild prints and pop-culture references.
His latest creation for his Fall 2010 collection include a big furry bag with eyes as a Muppet…that he named the “it bag”!!

French designers are high on our wish list for the on-going 2010 spring-summer collection, so add a French twist to your spring days!

It’s easy, you just need to combine the right pieces together.

First, take the season most wanted, a floral print dressfrom Cacharel.
This multicolored short sleeves dress made of cotton and linen is perfect for the sunny days as well as your wild spring nights. You can shop it at Matches for only £320.

Combine it with Vanessa Bruno best-seller bag for a glamorous look with the silver sequins (£248)

And for the final touch that will make you look like the perfect Parisian chic woman, go for Iro asymmetrical suede biker jacket for only £368!!

Ungaro’s owner Asim Abdullah is looking for a new talent since Estrella Archs, the Spanish designer who joined the French House last year, is leaving her position as Head of Design to concentrate on her own label she created in 2007.

Since Emanuel Ungaro sold his brand in 2005, the fashion house has experienced difficulties in finding the right designer. Entrepreneur Asim Abdullah and president of the company, Mounir Moufarrige, tried their best to replace the legendary designer and also to give great visibility to the aging brand.

Who was Ungaro?

Emanuel Ungaro was born in the south of France from Italian parents in the early thirties. In his twenties he moved to Paris to work for Balenciaga then Courrèges and finally opened his own fashion house in 1965. Later he started a ready-to wear collection then menswear and launched his own perfumes which were very successful and that lead Emanuel Ungaro, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bulgari to associate themselves to create a new company in 1997, Emanuel Ungaro Parfums.

Tumultuous years

In 2004, Emanuel Ungaro decided to retire and left the house designer-less. Followed a few designers and then in 2007 the brand hired fashion sensation Colombian born designer Esteban Cortazar who, at 23, became the youngest designer to head a major fashion label.

Esteban Cortazar was supposed to revivify the brand; indeed at 15 he was the youngest designer to have shown at Miami International Fashion Week and at 19 to show his own brand at New-York Fashion week.

in 2009, Ungaro CEO Mounir Moufarrige came up with the idea of hiring American starlet/actress Lindsey Lohan as Artistic adviser which Cortazar disapproved and quitted citing irreconcilable differences. He was replaced by rising Spanish designer Estrella Archs, who had previously worked for the likes of Hussein Chalayan, Emilio Pucci, Cacharel, and Nina Ricci.

The two women collaborated on Ungaro Spring – Summer 2010 collection during Paris 2009 Fashion Week, which was seen as a real disaster by the public, buyers and fashion critics. As a result of this debacle, Lindsey Lohan was immediately pushed away and Mounir Moufarrige decided to quit the Parisian house in December 2009.
Mounir Moufarrige is no stranger to controversy and is best known for replacing Karl Lagerfeld with fresh face Stella McCartney at the head of Fashion house Chloe in 1997.

Now that Estrella Archs has left Ungaro, the owner Asim Abdullah is said to be looking for the new “it” designer…

There are newcomers in the children market. Indeed both High-end Italian brands Gucci and Fendi have unveiled their plans to expand to childrenswear, on the same day.

Fendi has already developed products for your tots, from 0 to2 years, but now wants to create a strong line for 2-12 years old kids and thus has associated itself with Simonetta for its children ready-to-wear line.

Simonetta is an Italian company and is also working with Roberto Cavalli on its childrenswear.

Fendi, which is part of luxury group LVMH, will present the first Spring Summer collection during Pitti Bimbo, the Childrenswear tradeshow that will take place in Florence, Italy, in June 24th-26th 2010.

The line will be designed by Silvia Venturini Fendi, the heiress of the family brand and creator of the much successful “Spy Bag”.

Other Italian luxury brand Gucci will launch its first children line at the 71st edition of Pitti Bimbo. Gucci is owned by PPR, one of LVMH biggest competitor.

During Gucci flagship store opening in Singapore on April 13th,Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini announced the brand’s will to enter children’s market; the line will first launch in Italy and then in 40 worldwide stores.

Fendi and Gucci are entering a market that has already drawn several renowned designers such as D&G, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Burberry, Chloe, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, Roberto Cavalli…

The fashion house was founded in 1945 by Madame Carven in Paris on a very high-end location, le Rond point des Champs-Elysées. The Parisian designer at first dedicated her craft to petite women, being petite herself, and then became famous among royalties and most American post war movie stars that she used to dress.

Only two seasons ago, Guillaume Henry – who used to work for the likes of Givenchy and Paul ka – was named Creative director of the Couture House. He transformed it into a ready-to wear House and has since, experienced a striking success. Even Net-A-Porter founder, Natalie Massenet said that these clothes “are going to change your life”.

The new designer stays true to the brand spirit, i.e. a strong Parisian-chic twist. Carven rhymes with witty, refreshing and elegant clothes. The brand is the right mix between modern and edgy cuts, combined with the right fabric, for a simple silhouette, never flamboyant, to always look feminine, chic and Parisian, of course!

You can shop the collection at Net-A-Porter: the graphic print silk dress in black and white is the vital piece your wardrobe needs for only £327; or the gabardine asymmetric peplum skirt in nude, this season top trend, or in black for £138 to combine with a white cotton-poplin bodysuit (£163) and black suede pumps (£300).