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Victoria Beckham crocodile skin handbag comes with £8,995 price tag
A one-off white crocodile skin handbag by Victoria Beckham, including a hand written note from Victoria, priced at 8,995 (Pic: PA)
Victoria Beckham has designed the ultimate one-off gift to be snapped up for Christmas – a unique crocodile skin handbag.
But the white bag will be off the scale for most budgets, with a price tag of £8,995.
It was among the items unveiled by upmarket store Selfridges today, which are thought to be the hottest for this Christmas.
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Selfridges showed off the items at its Oxford Street store in London, many of which have a white theme. they include a £620 wedding dress by Brazilian designer Daniella Helayel and white silk underwear by Nichole de Carle featuring a real diamond, at £300.
For the run-up to Christmas, the store is selling the ultimate advent calendar for the super-rich costing a colossal £18,000. it consists of a piece of furniture containing a miniature designer accessory for each day including shoes by Christian Louboutin.
Selfridges’ White Christmas 2011 will launch in the retailer’s stores in Birmingham, Manchester and London, and on Selfridges.com, from next month.
There are also cashmere babygrows by Baby Dior costing £550.
Selfridges’ managing director Anne Pitcher said: “Our buyers have worked hard throughout the year to ensure this year’s Christmas collection is packed full of products to inspire and surprise our customers who travel from around the world to visit our store at this special time of year.”
Forever 21 Gets Sued For Copying — Again
Forever 21 is being sued for copyright infringement by an up-and-coming designer — again. the folks behind a line called Feral Childe allege that the California-based creepy-Christian sweatshop emporium copied one of their textile prints. This is noteworthy because while under current law garments themselves — as in patterns, “cut,” construction elements, and everything else that makes a dress unique — are not copyrightable intellectual property, graphic elements that might be featured on garments — as in prints — are. Forever 21 has been sued for copying more than 50 times by designers including Anna Sui and Diane von Furstenberg; the company has always settled out of court. One trade dress infringement claim by the now-defunct label Trovata resulted in a lengthy trial, during which the court was treated to the spectacle of Forever 21 co-founder and creative director Jin Sook Chang claiming ignorance of her company’s ownership structure, of who her company’s other executives are, and even of her company annual sales. Trovata later settled out of court. Feral Childe’s textile design is shown at top; Forever 21′s is below. [The Cut] Feral Childe‘s designers Alice Wu and Moriah Carlson say their textile design, called “Teepees,” is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Wu says it took her and Carlson “several months” to develop the print, “starting from sketchbook drawings and then refined and edited in countless email exchanges between us until we perfected the image. This type of markmaking reflects the very particular philosophy of drawing taught at the New York Studio School, where both of us studied…We have made the image very personal and particular to Feral Childe. There are hidden pictures of teepees and crowns and pennants in the drawing that aren’t necessarily apparent at first glance. How could anyone else come up with that combination?” She continues, “Whoever at Forever 21 discovered our print and decided to co-opt it wasn’t looking closely and probably just assumed this was just an abstract ‘scratch print’ and didn’t notice our hidden pictures.” [EcoSalon] meanwhile, this morning Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, a Harvard law professor, and a spokesperson for the American Apparel & Footwear Association, an industry lobbying group, testified before Congress in support of the proposed Innovative Design Protection and Piracy Act. the IDPPA would extend limited copyright protection to clothing itself when a designer’s work was deliberately copied by someone who had access to or was aware of the original, resulting in a copy that is “substantially identical” to the original. Council of Fashion Designers of America president Steven Kolb says the proposed law, which was developed with Senator Chuck Schumer, is necessary “because we see the vulnerability of designers, particularly young designers and small business owners and the consequences of their ideas, intellectual property and creativity being taken from them and how it impacts their ability to manufacture their collections and grow their businesses.” indeed, behemoths like Forever 21 have a preference for copying the work of younger and less-established designers, because they are less likely to be protected by a phalanx of scary litigators, like, say, Louis Vuitton and Chanel are. [WWD] you can read Hernandez‘ congressional testimony along with all the witnesses’ testimony here. [LexisNexis]
Justin Bieber‘s perfume someday has broken all sales records. In less than three weeks, it’s rung up more than $3 million at Macy’s. At this rate, it is on track to become the top-selling perfume of 2011. Previously, Beyoncé’s Heat was considered the top-selling celebrity perfume at launch. Heat did $3 million in its first month. [WWD] Taylor Swift Has Laryngitis, Also A Perfume. [WWD] Jane Lynch and her wife are in a Vogue spread. [Vogue] Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmerman star in the fall Lanvin campaign, which was shot by Steven Meisel. [Models.com] Jefferey Campbell knocked off the Prada creeper-brogue hybrid. Point the first: this isn’t even a very accurate copy. (Holly Shoes already did a version that included both that band of hemp and the treaded soles, neither of which Jeffery Campbell could apparently be bothered to get right.) Point the second: Still ugly. [Fashionista] The Olsen twins’ handbag line includes this backpack that costs $39,000. Barneys new York fashion director Amanda Brooks says the backpack is “super triple chic.” She continued, “I think if you were every going to spend $39,000 on a bag, that’s the bag you should buy because I think you’d wear it for a really long time.” Simon Doonan, Barneys creative director, however says backpacks aren’t for him. “I never was a backpack person. My gay sister was always working a backpack and it’s a little too hearty for me.” Two of the $39,000 backpacks have already been pre-ordered. [Fashionista] Michele Lamy, the wife and muse of Rick Owens, has an unusual background. She studied law, worked as a stripper, protested in Paris in May 1968, and responds to questions about whether she has an interest in the occult by saying, “Belief is a way to express a memory of your genes.” She has a couple gold-plated teeth and does her nails with a henna-like vegetable dye. (Women in Morocco and the Middle East do this, too, but with actual henna.) [Oyster] Here is a gallery of fashion photos of (mostly) models eating pasta. [The Gloss]
Former official from horsemen’s group pleads guilty in election fraud
The former executive director of the organization that represents Louisiana horsemen pleaded guilty Tuesday to her role in an election fraud scheme that prosecutors said was designed to keep her and the association’s president in positions of power so they could help themselves to the group’s assets.
Mona Hebert Romero
Mona Hebert Romero, 53, who until November 2010 led the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, admitted to conspiring to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and fraud in connection with identification documents, court papers show.
Romero’s plea leaves Sean Alfortish, the LHBPA’s former president, as the last defendant still facing charges in the case, which is set to go to trial Sept. 6.
Federal prosecutors initially charged Romero and Alfortish with plotting to mail falsified election ballots in March 2008 to ensure that Alfortish would be re-elected to a second term as president, and that his supporters would be named to the nonprofit agency’s board.
Romero, who almost certainly will be required to testify against Alfortish as part of her plea deal, is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 27. she could face up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The horsemen’s association, a nonprofit organization, takes a 6 percent cut of the purses at Louisiana’s four racetracks, a percentage that tops $5 million a year. with that money, the association acts as the bookkeeper at tracks, pays out purses after races and provides services to horse owners and trainers, including medical insurance and worker’s compensation insurance.
A 29-count indictment handed up in November 2010 charged that Romero and Alfortish lived it up on the association’s money.
Alfortish received no salary as president, but collected $116,000 as director of the association’s worker’s compensation and simulcasting operations, on top of his regular jobs as a lawyer and, formerly, a Kenner magistrate, the indictment said. in addition, his family health insurance premiums of $1,200 a month were fully paid and he got a credit card for personal use, trips to Aruba and Grand Cayman Island, a home speaker system worth almost $3,000 and reimbursement for $25,000 he had to pay to settle with an association employee who threatened to sue him for sexual harassment, according to prosecutors.
Alfortish declined to comment Tuesday.
The indictment also alleged that Romero enriched herself on the association’s dime. she too got $25,000 to make a sexual harassment complaint against her disappear, prosecutors allege. the indictment also claims Romero took $228,275 out of the medical benefits trust, got a sport-utility vehicle, credit cards, trips to Aruba and the Grand Caymans with her husband, a horse trainer, and a pricey Louis Vuitton handbag from the association. Romero allegedly also received a $2,500 payment from a hurricane relief fund the association set up, even though she suffered no eligible storm losses.
Before Tuesday, the only person to enter a guilty plea in the sprawling case had been the association’s former farm and field director, Cindy “Cricket” Romero, Mona Romero’s sister-in-law.
Cricket Romero pleaded guilty in December 2010 to helping Mona Romero and Alfortish rig the 2008 election by identifying which members were likely not to vote, traveling to their cities, which included Cincinnati, Louisville and Lexington, Ky., Houston, Dallas and Tampa, Fla., and mailing falsified ballots from those locations, according to court documents.
Cricket Romero will be sentenced Sept. 22, according to court documents.
Staff writer John Simerman contributed to this report. Danny Monteverde can be reached at or 504.826.3482.
Prada bag goes faux for fall (faux fur, that is)
I’ve invested an amazing offer of your time and vitality on this space complaining about how designers retain wanting to create fur bags happen, and normally through individuals rants I also wonder about why an amazing offer more organizations aren’t utilizing faux fur for their ill-advised fuzzy bags. handful of designers hesitate to take advantage of stamped croc or python, so why not merely a tiny fake mink or chinchilla? The main argument which i see people nowadays making for genuine fur in outerwear could be the warmth that it provides, and my cell phone and keys certainly do not phone for my handbag to preserve any particular temperature.It appears as although Prada has answered my prayers, since it so often does. The producer has debuted a collection of faux fur bags for Fall 2011, and never merely can be the expenditures half that of most genuine fur bags, but no cute tiny critters experienced to provide up their coats to create these styles happen.
That’s right, I nevertheless do not certainly adore these bags, but I dislike them much lower than if they experienced been genuine fur and twice the price. if that could make the sense.Actually, I need to amend that. I’m not mad in the Prada Mohair Garden Tote, right, using the reason that it utilizes faux mohair which is short enough how the framework within of the underlying bag is not completely lost. and which is my very best gripe with fur bags – the substance practically often overwhelms the shape. The mixture of the short fur and effortless problem prevents that from happening with this bag, so it gets my tentative seal of approval. you know, if you are searching for a fur bag.
The Prada Eco Pelliccia Faux Fur Wristlet is not bad either, if only using the reason that the bag like that does not necessarily get rid of something if it appears like a puff ball. it is tiny and devoid of structure, which could constitute for just about any multitude of fur’s conventional sins. The only stinker within of the three could be the Prada Mongolia Garden Tote, which utilizes faux fur which is as well stringy and extended to certainly be desirable over a handbag. But still, with all three styles displaying three-figure worth tags, I cannot complain as well much. if you have been wanting a fur bag, here’s the best method to hold out it.
I need a new handbag for school?
okay ive decided to ask a better question… im looking for a new handbag that i can put my school books in but arent too expensive.
maybe some websites i can look at or something?
thanks! 
Totes are what you're looking for. they sell them at Wal Mart, Hot Topic, any where…..Bongo's a good brand
its wicked cheap.but yeah, its kinds cute, the right size for books and binders, maybe get 2 or 3 in case it breaks, but like for 1 buck=]
forever21.com/product.asp?cat…
abercrombiekids.com
you might think that abercrombie is really expensive because some people do, but right now there is a sell and they are selling big tote bags for like 20$
hope it helps.
Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence
Mick Gilbert wrote:
“The fact that it’s now clear few jobs will be endangered and those households that aren’t compensated face only trivial price rises” – spoken like a true Chardonay Socialist and nothing could be further from the truth! (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence , July 13). What is emerging each day as we peel the carbon tax onion is that it stinks. not only won’t it have any impact on climate change, it won’t be broadly budget neutral either.
13 Jul 2011 5:06 PM
Craig Bell wrote:
The Australian sharemarket has consistently under performed world markets ever since the ALP took office. since the discussion of the carbon tax started, the value of Australian shares has underperformed the FTSE by 20 per cent with no appreciable change in forex rates. What on earth do you think has been driving that. If you had investments in OneSteel or BlueScope you would know the damage the ALP/Greens are doing. (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13)
The truth is that Abbott is responding to very poor policy that is driving very low confidence in the economy and calling a spade a spade. Abbott is clever but to assume that he can drive economic confidence, investor behaviour and public opinion is ignorant at the extreme.
13 Jul 2011 5:44 PM
Mark Bower wrote:
The majority of commentators seem to think that the general public is saving rather than spending on “renovations and the purchase of property, along with other retail purchases”. nothing could be further from the truth. many are simply attempting to pay down their debt.
13 Jul 2011 6:10 PM
Matthew Barnes wrote:
What is wrong with Abbott doing his job and holding the government to account (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13)? nobody exactly knows yet the impact of the carbon tax on the economy but it’s unlikely to be neutral for employment on those sectors of the economy that face the tax.
In addition, we do know that compensation payments to households will be inevitably large given the ALP’s weak popularity and the absence of a mandate for the tax (at least Howard had the guts in 1998 to make his GST intentions clear at an election). These payments to households are likely to be made at a time of already above target inflation and at a time of limited spare capacity in the economy. There’s a big chance that introducing the tax could force up interest rates, and also add to the already high structural budget deficit. How on earth can Australia have a significant budget deficit at this stage 19 years after the last recession? When the mining boom abates, the budget position is likely to be quite dire.
13 Jul 2011 7:07 PM
Eric Kelly wrote:
I’m not given to prophesy and I prefer to wait and see how the carbon tax plays out in practice before leaping to judgment, but i hope that Mick Gilbert (See ‘The carbon onion smells’, Conversation contribution, July 13) will be honest enough to eat his words along with his onion if, come 2013, the economy is booming and there is a clear move towards the use of clean energy.
No-one in their right mind thinks the measures taken here are going to make an immediate and noticeable impact on climate change in themselves but speaking for myself I’ll be satisfied if in the short-term they lead to a healthier environment.
13 Jul 2011 7:58 PM
Bob Buick wrote:
It’s amazing that most people are still calling it a “carbon” tax, when it’s so obviously a “pork-barrel” tax (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13).
With little or no effect on the environment, it will generate a huge slush fund for a desperate Gillard to distribute to swinging voters before the next election.
It’s a supremely cunning and cynical ploy and very well conceived.
13 Jul 2011 9:53 PM
Tim Bullen wrote:
This government’s debt can no longer be considered innocuous… $250 billion dollars and growing by $100 million a day is not innocuous (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13).
14 Jul 2011 9:34 AM
Rodney Hall wrote:
When you put up a plan that covers just a bit over 60% of “emissions” and compensate 90% of households plus a wide range of industries, you don’t have a carbon tax or even vaguely a price on emissions (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13). What the voters and business is picking up after four years is that this is thoroughly incompetent set of Labour leaders and politicians. just look at BER, Pink Batts, a new government monopoly on broadband, the refugee stuff ups, etc.
If we do have a two speed economy, take out the booming mining sector and rework the numbers for what is left. Keep in mind that DJs is actually doing a hell of a lot better than most retailers!
That’s why we have falls in confidence. it reflects the realities of the economy, not just the perceptions that Swan, Gillard and Brown have lost their marbles.
14 Jul 2011 12:10 PM
Charmaine Ferabend wrote:
No, I am not a chardonnay socialist. I have always employed good ficsal discipline in my household, and since the GFC good fiscal discipline is being employed by many households. I don’t need another new pair of shoes, or a new dress or a new handbag, which is generally destined for landfill anyway. we also have to eat less to avoid obesity. most of my friends tell me the same thing.
Perhaps the billionaire retailers should realise that their retail sales are now reaching a saturation point. I don’t think the carbon tax has anything to do with it. Remember, the GST did not stop excess consumption. Retailers love excess consumption because you can make money without imagination. the carbon tax impact is much less than the GST, but it may make people focus harder on reducing consumption (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13).
14 Jul 2011 12:11 PM
Rob Smith wrote:
Why is it that some of us worked so hard to achieve a lifestyle over many years and now we are being told we shouldn’t live like that? (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 14)
The carbon tax is nothing to do with the environment its all about Labor’s plan for wealth redistribution to their lower paid union mates. the sooner we get rid of this climate change nonsense and the Labor government the better
14 Jul 2011 4:11 PM
Roger Reitze wrote:
If we want to reduce our emissions, why not make it attractive to farmers to plant shelter belts of trees? (See Boosting Abbott’s carbon confidence, July 13.) This will make their land more productive (windbreak reducing evaporation, reduce salinity etc) and reduce our net CO2 emissions. This is a direct action plan which will work, won’t require an army of public servants to administer and will be low cost – far preferable to hamstringing our economy and adding huge numbers of public servants to the payroll as required for this stupid carbon tax.
15 Jul 2011 8:41 PM
Poll: For the woman!!! Which handbag/Tote is better out of these 2 for a gift?
My girlfriends birthday is tomorrow, and I am getting her a purse, or tote, but which in your opinion would you rather have? ladies opinions?????? Thanks!! one is a Coach Tote the other is a Dooney & Bourke bag,
Coach
www1.macys.com/catalog/product/in…
D&B
www1.macys.com/catalog/product/in…
I can't see either link that you have posted. I research coach tote and D&B bag but soo much came up that i wouldnt know what to tell you. I guess the coach tote from what I was looking many of them seemed nice. I like simple stuff. the other one D&B looked to fashion-ish.
I take it BACK the D&B one is much simpler….thank you for posting the pictures. so i say D&B
There is a problem with the links so they aren't working.
I am a Dooney & Bourke fan so I would probably go for the Dooney & Bourke.
I like Coach's style. But I think Dooney & Bourke is better quality which is important to me. I hate handbag shopping with a passion.
I'm getting error 404 with both links…I love Coach though
I like the Coach one better
Well i couldn't see the links. But i dnt like Coach so i would say o with Dooney & Bourke!!
the links are not working something wrong maybe a glinch but i would say couch tote
I don't like either one.
umpppppppppp
i'd say give it a miss coz both will cost you money which can be valuable savings for a free meal at mcd
Mischa Barton to create fashion line
Thursday, June 23, 2011 » 02:27pm
Mischa Barton is planning a fashion line incorporating a variety of eras.
The former ‘O.C.’ actress already has her own handbag collection and flew to Beijing, China, last week to meet with manufacturers to explore the possibility of expanding her venture even further.
She explained: ‘It’s something I really want to do. It’ll be forties-meets-seventies with the occasionally bit of twenties – that sounds a bit random, but I’ll take elements of different decades. It’ll be a bit like Biba, but with a real simplicity of cut and lots of bright colours. the fabrics will be great quality, and there will be lots of separates, like slacks and shirts. I want people to be able to mix and match.’
Mischa is currently based in the US but loves returning to the UK so she can shop.
She added to vogue.co.uk: ‘It’s my favourite city for style and shopping. I love Vivienne Westwood obviously, but I’m also a massive fan of Giles Deacon. he always puts on a great show, and his clothes are bit futuristic – but interesting and different too. You feel confident in them, but brave.’
The actress recently admitted she thinks the key to the success of her handbag line is its low price points.
She said: ‘I think what really works for them is that we’re really able to keep the price point quite low, but still funky and cool. Some of them are not supposed to last forever. They’re more like fun bags, and then we have the more serious ones. We’ve been working on the proper like, doctor bags, the ones that do last a long time.’
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen create luxury handbag collection
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have created a luxury handbag collection under their fashion label The Row.
The 25-year-old twins will launch a nine-bag line including a day tote, backpack, doctor bag and shoulder bag made from python and alligator in Barneys department store, New York in August.
The siblings don’t rely on a specific era for inspiration with Ashley revealing she is influenced by different times while Mary-Kate struggles with ever repeating trends. Ashley said: "there are important style contributions from almost every era. Drawing on the right references at the right time is the key." Mary-Kate added: "my problem is not with the trends themselves but the fact that trends are constantly repeating themselves."
Averyl Oates, buying director for Harvey Nichols, who stock The Row, recently claimed the success of the label is due to its "timeless generational appeal". she explained: "The label carries timeless generational appeal while still remaining directional. Mary-Kate and Ashley recently achieved their ambition of dressing Michelle Obama. Lauren Hutton has also worked with the brand and I think the ageless appeal lies with the fact that the collection has a crystal-clear DNA."
