Louis Vuitton Watercolor Speedy

First and foremost, much of the information on this new bag from Louis Vuitton is still not set-in-stone nor is anyone 100% sure of the truth behind it all. We have all heard conflicting stories, information, prices, release dates, etc. But you know a bag is a sure hit when the rumors begin (sick but true!). Richard Prince collaborated with Marc Jacobs to design artistic bags for the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2008 line. The hottest item right now is the Louis Vuitton Watercolor Speedy which is said to be released in the US on May 1,2008. The release date has been changed numerous amounts of times. Another piece of information that everyone is uncertain of is the price. The early look book says the bag will be $1,185 but I have heard prices going up to $1,600. My wonderful SA at Bal Harbour did some research and believes it will be around $1,300. The next piece of information that has many confused is the size. While the Louis Vuitton Speedy is available in a size 30 and 35, this bag is said to only come in size 35. The monogram pattern is designed in a manner that has the orange, red, and yellow paints looking like they were painted on with watercolor paint. This bag has an incredibly long wait list at many stores and the masses are clamoring to get the next ‘big’ Speedy. The price is said to be around $1,300 via your local LV boutique when available. You can always check eLuxury also.

Gucci 8-8-2008 Special Edition

For this year, Gucci announced a special limited 8-8-2008 collection of just 8 fashion accessories that will be available exclusively through Gucci Hong Kong and China stores. The special edition pays homage to competitive sports and is supposed to epitomize sporty luxury, according to Gucci creative director Frida Giannini. Cornerstone of the campaign is the new I-Gucci watch, which is unique to the 8-8-08 campaign in both coloring and sporty appearance. It also happens to be the first digital time piece Gucci has ever released - its digital face is capable of displaying both numerical and clock-hand formats. Other specs include a 44 millimeter steel frame casing, a red monochrome rubber strap (embossed with Gucci’s iconic GG pattern on its inside) and selection of multiple time zones.

The 8-8-2008 collection also features an unlikely accessory in form of a bicycle. The bike is built for leisure and sports bold red double GG leather details such as the seat and the handle bar grips. On a personal note: Being somewhat of a bike fetishist myself, I feel like the Holland-style bike defies the whole concept of the campaign. If the collection is conveying a sporty spirit, why not collaborate with a real competitive race bike maker such as Specialized and give Gucci lovers a real sport toy for their money’s worth? I suppose my perception of “sports” are quite a bit different than the creative department at Gucci envisions. Judging their frail Chinese campaign model, his stature and lack of sporty appearance, entirely justifies my criticism of the nature of the campaign. In my humble opinion, this collection’s ties to competitive sports should have been dropped for the sake of real athletes around the globe.
Moving on from an athlete’s rant, the limited collection also features two pieces of luggage in the bold red “La Pelle Guccissima”. The first is a study leather duffel bag and the other a soft-leather messenger bag with Gucci’s Green-Red-Green web on its shoulder strap.
You can view the full limited edition here, while this page offers an exclusive video, giving insights into the shooting and creation of the campaign pictures. As mentioned, most items will only be available through Gucci boutiques in HK and China, the I-Gucci watch will be available globally.

Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Montaigne Clutch

Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Montaigne Clutch
Today has been an absolutely fabulous day! It is raining outside and windy, but we had our first meeting with the wedding planner and I could not be more thrilled. Now the fun part comes; deciding on the venue and every other detail involved. I am narrowing down the colors that I would like to use, and while I think I know the exact colors I would like, pink and purple hues are near and dear to my heart. They are so feminine and stunning. And as my mind rambled, and as I have been in love with these two colors, I found one of my favorite Louis Vuitton Clutches in the exact colors that I adore. We loved the Louis Vuitton Epi Leather Montaigne Clutch when we first saw it in black and white, and have fallen in love with it all over again in purple and pink. The sleek and clean lines of the textured Epi leather, smooth leather trim, and stunning shiny palladium hardware combine to make this bag a show stopper. The flap top is closed with a stunning large logo-engraved push-lock closure. I loved this bag so much that I bought one for my mom at Louis Vuitton Bal Harbour. Somehow I decided not to get one for myself, and now I know why. It is because these two colors have my heart! The only issue is deciding which color to go for. The more wearable hue of purple or the girly pink? Sure, this has not gotten me far in my wedding planning, but the side-tracks in life always end in stunning shopping purchases.

Louis Vuitton Monogram Tisse Rayure Clutch

Louis Vuitton Monogram Tisse Rayure Clutch
Late last week Vlad and I avoided all work for a day and spent the day out enjoying the weather, a great lunch, and some shopping. Shopping in South Florida is like no where else. I could sit and people watch for hours everyday. We were walking down Las Olas (a chic little strip filled with boutiques) in Fort Lauderdale when I noticed a group of 3 women who were incredibly chic. They were chic and at least 80 years old. As they sat on the corner of the street chatting away I caught them reveling in their new purchases for one another, from Louis Vuitton Monogram Tisse Rayure line. While two of the ladies were carrying the Louis Vuitton Monogram Tissé Sac Rayure PM, one of the ladies was carrying my favorite, the Louis Vuitton Monogram Tisse Rayure Clutch. The bags in this line are designed with linen and cotton monogram canvas with a grained leather trim. This line has been designed by Mar Jacobs and pays homage to historical Louis Vuitton trunks. As I watched these ladies, who were dressed fabulously, I fell in love with the bag. It is different, elegant, and timeless. Just as I thought they could not be any more fabulous, their driver pulled up in their Bentley to wisk them away. Sure a Bentley doesn’t always mean you are chic, but these ladies sure were. The clutch has a removable strap for carrying and dimensions are 12.8″x 7.9″x 3.7″.