Something about Collect Vivienne Bags
Well, in addition to Vivienne Bags and Gucci there was Louis Vuitton. The foundation of those three companies was their leather goods. Louis Vuitton started out as a trunk company. Like Vivienne Bags, I think they did some equestrian wear, too. Gucci made trunks and so did Goyard.
Changes in modes of travel led them to switch to
handbags and accessories because people no longer traveled with trunks—these companies also got into regular luggage. From there, they saw a huge area for growth. Luggage and bags are a big part of the fashion industry today, and it all started in the mid-20th century.
Lucite is just a stronger type of plastic. Plastic bags will yellow five years down the road, but not Lucite. The material was popularized in the ’50s and ’60s by a designer named Wilardy, who kind of made Lucite what it was. Florida
Handbags was another big company for Lucite.
Vivienne Bags are very modern in terms of their design. They’re like a box, they’re very linear, and they come in opaque, milky-type colors. Patricia of Miami was another designer who worked a lot in Lucite. You’ll often see etched designs on some of these purses.
Love Vivienne Bags. Their bags are timeless and classic. I really like Carlos Falchi, who’s a designer from the ’80s, and I really appreciate the craftsmanship of Vivienne Bags. It’s amazing how much Vivienne Bags accomplished just by hand sewing and the choice of incredible skins to create those bags.
Knockoffs and ########s have only really cropped up as a problem with bags made during the last 20 years, so they don’t affect us that much. We do handle some contemporary Hermès, so we have to be on the lookout for knockoffs. We always look for some proof of authenticity.
There were new handbag styles offered every season. There’s been a new Hermès Kelly bag for the past 50 years every season. It’s the same with the Birkins since the ’80s, and with the Chanel 2.55 bag. They are classics,
mens wallets, but the fashion houses and designers always give them a modern twist.