The Traits Of A Designer Handbag Collector

 Designer handbag collectors are obsessed. Some people collect stamps, coins, butterflies or other weird things but some people have a designer handbag collection. These designer handbag lovers have developed a lot of knowledge about bags and have information about all brands at their fingertips.

BUY  ITALIAN LEATHER BAGS

 Designer handbag lovers have a few things in common:

1. Designer handbag lovers find their bags to be wonderful accessories which can brighten up any outfit and add a touch of class – they are in love with bags.
2. They love their bags to be the topic of conversation and admired by friends. Others may be a little envious of their designer handbag collection so they may tell them they got it for a steal on e-bay.
3. Collectors love to have the same bag in multiple colors, leathers or sizes. For a designer handbag lover this is not ridiculous or wasteful – it is common sense to like what you like hand have a variety, and sometimes you like a big black bag. Other times, you want the same bag to be little and pink.
4. Fancy leather is one of life’s little luxuries and once they have experienced it it’s hard for them to go back to enjoying things that are merely average.
5. A collector knows that a designer handbag can last a lifetime but they require proper care and storage.  Even if you’re not super careful with your bags, you know that they should be kept in their dust-bags in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight and feed leather regularly. If you’re extra careful, stuff them with tissue to maintain their shapes when not in use. Handbag maintenance requires more attention to detail than regular clothing, for better or for worse.
6. A lover of handbags will plan a whole outfit around their new bag. This is perfectly rational.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that if you buy a new handbag and don’t immediately plan an outfit for its debut, you should probably return it because you don’t like it enough.
7. Collectors believe that you can actually save money on the rest of your wardrobe by having a selection of great handbags. Okay, so the maths might be a little wonky, but hear me out: carrying a nice bag automatically makes everything you’re wearing look more expensive, so who’s to say that your Zara sweatpants aren’t actually Rag & Bone? We all have a finite amount of money to spend on our wardrobes, and if nothing else, a bag is a great diversion.
8. Designer handbag lovers truly believe that people really do treat them differently. Whether they realize it or not, everyone has little cues about social status, and they do it all day, every day. Even someone who’s not obsessed with fashion can usually tell when someone’s outfit is expensive and sophisticated, and high-status people tend to get better treatment in stores, restaurants–everywhere. Because the brand of a designer handbag is easily recognizable and usually carried prominently on the body, they’re a great shortcut.
9. Designer handbag collectors are passionate, and any argument about handbags being too expensive or fashion too shallow will not change their minds or their habits.
10. The experience of buying a new designer handbag is second only to the bag itself. Whether it is perusing the handbag floor at a beautiful department store or unwrapping the bag they purchased on line it is just a lot of fun. The anticipation is so worth it.

And the best thing of all is that a designer handbag will retain its good looks, style and value for a very long time. They are timeless and never seem to date.

Is Your Handbag Healthy?

There are three things to look out for in a handbag  which can affect your health

1) Some leathers can be toxic due to the type of tanning process used  - Check why in my blog 

2) You can harbor toxic bacteria in your bag  - Check what bugs could be in your purse 

3) You bag can cause you back pain - check why here 

Does The “It Bag” Remain Relevant In 2016?

An “It Bag” is a vernacular term created by the fashion industry to define a brand or type of high-priced designer handbag by manufacturers such as Chanel, Hermès or Fendi that became popular best-sellers. These handbags were also known as status bags and offered women a status symbol which they saw as being very significant. The “It Bag” was perceived to be the must-have fashion accessory by celebrities and fashionistas who yearned to be seen as the stylists of the time.

The term “It Bag” gained popularity during the 1990’s and 2000’s. But, by 2008 the acceptance of the "It bag" was reported to be in decline. By May 2011, whilst acknowledging that there would always be a market for exclusive status bags, Celia Walden reported that the idea of the must-have "It Bag" was no longer fashionable.

Now, in 2016, brands must be ready and willing to diversify as a recipe for success in the current market. Brands have not given up on the desire to create an “It Bag”. They are always looking to design that one bag which will become the one that everyone is talking about, but realistically they are conscious of the fact that they can no longer put all their eggs in one basket. So does the “It Bag” remain relevant In 2016?

The history of the ‘It Bag”

One of the original designers accepted with fashioning the concept of a distinguishable "It Bag" was Giuliana Camerino who started the Venetian fashion house Roberta di Camerino in 1945.  Her handbags were distinct due to their artisan-made hardware and characteristic use of fabrics previously kept only for clothing. Her ideas had an influence on later luxury brand designs including 1) in 1946, bags patterned with a trellis of R's (predecessor of Gucci’s G's); 2) in 1957, woven leather bags (predecessor of Bottega Veneta); and 3) in 1964, she designed a handbag with a unique articulated frame (a design later used by Prada).

Long before the notion of the "It Bag" became popular, many fashion houses such as Hermes, Chanel and Louis Vuitton had by this time fashioned handbags that became well-known in their own right. For instance, in 1935 Hermès created a top-handled leather handbag called a “sac à dépêches“, as part of their leather goods range. In 1956 this same handbag was renamed “the Kelly” when it became one of Grace Kelly’s favorite bags. In February 1955 (2/55), Coco Chanel designed her luxury quilted-leather Chanel 2.55 handbag, which was inspired by the straps found on soldiers’ bags, in order to free up her hands. In 1984, the infamous Birkin was created by Hermès who adapted another of their bags, the Haut à Courroies (originally created around 1900) to craft a bag for the actress and singer Jane Birkin. The Birkin has ever since become one of the most desirable, most extensively recognized bags ever made.

Devised in the 1990's, the term “It Bag” became prevalent with the rapid growth of the handbag market. Fashion houses strove to come up with a distinctive, recognizable flag-ship design which would become that season's must-have bag, likely to sell in large numbers. This required skillful marketing and endorsement by the fashion media. And obviously, as with “the Kelly”, one of the most sought after marketing advantages was for the bag to be seen being carried by a celebrity.

The 2000's

Since the 2000’s, fashion trends have been driven more and more by social media. An “It Bag” goes viral when pictures of celebrities carrying a particular brand are shared by fashion addicts, leading to a huge demand in the latest handbag design. But often this demand these days is short-lived and superseded when the next trend goes viral.

Designers such as Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Fendi, Hermès, Prada, Gucci, Vuitton, Chloe, Mulberry continue to be seen as creators of status bags. But the release of many of their newest designs creates a waiting list for orders, leading to impatient clients to knowingly buy fake copies. As well, must-have bags for the current season are often targeted by thieves and stolen to order, to be sold for considerably reduced prices to folks who want an “It Bag” without paying the true price for it.

In the 2000’s many inexpensive more contemporary brands moved into the market making designer handbags more affordable. But as the market for handbags becomes more crowded and competitive, some luxury brands are taking a more balanced, diversified approach to their product categories, rather than focus on an “It Bag”. They are looking at the more high-margin, low cost-per-wear status symbols that have been increasingly driving the luxury goods market for the last decade.

Despite the fact fashion accessories (which are typically made up of handbags) still accounts for almost 30 percent of the total luxury market, the handbag sector is now producing fewer and fewer “It Bag” designs. Many brands such as Valentino and Vetements, do not even have an “It Bag”.

Very few bags now earn iconic status symbol rights such as the Birkin and Chanel 2.55 did.  The lifecycle of a handbag is now shorter and brands are relying less on an “It Bag” to drive sales. Many brands are relying more on their “ready-to-wear” clothing categories as well as shoes and jewelry as revenue drivers.

Now-a-days, fashion consultant, Julie Gilhart says that there is a greater trend to build a full brand, and there is a shift in thinking away from a depending on an “It Bag”. She says “What's a best seller now may have a short life, and then what? Smart brands know to grow holistically and broad. They have to build a business through all categories.”

 An "It Bag" is an investment 

If you are fortunate enough to own an "It Bag", be thankful because it is a good investment.  They do keep their value and can even increase in price. The most expensive bag to ever sell at auction was a Birkin by Hermeswhich sold for over US $200k. It is made of bright pink (fushia) luxury crocodile skin and features an 18 karat white gold clasp and lock which is encrusted in real diamonds. The Birkin bag, which was designed in 1984 by French fashion house Hermès and named after the actress Jane Birkin, is seen as a fashion classic.

   

Crown Princess Mary Takes Some of Her Favorite Designer Purses With Her On Holiday In Australia.

When I was on holiday on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia in December it was at the same time Crown Prince Frederick and his lovely Australian wife Mary and their four beautiful children were there. And I was lucky enough to see them two times as they went about having fun, once on the beach and once at the Marina Mirage shopping complex. Because of my own fascination with designer handbags I was able to get a glimpse first hand at a couple of her designer handbags. I love her natural simplicity and admire her for the way she is raising her children and allowing them to experience normal activities like any other child.

I saw Princess Mary and her two daughters, Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine, when they had a girls' day out at Marina Mirage for a bit of boutique shopping. They were accompanied by a close girlfriend of Mary's who was assisting her with the two girls. I was thrilled to see Mary holding one of her daughter's hand, whilst she was holding one of her designer handbags in the other. She looked just like any other mother and I may not have recognized her if it hadn't been for the body-guards, which were a dead give-away. She could have gone undetected, hunting for bargains in the shops just like everybody else.

It was such a delight to see them behaving like any other normal family, enjoying themselves and having fun together. They did not expect any special favors and the local newspapers were full of stories about them experiencing the holiday spirit on the Gold Coast just like any other family. They did not demand any favors and waited in line for rides at the theme parks just like the rest of us.

At the beach Princess Mary and her family appeared like any other beach goer.  When I noticed Mary on the beach, she was dressed in a bikini and rash shirt and had I not been mindful that they were in town. I almost certainly would not have recognized who they were. I saw her pounding the surf with a board under her arm and playing in the shallows with her husband and four children. All laughing and playing and having a good time. I couldn't help but notice that whilst her bikini and rash shirt were every-day beach wear, she had a beach-bag which made a statement like all her designer handbags.

Can you spot her bag?

There was one noted misadventure however that caused some concern. While at Mermaid Beach on the Gold Coast. Prince Christian, the future king of Denmark, got into a bit of bother and had to be rescued from rough surf by a local lifeguard, Nick Malcolm. Christian, who is a reasonably good swimmer, was in between the flags in the deep part before the break when he got swept off his feet.  Thankfully he didn't panic and the life guard down played the rescue as " just a standard rescue - doesn't matter that he's a royal." Prince Frederick personally thanked Mr Malcolm for the brave rescue of his son.

The Danish royal family arrived in Perth on December 6 for a family summer holiday in Australia. They first visited Mary's Perth-based brother, John Donaldson. After road-tripping through Western Australia where they were spotted nipping into coffee shops for a caffeine hit and IGA's to pick up snacks, the relaxed royals headed to the Gold Coast. The royals then went to Byron Bay to celebrate the 50th birthday of Mary's sister Jane. They were visited there by friends, including Mary's best friend and bridesmaid at her 2004 wedding, Amber Petty.

Mary was seen lazing on the beach with her family and friends. As she continued her active holiday, she was also seen beating the pavement for a run up to Byron Bay's famous lighthouse.

And like all mum's she carried a plastic bag for the wet swimmers!

When she was at Castle and Shambhala Gardens she took with her another of her exquisite designer handbags.

And she took the same bag shopping in Byron Bay

When their fun filled holiday was over, they returned to Denmark for Queen Margrethe's official New Year's celebration, where the princess once again put on her tiara and ceremonial gown. Bikinis and sunhats now just a lovely dream of a holiday in the land of her birth. With temperatures in Denmark dropping to near freezing point most nights, it’s a far cry from the beach holiday road trip the family enjoyed in the warmth of Australia.

At the New Year event, Crown Prince Frederick dressed in military uniform and carried his ­ceremonial sabre, while his beautiful 43-year-old wife looked amazing in a midnight blue velvet floor-length gown. She wore her diamond and ruby-encrusted tiara and around her neck she wore her Knight of the Order of the Elephant collar. She did not look as if she carried one of her designer handbags to this event.

When I search on Dr Google I am fascinated by the magnificent range of designer handbags carried by Crown Princess Mary. Get your bag fit for a princess at the Large Purse Shop

Boxing Day Sales 2015 Were A Boom But Did You Score A Bargain?

All over the world this year, shoppers threw open their purses and wallets at Boxing Day sales, breaking all records for the start of the summer or winter clearance (depending on where you live) period and surpassing even the retailers' expectations. All countries are reporting positive consumer confidence, resulting in sale activity much stronger when compared to last year.

Get a bargain at the Large Purse Shop every time you buy

Historically, Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated on December 26^th, the day after Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box", from their bosses or employers. Others say that it has origins in the Anglican tradition of collecting money in boxes during Christmas and handing it out the day after.

In many countries such as the UK, Canada, Australia and NZ, it is considered a public holiday which was traditionally spent with family and friends. Many Americans have it as a holiday because most schools and businesses are closed, and now it is also considered an official holiday for federal employees in the US. An executive order issued by President Obama in 2014 allows federal employees to now have that day off in addition to Christmas Day.

Sadly, however in many countries Boxing Day has become known as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in the US. The joy of spending the day having fun with family and friends has been taken over by greed and the compulsion to shop and score a bargain. Marketing campaigns have successfully convinced consumers to extend the Christmas cheer by enjoying huge savings by shopping on that particular day. The message sent is "be prepared and get in quick – you WILL have competition."

Boxing Day sales are common in many countries including the UK, Canada, Australia and NZ, and, in fact, in many parts of the world, Boxing Day is the biggest sale day of the year. Shopping centres, big brands, and independent retailers slash their prices to get rid of stock. While it will never come close to Black Friday in the USA, many US based retailers will also drop those price tags on the 26th. Bargain hunters flock to city malls around the world in a shopping frenzy which this year has eclipsed last year's Boxing Day sales. Records were broken as hundreds of thousands of shoppers across the globe flocked to cash in on the hefty discounts this Boxing Day.

In Australia, The Australian Retailers Association reported that Boxing Day trade had likely passed its own projection of a record-breaking $2.3 billion in sales nationwide. Indicators estimate that $2.5 billion was taken at tills around the country on December 26th.

In the UK, Boxing Day saw 22 million people hit the sales, which marks an increase on last year of 11.7 % in High Street spending, 7.8% at shopping centres and 3.2% at out-of-town retail parks.  Boxing Day 2015 has been one of the busiest days of the year, with 14 million bargain hunters hitting Britain's high shopping streets alone, spending an estimated £3.1 billion in the 24hr Boxing Day spree. Interestingly, it is estimated that about 50% of these shoppers were foreign tourists from China, the Middle East and the US who spend much more than a typical UK shopper.

According to the Daily Mail UK, Selfridges had the most successful first hour of trading in its history, taking more than £2million between 9am and 10am after 4,000 people queued outside its Oxford Street London store from as early as 1am. Shoppers began queueing at its Manchester Exchange store from 3am and more than 1,000 waited outside its Trafford Centre store in the city. The first through the doors plumped for heavily discounted luxury clothing – the first item sold in London was a Valentino Wristlet clutch bag reduced from £1,400 to £700, while the first in the Trafford Centre was a Mulberry handbag reduced from £1,350 to £944.

 Do you fancy queuing up for hours in the rain? Shop instead at the Large Purse Shop

And Canada experienced the same sort of results. Many Canadians flocked to the country's shopping malls and e-commerce sites to snatch up the bargains.

It is true that bargain hunters have become very savvy. Most eagle-eyed shoppers will have spotted the sales online at least 48 hours before the sales this year, making them more aware of the bargains to be had. And many shoppers will not leave the comfort of their lounge room with at least 11 million shoppers in Australia alone indulging in the seasonal sales spree from home - enjoying the preview sales and warehouse-wide deals straight from their sofa.

Many stores dropped their prices 48 hours earlier this year and the traditional Boxing Day specials were available on Christmas Eve. This is a tradition that has occurred for many years in Australia at least. Post-recession stores started discounting before Christmas in an attempt to win over consumers who would have otherwise waited until Boxing Day to purchase. This way retailers get a double go at the cautious buyer who is only willing to purchase a bargain.

While Boxing Day sales have traditionally been a bricks and mortar affair, there has also been growth in digital shopping this year. For example in Australia online sales were expected to reach $2.7 billion between December 26 and January 15, accounting for 16 per cent of all summer clearance spending. However, the lower Aussie dollar meant that more customers spent locally, rather than online where the exchange rate and shipping costs added significantly to the cost.

Most retailers reported strong sales online. For example, John Lewis in the UK said sales were up 17.7% since launching online on Christmas Eve, while Curry's PC World set a Boxing Day record of more than 250,000 online shoppers between 10am and 11am. In Australia, David Jones said its website broke all records for traffic and sales on December 26, clocking up over a million visitors. Retail analyst Brian Walker from the Retail Doctor Group expected 14 to 15 per cent of summer clearance sales to be from online shoppers this season on average

In fact, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Boxing Day sales are attracting more digital shoppers than ever, and the bargains are starting well before December 26th. In the future, Boxing Day shoppers will be more likely to spend the biggest retail event of the year at home, bagging bargains online in clearance sales that will increasingly start before December 26, retailers and analysts say. 

So what has caused the buying blitz in 2015? Is it low interest rates or the fact that more people have jobs?  Or is it just a one day wonder which masks what is really going on?

In the UK it was all over in a day and it appears that the Boxing Day rush to the stores was a one-day wonder. Shops in High Street had hoped that the post-Christmas boom would save them, but unfortunately sales slumped after the Boxing Day bonanza. Despite the 11.7% increase in Boxing Day spending, on December 27th which is usually one of the busiest days of the year, High Street Xmas sales were down overall by 21.3% when compared to last year. Retail parks and shopping centres also saw respective drops of 0.8 per cent and 25.2 per cent compared to last December 27. It is thought that reduced hours (Sunday trading) and flooding in the north meant an 18 per cent fall in numbers on the previous year.  Unfortunately for retailers, these poor results follow depressing figures for sales during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, and on Christmas Eve.

In fact from these UK figures can you surmise that having Boxing Day sales has not increased sales overall but replaced the sales normally made on the 27^th or at least split them over the 2 days? Without trading on Boxing Day would the retailers have got the same or better results by just trading on the 27^th and letting everyone have a well-earned social day on the 26^th?

In Australia, however, post Boxing Day sales are expected to boom and predictions that around $7.2 billion will be spent between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve and $20.8 billion from Boxing Day to January 16.

Post Boxing Day sales for 2015 are still on the go, with the best deals and bargains from major retailers all over the world still on offer for the discerning buyer. Discounted designer bags, half price jewelry and bargain price clothing are the most coveted goods. But heavily reduced white goods and household items, end of year car sell-outs and even travel packages are also in demand. With prices slashed by up to 90% in some stores, 65% off designer handbags and 40% off TVs there is always a bargain to be found.  And these bargains are likely to be offered for several weeks to come.  

                                                             

Boxing Day shoppers in Australia broke all records with $2.5 billion being spent as eager shoppers hit the stores in search of a bargain.  This is due in part because in NSW this year new laws passed by the State Government allowed all shops to be opened on Boxing Day. The new laws make the Boxing Day sales available for everybody and brings retail trading laws consistent across the states. In the past only stores in the CBD and in tourists areas were allowed to be open, so the Boxing Day sales dollar has been more diluted with many people shopping at their local shopping centre rather than making that unpleasant trip into the city and having to fight other consumers for the bargain and manipulate their way through the myriads of hungry bargain hunters.

Beat the mob at the Large Purse Shop

Believe me I know what it was like. I owned a café in the QVB in Sydney for many years and Boxing Day was the worst day of the year it brought out the worst in people – pushing and shoving; abusive language and behaviour; in fact I found most shoppers on that day just plain rude! I think Boxing Day sales is a very apt terminology for this day because retail sites are turned into boxing arenas where people jostle for bargains. 

Did you bring your boxing gloves?

Boxing Day Sales 2015 were a boom but did you score a bargain? How often have you been to a sale, only to walk out of the store paying full price for what you want?  Many of the goods on sale are of poor quality or outdated or limited in size range. These Boxing Day sales are clearance sales. An opportunity for retailers to get rid of last year's stock or goods that are not selling well. When I worked at the QVB, I watched with interest as hundreds of people lined up for hours at the Coach store hoping for a bargain. But I noticed that very few of their bags were actually reduced, but in the hype people walked out with bags they paid full price for, chuffed at the fact they thought they had got a bargain. I found it quite amusing really that people could be so mislead.

You have to ask the question, do all these shoppers score a real bargain? It would be interesting to analyse how many people paid full price during these 2015 Boxing Day sales.

I have never been able to understand the mentality of the Boxing Day shoppers. Instead of staying at home and playing with their kids and new toys, or going on a picnic or to the beach, these people chose to shop amidst chaos in order to get a bargain that was probably available before Xmas day and will probably be available on the 27th, 28th and possible a week or two after that as well.

Do these Boxing Day sales bring some sort of economic advantage to the shopper or do they just bring a social cost and loss of family time for people who can think of nothing better to do with their time. I know I would rather be doing fun things with my family and friends, rather than shopping!! The thought of lining up for hours and then pushing and shoving just to maybe save a few dollars just does not make sense. To me, Boxing Day sales are all hype and no joy.

Don't get caught up in the hype! The Large Purse Shop has Boxing Days sales all year long – shop in the comfort of your own lounge whenever you want to get a quality handbag at bargain prices.