Talking Shop: Foley & Corrina Sale

To Melrose, where I came across a fantastic surprise whilst sale shopping. I didn't have much luck at the sales I came specifically to see - The Way We Wore popup shop (underwhelming), Madison (still too pricey for my pathetic budget), Ron Herman (disappointing), and Creatures of Comfort (eh).

HOWEVER, while walking back to my car, I stumbled upon the new Foley & Corrina outpost, which opened up about a month ago, but which I still haven't made it down to see. I've been to their first shop in New York, and although their clothes are stunning, they're not really my thing - lots of sequins and beading and draped stretchy material. Their bags, on the other hand, are basically the stuff of my dreams - big, rich, slouchy leather creations that can fit all of the random junk I tote along with me every day, but still manage to look impeccable.

And this is where the fantastic surprise comes in - just about every bag in the place was 50% off. They're reasonably priced as it is, so with the additional discount, we're talking less than $300. And if you've ever seen their bags before, you'll know that you're getting a LOT of bag for that $300. I spent about a half hour 'trying on' various ones, with the help of the totally sweet salesgirl (is kind of easy to waste a lot of time there - cozy boudoir-style interior makes it hard to leave), but I decided to sleep on it in the end. But instead of deciding against the purchase, which I was kind of hoping I'd do, I'm now contemplating a bulk buy in the morning. After all, a girl can never have too many deeply-discounted handbags...

Anna Corinna bags available at Foley & Corinna, 8117 Melrose, 323.944.0169

Say Whaaat?: $20,000 Handbags

Talk about those with more money than sense - WWD has reported that there's been enough interest in Burberry's line of 'superluxe' bags to warrent waiting lists and an international trunk show series. The line, which includes styles like the Warrior, the Knight, the Manor and the Ashcombe clutch, is being rendered in materials like python and aligator - which apparently justifies price tags that rival those of most small cars. At least they're throwing in engraved nameplates and quilted leather boxes to sweeten the deal...

Burberry's certainly not the first label to foray into the superluxe arena - any exotic-skinned bag is sure to be massively expensive, and it's no secret that the aligator and croc versions of the Birkin, the B, and Coach's Bleeker all start at $20,000 a pop. What's shocking to me is that there seems to be such a demand for them. I mean, I'd always figured that they were just showpieces that labels released more for marketing purposes than anything else, with maybe a handful of buyers around the world - kind of like the $160 sandwich launched by Selfridges a few years back. But waiting lists and trunk shows? If this is, in fact, a publicity stunt, these PRs obviously have way too much time on their hands...

Is it just me, or would anyone else absolutely refuse to pay $20,000 for a bag - even if they had all the money in the world?

Quest for the Ideal Handbag: Junior Drake

Everybody's got irrationally high standards about something. For some, it's food; for others, it's men; for me, it's bags. I've been looking for a new bag for over a year now, to no avail - I have no interest in paying thousands of dollars for something hundreds of other women will have (or will have a fake copy of), but still want something with a bit of luxury - in the material, detailing, etc.

So I've decided to begin chronicling my quest here, in hopes that I might be able to offer some suggestions to other picky bag buyers - and also, hopefully, some of you might be able to tip me off to a few good brands as well.

First up is Junior Drake. It's an LA-based brand inspired by the legendary actress Patsy Brown, who used Junior Drake as her stage name. Drake's most famous quote,"It's not the dress, it's the girl," serves as the basis for the brand's ethos - one of individuality, spirit and class.

The main thing that attracts me to the bags is their attention to small details. Things like braiding and pleating give them a luxurious element, and their range of non-traditional colors - like apple-red and burnished pewter - make them perfect for those who want to stand out from a sea of black and brown totes. My favorite is the Andie, pictured above. It's big enough to fit a few large-format style magazines - massively important for me - but at only $448, it doesn't have a price tag to match.

www.juniordrake.com