Cheap designer handbags

Ok so as most of you will have realised by now you can’t keep a blog about designer handbags going for too long without a great new bag by Jimmy Choo. I don’t keep count but I’d say never more than a month goes by when the great designer himself creates something that people in the fashion world just can’t stop talking about.

At first look the Rosa Satchel may seem a little too understated for some but I suppose that’s the great thing about Choo as they can get away with both the understated and the bizarre in the same collection. It’s not completely obvious at first glance that the bag is lizard but the embossed effect really makes the leather feel amazing to the touch. Also the shine effect they have created from this leather makes it stand out across the room despite the dark purple colour.

Satchels are becoming more and more popular in the world of handbags these days and I have to admit that I’m not exactly sure why. I suppose on the one side you have the extra practicality of handles but in my opinion if you paying over £1000 for a handbag (£1200 in this case) practicality isn’t coming into it. Maybe it’s just me but I can’t help but think how much better this bag would look with just a shoulder strap, I mean doesn’t everyone use shoulder straps these days? Still I suppose it is the job of designers to provide great looking bags for everyone even if that means designing for practicality, ie just look at the number of designer briefcases we are seeing these days.

So some of you will be v surprised that I’ve never had a Versace handbag here on cheapdesignerbags before but some of you will probably know that Versace really don’t make great handbags. Who knows why this is since they seem to excel at (mostly) everything else but they have had some really famous failures in the bag world that I won’t go into here. However I do believe in second chances and have decided to bring you this very interesting Versace Hilary Satchel in purple that has just been released. One of the things i like about this Satchel is its no more complicated than it needs to be (a problem with previous Versaces), even the ringlets on the side fit in with the overall look complementing the straps and handle buckle.

I know many of you will balk at the thought of a purple bag but fear not as I think this particular shade of purple is going to fit well with a lot of outfits as we head into winter. All blacks and most grey shades are going to work really well so I don’t think there should be any clashing catastrophes. Another cool thing with this handbag is how functional it seems to be, even if I do wish it was a tiny bit deeper the overall size is great as its going to carry all the essentials plus a few magazines and papers too!

The only problem I have found so far is the price which at over £2000 is quite steep. I suppose Versace are hoping to trade on their brand a bit here and while part of me says yes ok another part says they are still the new kid on the block when it comes to handbags. If they really want to announce their presence in this part of the fashion world then why not start at £1000 and build up a fan base? They’ve don’t it before.

So I don’t want to sound big-headed but it’s not too often that I find a handbag by a designer I’ve never heard which is the case with this shoulder bag by Jil Sander. Just from the pic above you can see it’s quite a departure from the usual summer leather we’ve been seeing lately. First thing that does spring to mind is the world “futuristic” and that’s not a phrase I’ve used here before. I suppose it’s quite a trick to predict what bags will look like in 10 years which is probably why everyone is so obsessed with making vintage bags at the moment. There really is something of the “sci fi” movie about this handbag don’t you think? Something in my head keeps screaming out “Minority Report”!

As you can guess from the sketchy content of this post so far details of the bag itself are very thin on the ground, even at the official site at store.jilsander.com there’s no mention. Could be (and probably is) some attempt to drum up some more hype but I don’t really see the need as something this good sells itself. From design alone it really does look a class act, everything from the oversized strap to the clasp on the front scream effortless cool (with a dash of comfort). To many this will look like a business bag from the off but to me it’s going to go great with anything even slightly classy in your wardrobe. Prices are still unknown but I’d be surprised if you can snag it for under £1500.

I do want to at least try to be positive about this latest handbag from Stella McCartney as I think she comes up with some really off the wall ideas when it comes to fashion, and for that she should be applauded. However you will quickly realise after forking out £600 for this “python” bag that it is not python at all but full lovely nylon instead. Yes while it really is great and noble that Stella refuses to use any animal skins in her work I really don’t think this comes anywhere close so some of the python bags I’ve reviewed here by Nancy Gonzalez and Carlos Falchi.

Even if you put aside the aesthetics (i don’t know why you would) the feel of 100% pure nylon sends shivers up my spine every time I think about it. How a bag feels is just as important as the look and I know that python and some leathers really mould to your body with use and if you are using your bag for practical reasons and not just for show then this is essential.

On the one hand I could understand Stellas stance if it were fur she was against as that bandwagon has been going since the 90s, but python isn’t an endangered species (according to Wikipedia which hasn’t lied to me yet) and cows as far as I’m aware aren’t going anywhere soon. Besides if you where a cow (stay with me) would you rather end up as a lovely Crossbody from Donna Karan or a big mac in McDonalds? I think I need to stop writing posts late at night lol