Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Birkin Leather Options
One of the beauties about a birkin is the wide variety of leather options a birkin can come in. Each leather that a birkin is available in is different and unique. Two birkins in the same size and color can look completely different from one another if they are different leather types.
There is such a wide variety of leather options that it can all get very confusing for someone new to Hermes. This entry is meant to help educated all Hermes lovers on the leather options Hermes offers. Enjoy!
Non-Exotic Leather
BOX CALF, BLACK
The quintessential Hermes leather. A veau, or calf leather, this leather has been around since Hermes has been making handbags. It is a smooth leather with a glossy finish that is susceptible to scratches. However, the scratches eventually blend into one glossy mirror-like patina, that box afficionados crave. Care must be taken with this leather when raining, if the raindrops are not wiped off, the leather will blister. Under the right care, box calf can last for generations.
CHAMONIX
The matte version of boxcalf. This leather handles scratches better than boxcalf, but is worse in the rain, with a greater tendency to blister. The finish applied to this leather gives it an almost plastic appearance. The picture below appears to have a gloss, do not be mislead, it is matte.
BARENIA NATURAL
The original saddle leather. This leather is double tanned in chrome and vegetable dyes and then soaked in a mix of nine different oils over a 5 to 6 week process. The process causes the leather fibers to soak up all the oils. This leaves the leather with an interesting characteristic. When scratched, the scratches can be rubbed off with a few swipes of your finger, because Barenia can absorb the oils. Also, when rained upon, the water droplets will eventually evaporate. There is no aniline finish, therefore, this leather will develop a patina.
PEAU PORC
Another of Hermes's classic leathers, but retired during the last 10 years. A long lasting durable leather that can last generations if maintained. It is lightweight. This leather is available matte or lisse and can be dyed. Horrible in rain, this leather will blister.
VACHE NATURAL
A vache is the hide of a mature cow. This is another of Hermes's classic leathers, showing up in vintage pieces over 50 years old. This leather is untreated and colored with vegetable dyes. It has a smooth finish. Because it is untreated it will darken at the handles from use, can stain readily, and care must be taken when carried in the rain as it is prone to spotting. For these reasons, I do not consider it a leather for the faint-hearted nor is it for the novice leather afficionado, but this leather when maintained properly will age into the most beautiful patina and can last several decades.
CHEVRE de COROMANDEL
Goathide that is characterized by its pronounced spine pattern down the middle of the skin. Like most goathides, it is lightweight, scratch resistant, and has a sheen to the surface that gives the skin an iridescence. It absorbs color well.
CHEVRE MYSORE
Another goathide but with a less pronounced spine pattern than coromandel. Lightweight, scratch resistant, and iridescent, it is known for making colors "pop". ETA : grains are more refined than coromandel.
VACHE LIEGEE
An adult cowhide, this is a natural grained leather. It has been stated on this forum that the leather is stretched in 8 different directions. Apparently this process gives the leather its rigidity, which is why its touted as being as durable as box. The two-tone effect is a result of a 2 dye process. The grain makes this leather scratch resistant, but care must be taken in avoiding deep scratches. The 2 tone effect will be difficult to regain with deep scratches.
TOGO
Baby calf leather, a veau. To some it is heavy. Others find the aroma heavenly. It is a soft leather, but not as much as clemence. To many, one of the hallmarks of togo is veining. However, togo can be veined or unveined. It is a finer grain than clemence, and slightly more pronounced. It is scratchproof and can be refurbished to almost as good as new.
CLEMENCE
Official name is veau taurillon clemence. It is baby bull and heavy. Perhaps the leather with most slouch to it. It is a broader, flatter grain. The grain has a tendency to come to the surface and this is evidenced by cracking of the resin along the edges of the bag. Around since the 1980's, it is becoming a classic. Another of the Hermes leathers that can be refurbished to almost as good as new.
If you don't wipe the bag down after it gets wet, the blisters can become permanent. You musn't allow the fibers to become saturated with water, otherwise they will plump up.
EPSOM
This is an embossed leather, in other words the pattern is imprinted into the leather and what you see is not its natural grain. The process of embossing compresses the leather and gives the leather some rigidity. This is a phenomenon common to all the embossed leathers and to the stretched ones as well. Epsom appears to be laminated as it is easy to clean with a damp cloth, which is one of the advantages to this leather. In addition, it is lightweight.
COURCHEVEL
Now only seen in small accessories, this leather is very similar to epson in appearance. Another embossed leather, it has the same properties as epson. It is lightweight and easy to clean. The slight difference is that courchevel is shinier and darker at the top of the grain. I believe it may be dyed in a 2 dye process and then treated with a laminate.
AGNEAU
Lambskin. Very soft with a gentle hand. It is prone to scratches but ages well with a slight patina and slight greying around the edges. It is used in gloves and the linings of the jige elan, some small leather goods, maharani, and many vintage clutches, as well as the bolide and selected white bags. It is also used in Carmen keyring and carmencita series bookmarks.
GULLIVER/SWIFT
I am clumping these two leathers together, because they are one and the same. Gulliver was retired around 7 years ago and brought back within the last year. This time it was renamed Swift. Does anyone see the connection between the two leathers? Hint: Who wrote Gulliver's Travels. Anyway, it is a soft leather with a gentle hand and a fine grain. One of its best qualities is that it is great at absorbing the dyes and the brighter colors come to life in this leather. The fine grain seems to reflect light in such a way that the colors are almost iridescent. While it can scratch more easily than clemence and togo the scratches can be rubbed off with your finger. Deeper scratches can be refurbished with a condition at Hermes and brought back to almost new. I find this a resilient leather.
EVERGRAIN
This leather leaves me baffled. I was informed it is embossed evercalf. However, it does not have the stiffness of the embossed leathers. Instead it is soft and silky to the touch. It has a very fine grain to it. Because the grains are not so coarse, this leather can show scratches, but I find that scratches can be rubbed away with a finger.
VEAU GRAIN LISSE, VGL
This leather reminds me of epsom and courchevel. They are both embossed or altered leathers. The difference is that veau grain lisse has less angular, rounder grains. The dyeing process may be similar to courchevel because the top of the grain dyes slightly darker than the crevices. It is probably laminated as well, making this leather easy to clean.
FJORD
A vache, or adult cow hide. It has a wider, flatter grain than togo or clemence. Somewhat heavier as well. It has the advantage of repelling water off its surface. I have seen this bag in rain and the droplets have slid off.
VEAU GRAIN LONG
This is a discontinued baby cowhide, probably embossed. It is being listed for the benefit of the vintage collectors for easier identification.
EVERCALF
Similar in grain to box, but much softer in feel.
Per the store- once there are scratches on evercalf, the bag can not be refurbished in the same manner as box leather, even though these two skins look similar.
Exotic Skins
OSTRICH
Species Struthio Camellus, farmed in South Africa. Can come matte. This is a dynamic leather that will darken from contact with your hands and also lighten with exposure to light. It is effective in rain as the surface can be wiped down with a cloth with no marks or residue. It ages well and will develop a patina over time. If maintained properly it can last decades. It should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling overseas.
CROCODYLUS NILOTICUS MATTE
Known as Nile crocodile, farmed in Zimbabwe, and denoted by .. The following picture is matte skin. Matte skins are finished simply by rubbing with felt, thereby necessitating that the skins be the best available as every blemish will be evident. The same care for matte croc skins as shiny skins must be observed under wet conditions. If wet or stained the defect can remain permanently. Again CITES certificates are provided with the bag and should be carried during travel.
CROCODYLUS POROSUS ~ Shiney
This leather is designated by a ^. Farmed in Australia. Considered by many to be the premier Hermes leather and noted for its fine, symmetrical scale pattern. It does not come glazed, rather the shine comes from repeated buffing of the skin with a stone until it reaches a sheen. Because it is not treated, it does not do well in rain. While the crocodile skins can be glazed, it is not recommended that it be done more than twice. The reason being that the uneven texture of the skin will leave the glaze uneven on its surface, which may eventually peel and flake with time. Being an exotic, it should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling.
CROCODYLUS NILOTICUS ~ SHINEY
Also known as Nile crocodile and farmed in Zimbabwe. Designated by .. Recognized by its larger scale pattern than porosus. It does not come glazed, rather the shine comes from repeated buffing of the skin with a stone until it reaches a sheen. Because it is not treated, it does not do well in rain. Glazing should not be done more than twice. The reason being that the uneven texture of the skin will leave the glaze uneven on its surface, which may eventually peel and flake with time. Being an exotic, it should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling.
ALLIGATOR
Species Alligator mississippiensis. Farmed in Florida and denoted by a square. Alligator can be differentiated from crocodile by the lack of the "pore" found in crocodile. This pore would have held the ciliary sense organ in the live croc. Also, alligator would have an umbilication in the center of the belly. The swatches below shows the skin in the matte and the shiny form. Like crocodile, it too is buffed with a stone to get its sheen. The same rules for glazing and rain apply to this skin as well.
Non-Leather Options
ETOILE, TOILE
Linen, usually used in conjunction with a leather on the bags. Weave is similar in strength and appearance to firehose material
CANVAS
Another cloth that is usually combined with a leather in creating bags.
VIBRATO
This pattern is created by gluing alternating layers of leather in different colors under high pressure. It is usually used in combination with another leather, most commonly box, in bags. It is also used in small accessories such as coin purses. This should come with a special eraser to keep the leather clean between refurbishings at the store.
CRINOLINE
A woven material used in conjunction with leather in bags. Crinoline is a ribbed weave of horsehair and linen. While very strong, it is most durable on rigid constructed bags such as the kelly. Individual horse hairs can break with use, though this does not interfere with the integrity of the bag itself. Pictures here include the kind of damage seen in crinolline in an unstructured bag such as the market bag. Bags of this construction are usually lined in herringbone linen.
Thank to the wonderful people at TPF Hermes for all of this wonderful information.
There is such a wide variety of leather options that it can all get very confusing for someone new to Hermes. This entry is meant to help educated all Hermes lovers on the leather options Hermes offers. Enjoy!
Non-Exotic Leather
BOX CALF, BLACK
The quintessential Hermes leather. A veau, or calf leather, this leather has been around since Hermes has been making handbags. It is a smooth leather with a glossy finish that is susceptible to scratches. However, the scratches eventually blend into one glossy mirror-like patina, that box afficionados crave. Care must be taken with this leather when raining, if the raindrops are not wiped off, the leather will blister. Under the right care, box calf can last for generations.
CHAMONIX
The matte version of boxcalf. This leather handles scratches better than boxcalf, but is worse in the rain, with a greater tendency to blister. The finish applied to this leather gives it an almost plastic appearance. The picture below appears to have a gloss, do not be mislead, it is matte.
BARENIA NATURAL
The original saddle leather. This leather is double tanned in chrome and vegetable dyes and then soaked in a mix of nine different oils over a 5 to 6 week process. The process causes the leather fibers to soak up all the oils. This leaves the leather with an interesting characteristic. When scratched, the scratches can be rubbed off with a few swipes of your finger, because Barenia can absorb the oils. Also, when rained upon, the water droplets will eventually evaporate. There is no aniline finish, therefore, this leather will develop a patina.
PEAU PORC
Another of Hermes's classic leathers, but retired during the last 10 years. A long lasting durable leather that can last generations if maintained. It is lightweight. This leather is available matte or lisse and can be dyed. Horrible in rain, this leather will blister.
VACHE NATURAL
A vache is the hide of a mature cow. This is another of Hermes's classic leathers, showing up in vintage pieces over 50 years old. This leather is untreated and colored with vegetable dyes. It has a smooth finish. Because it is untreated it will darken at the handles from use, can stain readily, and care must be taken when carried in the rain as it is prone to spotting. For these reasons, I do not consider it a leather for the faint-hearted nor is it for the novice leather afficionado, but this leather when maintained properly will age into the most beautiful patina and can last several decades.
CHEVRE de COROMANDEL
Goathide that is characterized by its pronounced spine pattern down the middle of the skin. Like most goathides, it is lightweight, scratch resistant, and has a sheen to the surface that gives the skin an iridescence. It absorbs color well.
CHEVRE MYSORE
Another goathide but with a less pronounced spine pattern than coromandel. Lightweight, scratch resistant, and iridescent, it is known for making colors "pop". ETA : grains are more refined than coromandel.
VACHE LIEGEE
An adult cowhide, this is a natural grained leather. It has been stated on this forum that the leather is stretched in 8 different directions. Apparently this process gives the leather its rigidity, which is why its touted as being as durable as box. The two-tone effect is a result of a 2 dye process. The grain makes this leather scratch resistant, but care must be taken in avoiding deep scratches. The 2 tone effect will be difficult to regain with deep scratches.
TOGO
Baby calf leather, a veau. To some it is heavy. Others find the aroma heavenly. It is a soft leather, but not as much as clemence. To many, one of the hallmarks of togo is veining. However, togo can be veined or unveined. It is a finer grain than clemence, and slightly more pronounced. It is scratchproof and can be refurbished to almost as good as new.
CLEMENCE
Official name is veau taurillon clemence. It is baby bull and heavy. Perhaps the leather with most slouch to it. It is a broader, flatter grain. The grain has a tendency to come to the surface and this is evidenced by cracking of the resin along the edges of the bag. Around since the 1980's, it is becoming a classic. Another of the Hermes leathers that can be refurbished to almost as good as new.
If you don't wipe the bag down after it gets wet, the blisters can become permanent. You musn't allow the fibers to become saturated with water, otherwise they will plump up.
EPSOM
This is an embossed leather, in other words the pattern is imprinted into the leather and what you see is not its natural grain. The process of embossing compresses the leather and gives the leather some rigidity. This is a phenomenon common to all the embossed leathers and to the stretched ones as well. Epsom appears to be laminated as it is easy to clean with a damp cloth, which is one of the advantages to this leather. In addition, it is lightweight.
COURCHEVEL
Now only seen in small accessories, this leather is very similar to epson in appearance. Another embossed leather, it has the same properties as epson. It is lightweight and easy to clean. The slight difference is that courchevel is shinier and darker at the top of the grain. I believe it may be dyed in a 2 dye process and then treated with a laminate.
AGNEAU
Lambskin. Very soft with a gentle hand. It is prone to scratches but ages well with a slight patina and slight greying around the edges. It is used in gloves and the linings of the jige elan, some small leather goods, maharani, and many vintage clutches, as well as the bolide and selected white bags. It is also used in Carmen keyring and carmencita series bookmarks.
GULLIVER/SWIFT
I am clumping these two leathers together, because they are one and the same. Gulliver was retired around 7 years ago and brought back within the last year. This time it was renamed Swift. Does anyone see the connection between the two leathers? Hint: Who wrote Gulliver's Travels. Anyway, it is a soft leather with a gentle hand and a fine grain. One of its best qualities is that it is great at absorbing the dyes and the brighter colors come to life in this leather. The fine grain seems to reflect light in such a way that the colors are almost iridescent. While it can scratch more easily than clemence and togo the scratches can be rubbed off with your finger. Deeper scratches can be refurbished with a condition at Hermes and brought back to almost new. I find this a resilient leather.
EVERGRAIN
This leather leaves me baffled. I was informed it is embossed evercalf. However, it does not have the stiffness of the embossed leathers. Instead it is soft and silky to the touch. It has a very fine grain to it. Because the grains are not so coarse, this leather can show scratches, but I find that scratches can be rubbed away with a finger.
VEAU GRAIN LISSE, VGL
This leather reminds me of epsom and courchevel. They are both embossed or altered leathers. The difference is that veau grain lisse has less angular, rounder grains. The dyeing process may be similar to courchevel because the top of the grain dyes slightly darker than the crevices. It is probably laminated as well, making this leather easy to clean.
FJORD
A vache, or adult cow hide. It has a wider, flatter grain than togo or clemence. Somewhat heavier as well. It has the advantage of repelling water off its surface. I have seen this bag in rain and the droplets have slid off.
VEAU GRAIN LONG
This is a discontinued baby cowhide, probably embossed. It is being listed for the benefit of the vintage collectors for easier identification.
EVERCALF
Similar in grain to box, but much softer in feel.
Per the store- once there are scratches on evercalf, the bag can not be refurbished in the same manner as box leather, even though these two skins look similar.
Exotic Skins
OSTRICH
Species Struthio Camellus, farmed in South Africa. Can come matte. This is a dynamic leather that will darken from contact with your hands and also lighten with exposure to light. It is effective in rain as the surface can be wiped down with a cloth with no marks or residue. It ages well and will develop a patina over time. If maintained properly it can last decades. It should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling overseas.
CROCODYLUS NILOTICUS MATTE
Known as Nile crocodile, farmed in Zimbabwe, and denoted by .. The following picture is matte skin. Matte skins are finished simply by rubbing with felt, thereby necessitating that the skins be the best available as every blemish will be evident. The same care for matte croc skins as shiny skins must be observed under wet conditions. If wet or stained the defect can remain permanently. Again CITES certificates are provided with the bag and should be carried during travel.
CROCODYLUS POROSUS ~ Shiney
This leather is designated by a ^. Farmed in Australia. Considered by many to be the premier Hermes leather and noted for its fine, symmetrical scale pattern. It does not come glazed, rather the shine comes from repeated buffing of the skin with a stone until it reaches a sheen. Because it is not treated, it does not do well in rain. While the crocodile skins can be glazed, it is not recommended that it be done more than twice. The reason being that the uneven texture of the skin will leave the glaze uneven on its surface, which may eventually peel and flake with time. Being an exotic, it should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling.
CROCODYLUS NILOTICUS ~ SHINEY
Also known as Nile crocodile and farmed in Zimbabwe. Designated by .. Recognized by its larger scale pattern than porosus. It does not come glazed, rather the shine comes from repeated buffing of the skin with a stone until it reaches a sheen. Because it is not treated, it does not do well in rain. Glazing should not be done more than twice. The reason being that the uneven texture of the skin will leave the glaze uneven on its surface, which may eventually peel and flake with time. Being an exotic, it should come with a CITES certificate that should be carried while traveling.
ALLIGATOR
Species Alligator mississippiensis. Farmed in Florida and denoted by a square. Alligator can be differentiated from crocodile by the lack of the "pore" found in crocodile. This pore would have held the ciliary sense organ in the live croc. Also, alligator would have an umbilication in the center of the belly. The swatches below shows the skin in the matte and the shiny form. Like crocodile, it too is buffed with a stone to get its sheen. The same rules for glazing and rain apply to this skin as well.
Non-Leather Options
ETOILE, TOILE
Linen, usually used in conjunction with a leather on the bags. Weave is similar in strength and appearance to firehose material
CANVAS
Another cloth that is usually combined with a leather in creating bags.
VIBRATO
This pattern is created by gluing alternating layers of leather in different colors under high pressure. It is usually used in combination with another leather, most commonly box, in bags. It is also used in small accessories such as coin purses. This should come with a special eraser to keep the leather clean between refurbishings at the store.
CRINOLINE
A woven material used in conjunction with leather in bags. Crinoline is a ribbed weave of horsehair and linen. While very strong, it is most durable on rigid constructed bags such as the kelly. Individual horse hairs can break with use, though this does not interfere with the integrity of the bag itself. Pictures here include the kind of damage seen in crinolline in an unstructured bag such as the market bag. Bags of this construction are usually lined in herringbone linen.
Thank to the wonderful people at TPF Hermes for all of this wonderful information.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
A Beginners Guide To The Birkin
History
In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the ground, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Monsieur Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her, based on an 1892 design. This design became known as The Birkin, and from there a fashion iconic bag was born.
Craftsmanship
The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. The company's signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s, is one of its distinctive feature. Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.
Demand
Due to the precise detail and energy it takes to make a Birkin by hand, only a limited amount of birkins are created each year. The Birkin bag is free of logos, yet it is one of the most recognized bags in the fashion industry. It is a highly coveted bag and, for several years, was reputed for having a waiting list of up to 6 years – the longest wait for any bag in history.
Most people today say the waiting list for a custom special order birkin is about 2-3 years depending on your luck.
Size
A handbag birkin is generally considered to be the sizes 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, 40cm. There are also travel size birkins but my blog is going to be dedicated to the handbag size birkins.
Leather
Buyers are able to custom their birkins with a variety of leather choices, hardware choices, and color choices. I will go into further detail on each one of these topics in feature post since there is a wide variety of options that will take awhile to blog about =).
These pictures are courtesy of Ilovemylife, an awesome member of TPF.
Happy Hermes Hunting!
In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the ground, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Monsieur Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her, based on an 1892 design. This design became known as The Birkin, and from there a fashion iconic bag was born.
Craftsmanship
The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. The company's signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s, is one of its distinctive feature. Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.
Demand
Due to the precise detail and energy it takes to make a Birkin by hand, only a limited amount of birkins are created each year. The Birkin bag is free of logos, yet it is one of the most recognized bags in the fashion industry. It is a highly coveted bag and, for several years, was reputed for having a waiting list of up to 6 years – the longest wait for any bag in history.
Most people today say the waiting list for a custom special order birkin is about 2-3 years depending on your luck.
Size
A handbag birkin is generally considered to be the sizes 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, 40cm. There are also travel size birkins but my blog is going to be dedicated to the handbag size birkins.
Leather
Buyers are able to custom their birkins with a variety of leather choices, hardware choices, and color choices. I will go into further detail on each one of these topics in feature post since there is a wide variety of options that will take awhile to blog about =).
These pictures are courtesy of Ilovemylife, an awesome member of TPF.
Happy Hermes Hunting!
Dedication to Hermes Birkin
Its a new year and I have decided to take this blog in a new direction. Instead of blogging about a wide variety of fashion and not having a clear set direction for this blog, I have now decided to dedicate this blog to my love of Birkins. I think Hermes Birkins are a very fitting topic considering the name of my blog =).
Friday, September 17, 2010
Marchesa Spring 2011 Show
Marchesa has done it again with the Spring 2011 show. They've made me fall in love with them all over again. Marchesa designs gowns that is every little girl's dream. I love looking at their dresses and drooling over them, but unfortunately, my lifestyle has no need for a Marchesa gown. I would love to own one but I have absolutely no idea where I would wear the gorgeous gown to. Even if Cinderella had the prettiest gown in the world, she still needs a ball to wear it to... *sigh*
Friday, August 27, 2010
Jeggins
Jeggins: a hybrid between jeans and leggings. You get the fit and comfort of leggings but with the look of jeans. Lots of women are fans of these and celebrities like Beyonce, can't seem to live without them.
I haven't tried on a pair yet so my personal verdict for these aren't out yet. I will keep everyone updated.
I haven't tried on a pair yet so my personal verdict for these aren't out yet. I will keep everyone updated.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Custom Jewelry For The Discerning Fashionista
Picture Above: My Custom One of a Kind Curve Jewelry CreationA little while ago, I wrote to all of you about Curve Jewelry and their exquisite one of a kind custom jewelry. How could any of us forget about that beautiful rose ring? Just looking at a picture of the rose ring makes me want to quote Shakespeare...
I was fortunate enough to become an Owner of a piece of custom Curve Jewelry recently and I am in love with this company. They do amazing one of a kind work and every girl should own something from them. All of their designs are unique, beautiful, classy, and conversation starters. Any design that you pick, I can promise you that you will not be disappointed in the craftsmanship and design.
Curve Jewelry does amazing work and they have a lot more great designs available for you to view on their website. Check out their other great designs at http://www.curvepearls.webs.com/
For those of you interested in owning your very own Curve Jewelry piece, please contact Curve Jewelry at curvejewellery@gmail.com for more information.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Fashion Inspiration: Gossip Girl Street Fashion
Blake Lively proves once again she's truly deserving of her fashion "it" girl status. Even when she's off from the camera and enjoying her weekend with her gorgeous hunky boyfriend, Pen Badgley, this girl looks amazing! She's stylishly chic in a very relaxing outfit that just screams summer relaxing/summer fun to me.
I love everything about this look and how it's so comfortable, simple and chic at the same time.
Another plus about this look is it's something any of us can probably achieve just by going through our closets. I am sure most of us have a simple tank dress. Pair a cute hat to the dress, and add a messenger bag an you're good to go!
Jessica Alba and Valentino
Jessica Alba looking absolutely stunning and glamourous in a Valentino Gown
Star Studded Party that included Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba, and Claire Danes
When I saw Jessica Alba sitting front row and center at the Valentino Paris Fall 2010-2011 Haute Couture Fashion Show, I need we would be seeing Jessica in a stunning Valentino gown sometime soon. I didn't expect how soon it would be though. Shortly after the fashion show, Jessica Alba showed up at the Valentino Garavani Archives Dinner Party in Versailles wearing a spectacular one shoulder red Valentino gown. She looked amazing and she was absolutely glowing. You can always count on Valentino to make a girl look glamourous.
I went shopping yesterday at Neiman Marcus San Francisco and they were showing a video clip of the Valentino Fashion Show in Paris featuring this dress on a model. After looking at this dress again in pictures and videos, I must say I am in love with this design. It features all the classic marks of a Valentino trademark piece: glamour, feminine, chic, and of course the iconic red.
This dress can be ordered from Neiman Marcus, Saks, or a Valentino Boutique.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Louboutin is now ONLINE
Ok, fine... Christian Louboutin has been online for awhile and they have always had a great website but we've always only been able to look at the latest designs and couldn't buy anything from Louboutin directly online... =(
All that has changed now though and I have some good news for all you online shopping fashionista's out there! Christian Louboutin has launched their online shopping site. You can now order your favorite shoes from the comfort of your home and have them ship it directly to you. No more are the days of us checking out the Louboutin site for the latest designs and then having to go to another retail site to buy the shoe. We can now do everything at one site. This makes things a lot easier for girls like me who are addicted to shoes. hooray!!
You can start your online Louboutin shopping here:
http://us.christianlouboutin.com/
Monday, July 12, 2010
Christian Louboutin Armony Ankle Boots With Removable Cuff
I went to Neiman Marcus last weekend with my girlfriend and I spotted a pair of Louboutin booties that I am in love with. The design is very avante-garde and its a 2 in 1 shoe. You can wear it as a simple black classic Louboutin bootie, or you can add the cuff onto the shoe and turn it into a stunning, attention grabbing fashionista bootie. I am a huge fan of design and quality, so I love it when top designers work those talented brains of theirs and give us fun new designs. Louboutins are not exactly the cheapest shoes out there, so to be able to get 2 pairs of shoes for the price of one is simply spectacular and makes this shoe even sweeter!
Avante-garde design features two looks: a tall, flannel cuffed boot with leather trim and classic bootie style.
Self-covered heel, 5½” (140mm)
Self-covered platform, 1¼” (30mm)
Compares to a 4¼” heel (110mm)
Shaft w/o cuff, 4¼”
Shaft w/cuff, 6″
Leg circumference, about 10″
Bootie with inside zip
Leather lining
Padded insole
Signature red leather sole
Made in Italy
After trying them on and walking around the store in them for a little bit, these shoes fit true to size and the hidden platform makes it very easy to walk in. I highly recommend this as an addition to your fabulous closet.
You can purchase these spectacular booties at any Christian Louboutin Boutique, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Ave, or Barney's.
For those of you who like to shop online, you can get them from Saks.
They retail for $1,395.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
"A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet."
Shakespeare, himself, might be long gone but the wisdom of his words still remain behind with us. For the ladies out there who want to receive roses from their SO but are allergic to roses, your problem is now solved! This gorgeous one-of-a-kind diamond ring by Curve Jewelry is breathtakingly gorgeous and it would easily put any real rose to shame. A rose might be beautiful but it will only last 7 days at the most. This beauty however, will last you a lifetime. Now all you ladies out there just need to talk your special someone into giving you this special token of appreciation ;). Or for the single ladies out there, I think this is a great right hand ring design.
For those of you interested, please contact Curve Jewelry at curvejewellery@gmail.com for more information. You can also check out their other great designs at http://www.curvepearls.webs.com/
Zac Posen
Someone should have forced me to try on Zac Posen's designers earlier. I've obviously heard of his name for awhile and I've seen his dresses before but I have never had the motivation to try them on. I finally recently purchased on of his dresses and I am in love with the design and fit. He's a wonderful designer who takes care of all the minor little details to make a dress fit ideally. I'm really happy with my newest addition to my closet and he's now a designer who's on my radar list. I look forward to adding more of his creations to my closet.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Gucci & Louis Vuitton Ipad Cases
Apple IpadI'm not a huge fan of the functionality of the Ipad, but Apple is always a design and marketing genuis. With the new launch of any Apple product, there will always be a bevy of accessories to follow it. In recent years, designer brands have also jumped into the lucrative accessory market for tech goods. With the new launch of the Ipad, two major houses have already introduced Ipad covers.
Gucci
I like the design of the Gucci Ipad case more than the LV ipad case since theres a closure to keep the ipad from slipping out. I'm not a fan of the logo overdose but then again, this is Gucci so what else can we expect. Personally, I'm not a huge ipad fan but I can see some of my friends with Ipads buying this. I would shy away from the traditional color scheme and go for the black one instead since the logo's are less noticeable in that version.
Louis Vuitton
The design of this Ipad case is a huge disappoint for me. Its nothing more than a sleeve made from the LV monogram canvas. There is nothing stylish, or exciting about the design. It's just plain boring and logo overboard for me.
New Domain Name
My old domain birkinista.com expired and since I was never really diligent about updating that site, I decided to not renew the domain name. This is going to be my new home where I'm going to share my thoughts about fashion and lifestyle.
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