The London Handbag Shopping Centre

Sandra Bullock, who recently donated $1 million to the relief efforts in Haiti, has teamed up with Coach to benefit another one of her favorite charities: the Beauty Bus Foundation.

The Beauty Bus Foundation is a non profit organization that is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for home-bound, terminally or chronically ill patients and their caregivers. “We provide in-home beauty and grooming treatments, free of charge, to empower our clients, help them maintain dignity and give them respite during a difficult time. Our mission is to reach out to these compromised and isolated individuals and bring beauty into their lives in the comfort of their homes.”

When you purchase one of Sandra’s favorite picks, the Madison Tote (left) or Kristin (right), Coach will donate a percent to the charity.

As far as the brand See by Chloe goes, I wouldn’t call myself a fan. I refer to their accessories line in which most portray nothing more than unflattering looks and designs. I spotted these two newbie’s to the See by Chloe collection, and I’m quite impressed at how much I don’t dislike these bags, they’re actually decent…

The puddly “Ring Around Shoulder Bag” looks as functional as it appears fun. The classic hobo design in neutral black with a pebbly flat shoulder strap pretty much states that this bag won’t disappoint. Funky resin ring at the handles and a leather star zipper pull make fun characteristics to what would have been a simple black shoulder bag.

If you prefer your leather bags with a pop of hue and with a price tag under $600, the “Grasshopper” cross bag might be the See by Chloe bag for you. The color is great, it’s not exactly lilac and it’s not too purple, and I’d say it would make a great bag for the upcoming spring season. Two thumbs up for the gold toned hardware as it compliments the color nicely and of course the ability to carry this with the top handle or long strap for a messenger style is always nice.

Check out the collection online at: Shopbop.com

The Chat: chloe!

As of late I have been finding more reasons to love Burberry. Their leather bags continue to not only be fashionable and current but also affordable. And now I found a new Burberry bag that I want so badly to like but can’t help but look at it and see jean pockets.

I know many designers put two pockets on the front of their bags. This is nothing new. But there are times when I see a bag with pockets on the front that has me feeling like I am staring at a pair of jeans. And I am not sure the belted top detail helps the Burberry Tumbled Leather Tote look less like half a torso of someones body. Nevertheless, the bag still has many likable features.

The oversized buckles add a utility feel add an unexpected twist to the bag. The combination of light pink or white leather with the slouchy body, pockets, and buckles makes for an interesting finished product. As much as I kept talking about this bag reminding me of jean pockets, I am only seeing an online image. Once you try any bag on it looks entirely different than in stock images, so I would like to give this bag the benefit of the doubt. I love that Burberry uses sheepskin, which gives ultimate softness, on this bag. Dimensions are 16″W x 13″H x 6″D. Buy through Bloomingdale’s for $995.

What do you think of this bag: Fab or Drab?

To (very loosely) paraphrase the great Raymond Carver, Jean Paul Gaultier is what we talk about when we talk about couture. In a week of shows that have left me at times both dazzled and underwhelmed (Valentino, I’m looking at you), Gaultier showed up just in time to remind us all exactly why we’re here: because only a handful of people on the face of the planet are capable of so masterfully creating clothes that make us dream.

That’s exactly what we got with this woven, corseted, sombrero’d Mexico-meets-Avatar collection of things that no one could ever wear out into the real world, except for maybe Daphne Guinness and Lady Gaga. But the beauty of couture is that no one needs to wear most of it, which unshackles the designers and enables them to create truly resplendent and inspiring clothes-art without the burden of functionality (or the burden of reality, for that matter).

More so than any collection that I’ve seen so far this week, the conception and construction of these clothes is absolutely masterful. Yes, with the italics and everything. It’s that good. I usually flinch a bit when clothing is called a art, but I find it difficult to deny when I look at this collection – it’s everything fashion can and should be.

What Gaultier does best is not leave a detail untended. Not only does much of the collection have a Latin flavor, but even the bags and shoes look like they’re made of palm fronds and banana leaves. The clothes are great from the front, but some of them get better from the back. The weaving and boning are so meticulous that I find it hard to believe that human hands created them. The looks are fully realized and complete from head to toe, and a world where clothes like these are de rigueur is a place that I want to live.

Photos via Fashionologie.com

I’m…I’m underwhelmed. And a little sad, maybe. But mostly confused. Is this what Valentino Haute Couture is supposed to look like? Are they serious? I think we’ve been tricked. Fooled. Bamboozled.

It kind of reminds me of what would happen if Balenciaga and Valentino had a baby (the term ‘Valenciaga’ has already been coined elsewhere, I can’t take credit for it), and a few of the tight minidresses are reminiscent of Herve Leger, particularly with the neon inserts that were also in the previous Leger spring collection. Which is all fine and good, except neither of those designers make couture – they do a dandy job at pret-a-porter, but this is couture week, people.

Some of the signature Valentino ruffles, flowers and bows were present, but their inclusion at time seemed cursory rather than enthusiastic. And there were, of course, a few gowns that will look beautiful against a red carpet and over which I’m sure Rachel Zoe is currently having some sort of conniption.

The rest of it was just…the Balenciaga collection that Nicolas Ghesquiere forgot, and I’d say that I mean that in a good way, but I obviously don’t. It was reductive and mostly bland, but with a few truly odd moments – a ruched jumpsuit with a camel toe problem, non sequitur neon inserts, a red leather minidress that came out of NOWHERE.

It would be one thing if this was bad couture, but it’s just bad, with no indications of the kind of intricacy, construction, or care that go into forming and finishing a garment by hand. In their second couture season as the heads of Valentino, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli failed to actually make a couture collection. The ideas and realization hardly seem above that of ready-to-wear, and even then, I’ve seen several brands do these looks better as recently as last season. Chiuri and Piccioli have been quoted saying that they wanted to make couture for the younger generation with this collection – trust me, this is not what we want.