Newsflash: Louis Vuitton Limited Edition Damier 'Neverfull' Bag

Dear Bag Addicts,

As you probably already know, there are a few Limited Editions of the 'Neverfull' bag. First, there was the Limited Edition Murakami Neverfull that was available only at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) in Los Angeles from Oct 2007 to Feb 2008, and the Limited Edition Neverfull in Crocodile Skin a few months ago. Now, there's a Limited Edition 'Neverfull' bag in Damier Canvas available, but only in Hawaii and Japan. However, those of you in other parts of the world, fret not! You too can get a Limited Edition Neverfull in Damier! Reliable sources have told us that a Limited Edition 'Neverfull' in Damier Azur will be released in early 2009. And yes, it will be available in Malaysia too! I don't know whether they're putting people on the waitlist over here already, but maybe you could enquire at a Louis Vuitton boutique and give it a shot if you're interested.

Newsflash -- Coach's First Global Flagship Store in HK!

Style: Redefining Design
A store that mimics apartment space
By Anandhi Gopinath

"Organised chaos", Reed Krakoff, president and executive creative director of Coach, says authoritatively. “It’s designed to look like organised chaos.” The scene before him is a huge rectangular table covered with jewellery, bags, purses, umbrellas and shoes.



The American leatherware company was launching its new global flagship store in Hong Kong in the company of a huge gaggle of regional journalists. The first thing that greeted us when we stepped in from the pouring rain outdoors was a warm blaze of colour atop a plain glass table. It was as if a young girl was getting dressed to go out, and not knowing what to wear, she had put all her stuff out on her dressing table. Cluttered, yes, but it was a deeply appealing display, nevertheless. The oohs and aahs could be heard from a mile off, and the high-wattage smiles of approval easily outshone the recessed lighting above.

As it turned out, the description wasn’t too far from the truth as Krakoff went on to explain that the store was in fact designed to mimic the apartment space of a very young, trendy girl living the New York lifestyle.

The latest of 13 stores on the highly populous island, Coach’s new home is special. What Krakoff calls the “newest iteration of our flagship prototype” featuring “the newest, most up-to-date collections”, the new global flagship store is to be a huge brand-building tool for the American leatherware brand.

Taking a step away from their usual minimalist style, Krakoff and the Coach Architecture Group designed the 9,400 sq ft store to look a little more cluttered than is their usual way. The lower level consists of most of their newer products, arranged in a colourful array across the store. Classic pieces, like the Bleecker tote bag, sit next to the jewellery collection, which is just beside the counter for Coach’s new fragrance. Unveiled in conjunction with the launch, this is the first release of the fragrance outside of the US market.

A curved, white staircase dramatically leads upstairs; where there are special pockets of space dedicated to particular lines of shoes, eyewear and outerwear. White sheepskin rugs break the monotony of the shimmery marble floor, breaking into private spaces to try on the vast variety of products that lie about. Many of us stopped to admire our reflections in the custom-lacquered, antique mirror with oxidised nickel silver accents, and rest our not-so-weary bodies on custom-designed furniture placed generously all over the store.

It was becoming easy to understand the design philosophy Krakoff was referring to; we felt we were in someone’s trendy home rather than just a retail space. Yet, the respect for tradition is also distinctly apparent. For example, between the bags that are strewn about on the shelves, we see oversized gold turnlocks, a model of the clasp that is an icon of many Coach bags.

Downstairs, there is what Krakoff calls a legacy wall, which features illustrations of New York, old posters, the brand’s horse and carriage logo, images of the current campaign, sketches and anything at all that serve as ideas for the current season. Which meant the wall would always have something new to add as newer collections arrive at the store. Everyone was deeply impressed, as Coach’s Queen Street store had achieved a retail feat few stores manage to do — it had become warm, welcoming and real.

On the outside, Coach stands tall in the midst of the Queen’s Street clutter, with its glass and stainless steel backlit signature façade; it proved to be such a hit that tourists and Hong Kong residents alike were seen taking pictures outside the store that were sure to end up in some holiday scrapbook or on some mantelpiece somewhere. It had to be said that the location that Coach chose was a brilliant fit to the younger market Krakoff said the company was also trying to target — barely a hop, skip and a jump away is Lan Kwai Fong, the island’s elite clubbing area.
“In general, as we go forward, our stores will have a more residential feel; they are warmer with more decorative elements and are generally friendlier to shop in… that’s definitely the idea here,” says Krakoff in his trademark drawl. “We combined the idea of it serving as a retail space, and as a typical New York apartment.”
The new design of the store is the first of its kind in the world, hence Hong Kong residents are extremely proud to have the vastly popular American brand test out the new idea in their city. “The timing was great, really. The consumer here really appreciates anything new and anything fashionable. It was a great way to cement our position here. It’s also a geography we’re focusing on in the future,” he says.
Which is appropriate for them to do, considering that the brand, taking its cue from other luxury brands, has realised that the greater China is where the money is. “Hong Kong is an important destination for Coach as it is the gateway to Asia. Hong Kong is a leader not only in business, but also in fashion and lifestyle,” says Coach Inc chairman and CEO Lew Frankfort. According to him and Ian Bickley, president of Coach International, the brand intends to open another 30 stores over the next few years in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China and Macau, as they have identified Greater China’s potential to quickly become the third major market for Coach, after North America and Japan.

In Asia, Coach has taken on a more aspirational positioning. “We do compete with the bigger European brands, but that happens globally, not just in Asia. What’s happened is that our product lines have become broader and broader, and we still intend on doing that to compete at low and high-end levels,” says Krakoff.

The lines that have come out of Coach in recent years have been attributed to Krakoff’s revolutionary direction of the brand. Hired in 1997 from Ralph Lauren, Krakoff was given total creative control to oversee everything from store concepts to merchandising to product design. Eleven years later, Krakoff has hit his stride with a series of cult-status bags, expanding the product lines (Philip Lim designs trenchcoats for Coach while New York milliner Eugenia Kim does hats) and of course, designing fantastic new stores. Known as the Lagerfeld of his time, Krakoff has reinvented the slightly stoical image of Coach and made it cool.

Yet, he says, he relies on a slightly arbitrary design inspiration. “It’s a hard thing to talk about because it’s not deliberate. It’s very iterative and experiential... one thing always leads to another,” he muses. “You have to go far in one direction, then far in another direction and see how it feels. You start to build a vocabulary of stuff you can work with. When I first started at Coach, there wasn’t much — one type of leather, one material, that’s it. My next step was to develop fabric and material ideas, hardware ideas, signature detail… and the brand just grew from there.”

Each product led to yet another collection, as the brand extended from bags to shoes to outerwear. Coach took its time to do this, as Krakoff is quite specific about letting things take their own course naturally. “Each product leads to the next, and you can’t do them out of sequence. There’s a time frame for everything, and we do it accordingly at each place,” he says.

Personalised details like this exemplify the personality of the brand, as each market is treated individually. For example, when the store was opened in KL, Krakoff designed a beige limited edition satchel exclusively for the market. In Hong Kong, two new products were also launched. “People here love fashion so this was fun for me,” says Krakoff. “They love new brands and new ideas, they like to shop, so it was fun to design this sort of store and the limited edition products.”

To be able to walk into a store and feel welcome, to be able to find anything from jewellery to key fobs to bags — whether you’re male, female, teenager or adult — takes a special sort of skill. It’s redefining traditionally held perceptions of what is stylish and what isn’t, or disregarding the it bag phenomenon for something that a customer would want to own forever.

It’s a redefinition of style in every sense of the word.


The Newborns
The Perry limited edition Ergo satchel in python and the MyNY tote, the two new products created exclusively for the opening of Hong Kong’s new global flagship store. Coach will also be donating RMB1 million and a portion of the store’s first-month sales to the China Red Cross Fund in aid of the Sichuan earthquake victims.

Coach Perry Limited Edition Ergo Satchel in Python, price unavailable

Coach MyNY Tote, US$1,000


Courtesy of The Edge Daily

Newsflash -- Design Your Own Personalised Fendi Baguette

In conjunction with Fendi's 10th Anniversary for the iconic Baguette bag, this fashion house has come up with a white coated canvas Bagutte that you can design yourself! The initial intention of this DIY Baguette was the competition that Fendi held, that was open to everyone in the Asia Pacific Region and Celebrity designed Baguettes. The winning designs will then be auctioned along with the Celebrity bags.




Due to overwhelming response, it's also now available in stores. So, if you've always wanted your own personalised Baguette, here's your chance! It comes with 10 Pantone Universe markers for you to decorate your bag with, and paint whatever you desire on your very own personalised Baguette. What's more, the interior twist-lock closures on the bag allow the buckles (that are used to attach the shoulder strap) to be remove, so you can also use it as a clutch! This 'Paint-Your-Own Baguette' bag comes in a beautifully packaged Fendi box and is available for $1300 via eLuxury

Newsflash: The Bagfetish Unleashed Game!

Yes, you got that right! It's our very own game!

A collaboration between VoxPop and our Bagfetish team, this game will be running for the next 10 days so try out our new game today at VoxPop. What's more, the winner walks away with an Amazon gift certificate worth $20! Try it today!

Special thanks to VoxPop for creating the game for us.

Click Here to Play Now

Newsflash -- 100 Limited Edition LV Neverfull Bags

Dear BagAddicts,

The ever popular and soon-to-be iconic Neverfull bag by Louis Vuitton is now available in a Limited Edition version. The Limited Edition piece is available in Exotic Croc skins. Only 100 pieces of these bags will be available. I'm not sure if it will be available in Malaysia though, but sources have told me that it will be available across the causeway, over in Singapore. Limited Edition Neverfull bags will be available this month (July). So if you're an LV collector and wanna get your hands on this exclusive piece, hurry out to your nearest LV boutique. As for the price, I'm not sure how much these beauties cost. Bagaholic Babe has had the privilege to view this Limited edition in Violet croc, though I'm not sure if it'll be available in other colours. But hey, it's a limited edition so I guess the colour doesn't really matter.

Newsflash: Judith Leiber collaborates with Hello Kitty

Guess what? Uber miniaudiere extrodinaire, Judith Leiber has collaborated with Sanrio (Japanese brand that houses Hello Kitty). The result? This Limited Edition crystallized (need we say more? It's Judith Leiber after all innit? Lol) Hello Kitty compact mirror for the kid in all of us. I know that BagObsessed Babe, my counterpart and co-author of this blog would be delighted to see this as she is a massive Hello Kitty fan and has been one since young! Being a Judith Leiber creation, it comes with a dustbag and has Judith Leiber's signature enclosed within!


Get this Limited Edition Judith Leiber Hello Kitty Compact Mirror for $295 via Sanrio

Newsflash: Murakami's Exhibition & Limited Editions at MOCA

Does the name Takashi Murakami sound familiar? Well, it should. Murakami is the artist who collaborated with Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton to bring us collections such as the Monogram Cerises (Cherry), Sakura (Cherry Blossom), the Monogram Multicolore Range and other cutesy Limited Edition collections at the House of Vuitton.




From now until February 2008, Murakami's artworks will be featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles. But wait, there's more! For the duration of Murakami's exhibition at MOCA, there will also be an Exclusive Louis Vuitton Store at the venue!




Unlike your regular Louis Vuitton Boutique, this one that is specially set up at MOCA features only products specially designed for the occasion by Vuitton and Murakami. The exhibition store will feature a new Murakami-designed 'Neverfull' bag with an LV Hands print and a round Monogram canvas coin purse with the same design. In addition to that, Murakami has also designed a Limited Edition diary/organizer/Agenda/Year Planner featuring a new character called Chibi Kinoko (Little Mushroom printed on Vuiton's signature Monogram Canvas, Monogram Multicolore (available in both Black and White).


Murakami Limited Edition LV Hands Print 'Neverfull' Bag


Closeup LV Hands Print


Murakami 'Chibi Kinoko' (Little Mushroom) Agenda


Closeup of 'Chibi Kinoko' Character

"The presence of a one-of-a-kind Louis Vuitton Store within MOCA constitutes the pinnacle of the collaboration between the art world and the fashion world" -- LV President and CEO Yves Carcelle.

(All info and images from Vuitton.com and MOCA)

Newsflash: Fendi Limited Edition 10th Anniversary Baguette Bag!!

To commemorate the 10th Anniversary since the launch of Fendi's iconic Baguette designed by Sylvia Venturini Fendi (who shares the Head Designer chair with Karl Lagerfeld), the House of Fendi has created this Limited Edition Beaded Baguette Bag.




Closeup View


Only 40 pieces of this Limited Edition Baguette Bag were made, and each piece comes with a serial number embroidered on the inside. Like most of Fendi's Anniversary Collections, this bag is also lined in Red Satin with 'Limited Edition' embroidered in beads on the inside of the bag. Get this very Exclusive 10th Anniversary Baguette Bag for £3,070.64 via Net-a-Porter

Countdown to Fashion Week!

WhoOpee! You fashionistas and Bagaholics out there will be delighted to know that Fashion Week is less than a week away! Keep yourself updated, Check our blog for the latest Fashion Week Spring Shows, as we at Bagfetish Unleashed bring to you the latest trends as they're being shown hot off the runway!

Fashion Week, here we come!!

Newsflash -- Louis Vuitton store now open in KLCC

Dear BagAddicts,

Louis Vuitton is now open at Suria KLCC. The new Vuitton store is located at the Ground Floor. Hmm...now if only Fendi were to open a store at KLCC too, I'd be the happiest girlie in the world. LOL ;)

Newsflash: Jimmy Choo Store Opening in KLCC

Dear BagAddicts,

The wait is over! Jimmy Choo has finally reached our shores! The new Jimmy Choo Boutique will be open right here in the heart of the city, at KLCC next month! I can't wait! Can you? hehe

Cheers,
Bagaholic Babe

Newsflash -- Louis Vuitton Store Opening Soon at KLCC

Dear BagAddicts,

Just a short note to alert you Bagistas that Louis Vuitton will be opening a store at KLCC this year. As for the exact date, I'm not sure.

Cheers,
Bagaholic Babe

Newsflash -- New Artist Edition: Fafi for LeSportsac

LeSportsac Collaboration with French Artist Fafi for Spring 2007
(Source: LeSportsac Website)




Yet another designer collaboration for LeSportsac to add on to their ever-expanding list of Limited Editions/Artist Editions - Diane von Furstenberg, Gwen Stefani, Sara Schwartz, Tokidoki and now, French artist Fafi. Fafi creates an original print, designing a story in pictures to bring to life the tale of a girl "who was looking for the magic in her life and discovers a tree that blooms LeSportsac bags", in comic book-like illustrations. The original print by Fafi is called "Fafiness

Click Here to find out more about the Artist Fafi

Click Here to view the Fafi for LeSportsac Collection.

Newsflash: Gucci creates Limited Edition Bags for HK Store Opening

To celebrate Gucci's Landmark Store Opening in Hong Kong (the largest Gucci store to date in the Asia Pacific Region), Gucci has come out with 85 Limited Edition Handbags (to mark Gucci's 85th Anniversary) called the Landmark Exclusive Collection. These Limited Edition Handbags are designed by Creative Director, Frida Giannini and comes in different combinations of colours and materials including precious croc, patchwork and silk 'GG' monogrammed logo velvet. The Landmark Exclusive Collection is only available at the Gucci Landmark Boutique, and the interior of each bag is adorned with a plaque that says "Landmark 2006". Ten sets of green "La Pelle Guccissima" mahjong sets were made of this occassion, and all were sold-out by the end of the ribbon-cutting cocktail party in the store.

Source: Style Magazine (Malaysian Edition), March 2007

Newsflash: +i.t. Store Opens in KLCC Yesterday

+i.t., A very popular store in Hong Kong that sells Designer Clothing (men and women) and shoes has opened in KLCC yesterday. They carry haute 'radical chic' labels such as Just Cavalli (by Roberto Cavalli), D&G, GF Ferre (by Gianfranco Ferre), C'N'C Costume National and Galliano.

Location: G14-15, Ground Level, KLCC

Tel: 603- 23820315

Newsflash: Marc Jacobs KLCC - Everything Must Go!

Dear BagAddicts,

Marc Jacobs in KL, Malaysia is experiencing a change in management. Currently owned by Bluebell, it's being bought over by Club 21 (not just in M'sia, but MJ is owned by Club 21 all over the world now) who owns brands such as Mulberry, Paul Smith, DKNY, Armani, etc. Because of this, everything in the Marc Jacobs boutique in KLCC is on further reductions till the end of February! EVERYTHING MUST GO! Shoes up to 80%, bags and clothes up to 60%! A definite bargain! Go check it out! Cheappppp!

Pharrell: The Face of Vuitton

06/26/2006 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Dotmusic

Pharrell Williams is to become the new face of Louis Vuitton in a forthcoming ad campaign. The N*E*R*D* and Neptunes star will front the fashion company's 2006 and 2007 line of Italian suitcases and bags. Pharrell, who is due to release a solo album shortly, will appear alongside Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in the photos.

Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton's artistic director, commented: "We brought to this campaign a touch of the street, elevated to a rich, modern chic that embodies the message of our ready-to-wear accessories and bags. Working with beautiful, iconic, and powerful faces, we created compositions that boldly display Vuitton's exquisite, super-luxe style."

http://music.yahoo.com/library/default.asp?m=content&add=news&i=33627240&

Newsflash - Anya Hindmarch Goes Green (Environmental)

Green is the new Black

Did you know that every person in this country (UK) uses an average of 167 plastic bags every year - that's 10 billion bags altoogheterl. Each one of these bags can take years to break down in landfill.

We wanted to do something to make a difference and inspire people to change their everyday actions. The result is this bag.





We have worked with 'We Are What We Do', the global social change movement to create this limited edition bag. You can get yours for just £5.00 (yes, £5!) from our UK Stores and online from the middle of March.

The bag will also be sold at Collete in Paris, Dover Street market in London, through Net-a-Porter and Villa Moda in Kuwait. and from April 25th, the bag will be available in 300 Sainsbury's stores.

Wear your bag to do your shopping, carry it to the gym, tote it to the beach, smug in the knowledge that you are doing something to influence people to make a difference.

This is a Limited Edition Bag. Pre-Order now to ensure you are one of the first to wear it. Payment will not be taken until stock arrives in March.

Pre-Order yours today from Anya Hindmarch.com .

Source and photos: Anya Hindmarch.com

Newsflash: Lindsay Lohan for Miu Miu Ad Campaign Photos

Here are the Ad Campaigns for Miu Miu featuring Lindsay Lohan. I couldn't even recognise her! Who would've thought LiLo could look so refined, like a porcelain doll?? Her makeup and her total look here reminds Bagaholic Babe of the Anna Sui girls on the runway and on Anna Sui's 'Dolly' Range of Cosmetics. Take a look and see what I mean...

Newsflash - Latest Celeb Craze: Moni Moni Handbags

This hot new brand is so HOT that they are on backorders! Moni Moni is now officially arm candy on the Celeb Circuit as we see many celebs toting Moni Moni Bags that they are so IN LOVE with. Could this be the new IT Bag? Could this be the New Balenciaga replacement?


3 Designs are hot favourites among Celebrities - The Splendor, the Shopper and the Eden.



Paris Hilton with the Moni Moni 'Splendor' Satchel


Jessica Alba with the Moni Moni 'Eden'



Michelle Trachtenberg of Buffy the Vampire Slayer with the Moni Moni 'Shopper'


Moni Moni Handbags: designed by Cinzia Monaci

After graduating from the University of Turin in Literature and Communications, Cinzia won a scholarship to study arts in Lyon, France and attended journalism courses at the Sorbonne University of Paris where she collaborated with several fashion and entertainment publications. She moved to Los Angeles in 1997 where she continued to correspond for European magazines, collaborated with In Style, and started her own business supplying major department stores with Italian name brand fashion goods. In 2002 she won a scholarship in Fashion Business at FIDM in Los Angeles and started designing her own line of handbags. Moni Moni International, Inc. was founded in early 2004 and is now sold in many boutiques around the country and around the world.


All Moni Moni Bags are handcrafted in Italy. Made of selected dyewash Italian leather that is dyed and then pre-washed to make them look shaded and patinated. Some irregular marks may occur as a result of this very particular proces; these should not be considered imperfections. If cared for properly, this bag will only get better with time. Super soft and Large. Dust Bag included. Some Bags come with a detachable Shoulder Strap.



If you wanna get your hands on one, Now's your chance. You can only get them from ONE PLACE only. Get it from ADASA . The 'Eden' retails for $525, while the 'Splendor' retails for $435. Bagaholic Babe loves the 'Splendor'.
(Info from ADASA, Photos from WhatCelebsWear)