| Bag Trends: Exotic Skins |
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| PETA look out - they have straps and zippers and they look good.... |
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Crocodile: Balenciaga Weekender
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Stingray
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Alligator
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In the past few years there has been an explosion in the use of exotic skins by
handbag brands. Whereas before they were used by just a few designer brands,
nowadays many brands offer limited editions, often in alligator or python.
Coach, for example, a company known for their products being relatively
affordable, has produced bags like the Legacy Crocodile Medium Duffle, which can
be purchased at their website for $12K. Not to be outdone, Chanel and its peers
have gone even further. Chanel, for instance, produced a few Diamond Forever
Classic bags. The cost? $261K! The bag is made of white alligator skin and
includes 334 diamonds. Not sure if I'd be comfortable wearing that out and
about...might end up reading about my stolen bag at the Bag Theft Blog.
The range of exotic skins on offer has expanded significantly.
Ostrich skin is well-known, but have you ever seen a handbag made of South
American ostrich? The leather has quill marks that are smaller and closer
together than those of its relative. How about a bag made of stingray leather?
Check out the Celestina Banyabes clutch, available for $1,445. And have you ever
considered a bag made of salmon leather? Well they're not easy to find, but
they're certainly original. The skins are small, so they have to be pieced
together. That's the case also with frog leather. Yes, that's correct, it
exists! I was offered frog leather for my brand and decided to pass, I found it
a bit too real. But who knows, perhaps some people would appreciate it?
Fortunately, with the trade in exotic skins growing so much, there's an
organization that controls that it's done properly. The Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES,
provides a list of species in which trade is prohibited, and another list in
which trade can be done but with certain paperwork involved, to ensure that
legitimate sources are used.
In our case, I have found that customers will easily buy cowhide yet with
hair-on-calfskin leather or South American ostrich some find it “too much like
an animal” even if it is sourced the same way (free range farms / by-product of
the meat industry) than the “normal” cowhide leathers. And then many other
ladies really appreciate exactly what creates the buzz, besides delightful to
touch, exotic = unique!!
Author: Maria Estrada (Want to become a Handbag Correspondent?)
| 1. | So glad to hear that not everybody out there is a peta-propaganda-victim yet!No animal should suffer unneccessary pains for whatever reason (be it the meat industry or the fashion industry) - this goes without saying, don't get me wrong.But that millions of consumers switch their brains off the second that there's a hair left on a skin is such a hypocracy!Rabbit meat nicely prepared on a plate is fine - and how many of you have ever asked how that piece of meat (formerly a sweet fluffy rabbit) has been bred, kept and slaughtered before it happened to end as a little filet on your plate... but the moment we see a little rabbit fur cuff on a pair of gloves we break out into tears?! Or calf fur on a handbag? What about that steak you had the other day...? Any pangs of conscience then? Sorry, ... - Anna from Germany, October 13, 2008. | | 2. | I love exotic skins.I'm a handbag designer and all I deal with are skins. from Crocodile to Python, to Stingray to Water Snake...you name it we have it. Exotics are totally in.....its very mysterious and fun and sleek! I'm totally against fur but exotic check out my web site...www.dainhmaschile.comand I totally agree with Anna from Germany on her 10/13/08 comment - Lisbeth from NY, October 31, 2008. |
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Bag Trends Archive:
| | Other Bag Trend Articles:
November 28, 2008 - The Color of the Season
November 21, 2008 - A Unifying Bag, A Diversified Look
November 14, 2008 - Washingtonians Vote Green in the Marketplace
November 07, 2008 - Feeling Big and Blue
October 31, 2008 - The Luxury Weave
October 25, 2008 - INDEPENDENT RECESSION
October 17, 2008 - Good Things in Small Packages
October 10, 2008 - The Luxurious School Bag: Part 1
October 03, 2008 - Practically Impractical, But Practically Fabulous
September 26, 2008 - YSL TRIBUTE
September 19, 2008 - Weekend Getaway
September 13, 2008 - Hot in Hong Kong
September 05, 2008 - Bags of Gothic this Fall
August 29, 2008 - Life's a Beach
August 22, 2008 - TOP 3 BAGS TO BAG BORROW OR STEAL
August 15, 2008 - Surely you need a Surly Girl Purse…
August 08, 2008 - Big in Shanghai
August 01, 2008 - Style and Status in South Carolina
July 25, 2008 - NYC: We Like Our Big Bags
July 18, 2008 - COLOR BLOCK
July 13, 2008 - The Difference between Luxury Handbag and Those Fakes
July 04, 2008 - HAPPY INDEPENDENT HANDBAG DESIGNER DAY!
June 27, 2008 - 2ND ANNUAL INDEPENDENT HANDBAG DESIGNER AWARDS WRAP-UP
June 20, 2008 - SEX AND THE CITY
June 13, 2008 - SINGERS OR DESIGNERS
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