Anya Hindmarch has often been ahead of the curve when it comes to promoting her luxury luggage empire, but we've never seen a collaboration quite like this one before!
The designer has turned pub landlady for a brief period starting next Wednesday 24th March, when she'll be opening the doors to the 'Bag and Bottle', usually known as the Star Tavern on Belgrave Mews. Reservations are already being taken for lunch and dinner tables at the fashionable spot: all you need do is email thebagandbottle@anyahindmarch.com to bag a place!
[Via Marie Claire]
Lulu Guinness's first ever pop-up shop, 'Kissed' is now open for business in London's Soho, and will be staying in town until 22nd Feb.
"Kissed by Lulu Guinness" celebrates Lulu's iconic lip-inspired designs, and if you want to, you can pose with one of the famous clutch bags, just as these Lulu fans have done in the collage above. A percentage of sales from the Lulu Guinness Lips clutches will be donated to London College of Fashion to create bursaries to support students in their study of the historical and contemporary practice of fashion. 'Kissed' is located just off Carnaby Street at:
65-67 Broadwick Street
London
W1 9QU
10am - 7pm Monday to Saturday
12pm - 6pm Sunday
The team at The Bag Lady were shocked and saddened to hear about Alexander McQueen's sudden death yesterday afternoon, and would like to post a brief tribute to the British designer whose work has just been getting better and better. We've probably posted about more McQueen pieces in the past few weeks and months than ever before on the site, and his skull and knuckleduster clutch bags alone completely defined last season's rock chic look. He was due to unveil his A/W 2010 collection at Paris Fashion Week next month.
McQueen's death will be a great loss to British fashion, and we'll miss his eyebrow-raising designs. Most of all, it is a reminder for us all to look out others who may be suffering from problems that don't always show on the surface. RIP Alexander McQueen.
Apparently, women's handbags are getting lighter. You'll probably find the news hard to swallow if you've paid any attention to what celebrities are toting outside of red carpet appearances these days, but reports say that handbag weight is at a seven-year-low, and it's not just because of our lighter wallets: it's thanks to the advent of new technology.
iPhones, Blackberries and their ilk have rendered the old-fashioned contact book and paper diary obsolete, meaning many of us can get away with super-skinny handbags with just a handful of accessories inside. Perhaps that's how Roger Vivier is managing to sell this ultra-long, slimline clutch bag: it's the craziest shape I've ever seen, and looks like itwould do much better service as a pencil case - albeit the most expensive pencil case I've ever seen, at £624 at Farfetch
Rumours are circulating that former Prime Minister Tony Blair has 'bagged' himself a new job working in an advisory post at luxury luggage label, Louis Vuitton! The label is owned by Bernard Arnault, France's richest man and close ally of Blair since his days in no. 10.
The news has been met with a wailing and a gnashing of teeth from many of Blair's opponents, who claim the appointment proves that he is personally profiting from his role as PM. It appears that Blair had become a close personal friend of Mr. Arnault during is time in Office. Quite what Blair's role will involve and what sort of 'advice' he'll be giving at LV, however, remains a mystery. Blair's sartorial sense may have made him one of our better-dressed PMs, but the idea of a politician moving into fashion is still a very odd one. Can we expect to see him bespectacled and designer-clad in the front row at London Fashion Week in February?
Christmas is a time for giving, and if you'd like to spend your money on something a bit more meaningful than soap and chocolate this year, the story behind this beautiful bag might provide inspiration.

As well as looking gorgeous, the limited run 'Tabitha' shoulder bag helps a very worthy cause, as profits from each one goes towards the Baba Programme (also known as 'Give a Granny'), which pairs up mature women with young abandoned children in need of a loving, caring and safe relationship. The children have suffered mental and physical abandonment in Bulgaria, where orphans are often kept in faceless institutions. Every bag sold will fund a Baba for six weeks.
The bags themselves are made by hand in London by The Bag Ladies (great name!) who've done a fantastic job with this instantly lovable scalloped design. If you're keen to take one of these very special bags as your own, you'll need to act fast as the metallic version has already sold out. But bags are still available in the 'caramel' shade above and also in a deep 'aubergine' hue.
Buy one at Helping Handbags for £155
In the same vein as Michelle Tratchenberg for Coach, Alicia Keyes is also getting into the jewellery game.
The soul diva is teaming up with The Barber's Daughters designer Gisele Theriault, after meeting her while on tour, for a collection of necklaces.
"[When buying a few of Theriault's items backstage] I fell in love with the individuality of the pieces, but more than that, the words that were written on them really resonated with the songwriter in me. I knew at that moment, for the first time, that through a whole other medium I would be able to spread inspiration, and that's what got me started," she told WWD.
Alicia's collection is made from precious metals and gems which have been inscribed with messages. Pieces range from $85 to $2,500 and will be available from autumn next year.