This document provides a history of women's designer handbags from ancient times to present day. It discusses the early origins and evolution of handbags, and focuses on three luxury brands - Hermes, Fendi, and Prada. For each brand, it details their founding, iconic bag designs, and influence on the fashion industry. The exhibit described at the Metropolitan Museum of Art showcases these brands and their most famous bags through displays, props, film and music to immerse visitors in the luxury and craftsmanship of leather handbags.
Fashion demands in follow trends now a days like their Cheap Handbags, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, anything else related to their needs to look attractive, all here now unique looks, For More About in Handbags, Click Here: http://fifthand.com/bags
The document summarizes the origins and histories of four famous fashion brands:
Prada was founded in 1913 in Italy by Mario Prada and is known for luxury leather goods and bags. In the 1970s, Miuccia Prada launched a line of nylon bags that were popular among fashion models and trends.
Louis Vuitton was established in 1854 in France and is renowned for luxury travel luggage. The brand pioneered the use of the LV monogram pattern in 1896 to prevent counterfeiting.
Versace was founded in 1978 in Italy by Gianni Versace and became popular among celebrities. After his death, his sister Donatella took over the business and named her daughter as heir to
Virgil Abloh founded his first fashion house, Off-White, in 2013. The brand gained widespread attention for its streetwear apparel featuring designs like quotation marks and barricade tape. By 2018, Off-White was ranked the hottest fashion label in the world. Abloh has also worked with brands like Louis Vuitton, IKEA, and Nike. He is seen as elevating streetwear and the black experience in fashion.
Telfar Clemens is a Liberian-American fashion designer born in 1985 in Queens, New York. He founded the brand TELFAR in 2002 and creates unisex clothing incorporating comfortable sportswear designs. Clemens studied business and has had critical success, winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. The TELFAR shopping bag, first released in 2014, has gained widespread popularity in 2020 for its accessible price point and representation of shifting trends towards inclusion and diversity. It has been compared to drops of highly sought-after brands and can resell for much higher prices. Clemens continues to focus on inclusivity and making clothing for all with his brand.
The document summarizes the stories behind some of the world's most iconic handbags, including:
1) The Birkin bag was conceived on an Air France napkin by Hermes' CEO and actress Jane Birkin, and has increased over 500% in value.
2) The Hermes Kelly bag was popularized by Grace Kelly shielding her pregnancy, and takes over 40 hours to handmake with 30+ leather pieces.
3) Coco Chanel's 2.55 bag from 1955 gave women more freedom of movement with its shoulder strap and remains a bestseller today.
1) Department stores first emerged in Italy in the early 20th century as revolutionary new retail spaces that made products accessible to all customers through standard prices and displays.
2) After World War II, Italian department stores like Rinascente helped establish "Made in Italy" as a global brand, showcasing high quality Italian fashion, leather goods, and craftsmanship.
3) Giorgio Armani launched his fashion career in the 1960s and founded his company Giorgio Armani SpA in 1975, revolutionizing menswear with relaxed, less padded jackets that revealed the natural body. His minimalist style became hugely popular with both men and women.
Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christiam Dior IshitaSawant1
Maria Grazia Chiuri is the first female creative director of Dior. She studied fashion design in Rome and had a long career at Fendi and Valentino with Pier Paolo Piccioli before being appointed to lead Dior in 2016. As creative director, Chiuri has made Dior's message about female empowerment and brought attention to the role of women in fashion. Her feminist-inspired designs celebrate women and have been commercially successful.
Fashion demands in follow trends now a days like their Cheap Handbags, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, anything else related to their needs to look attractive, all here now unique looks, For More About in Handbags, Click Here: http://fifthand.com/bags
The document summarizes the origins and histories of four famous fashion brands:
Prada was founded in 1913 in Italy by Mario Prada and is known for luxury leather goods and bags. In the 1970s, Miuccia Prada launched a line of nylon bags that were popular among fashion models and trends.
Louis Vuitton was established in 1854 in France and is renowned for luxury travel luggage. The brand pioneered the use of the LV monogram pattern in 1896 to prevent counterfeiting.
Versace was founded in 1978 in Italy by Gianni Versace and became popular among celebrities. After his death, his sister Donatella took over the business and named her daughter as heir to
Virgil Abloh founded his first fashion house, Off-White, in 2013. The brand gained widespread attention for its streetwear apparel featuring designs like quotation marks and barricade tape. By 2018, Off-White was ranked the hottest fashion label in the world. Abloh has also worked with brands like Louis Vuitton, IKEA, and Nike. He is seen as elevating streetwear and the black experience in fashion.
Telfar Clemens is a Liberian-American fashion designer born in 1985 in Queens, New York. He founded the brand TELFAR in 2002 and creates unisex clothing incorporating comfortable sportswear designs. Clemens studied business and has had critical success, winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. The TELFAR shopping bag, first released in 2014, has gained widespread popularity in 2020 for its accessible price point and representation of shifting trends towards inclusion and diversity. It has been compared to drops of highly sought-after brands and can resell for much higher prices. Clemens continues to focus on inclusivity and making clothing for all with his brand.
The document summarizes the stories behind some of the world's most iconic handbags, including:
1) The Birkin bag was conceived on an Air France napkin by Hermes' CEO and actress Jane Birkin, and has increased over 500% in value.
2) The Hermes Kelly bag was popularized by Grace Kelly shielding her pregnancy, and takes over 40 hours to handmake with 30+ leather pieces.
3) Coco Chanel's 2.55 bag from 1955 gave women more freedom of movement with its shoulder strap and remains a bestseller today.
1) Department stores first emerged in Italy in the early 20th century as revolutionary new retail spaces that made products accessible to all customers through standard prices and displays.
2) After World War II, Italian department stores like Rinascente helped establish "Made in Italy" as a global brand, showcasing high quality Italian fashion, leather goods, and craftsmanship.
3) Giorgio Armani launched his fashion career in the 1960s and founded his company Giorgio Armani SpA in 1975, revolutionizing menswear with relaxed, less padded jackets that revealed the natural body. His minimalist style became hugely popular with both men and women.
Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christiam Dior IshitaSawant1
Maria Grazia Chiuri is the first female creative director of Dior. She studied fashion design in Rome and had a long career at Fendi and Valentino with Pier Paolo Piccioli before being appointed to lead Dior in 2016. As creative director, Chiuri has made Dior's message about female empowerment and brought attention to the role of women in fashion. Her feminist-inspired designs celebrate women and have been commercially successful.
This document provides biographical information about five fashion designers and their careers:
1) John Galliano is a British fashion designer known for his work at Givenchy and Christian Dior in Paris. He launched his own label in the 1980s before taking the role of chief designer at major French houses in the 1990s.
2) Isabel Marant is a French designer known for her bohemian aesthetic. She launched her own label in Paris in the 1990s after interning with other designers. Her brand now includes multiple lines.
3) Miuccia Prada founded her brand in Milan and is known for her avant-garde designs.
4) Donna Karan launched the urban
Telfar Clemens is a Liberian-American fashion designer born in 1985 in Queens, New York. He founded the brand TELFAR in 2002 and creates unisex clothing incorporating comfortable sportswear designs. Clemens studied business and has had critical success, winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. The TELFAR shopping bag, first released in 2014, has gained widespread popularity in 2020 for its accessible price point and representation of shifting trends towards inclusion and diversity. It has been compared to drops of highly sought-after brands and can resell for much higher prices. Clemens continues to focus on inclusivity and making clothing for all with his brand.
The document discusses Henri Cartier-Bresson's famous photographs of the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi and portraits of Alberto Giacometti and Albert Camus. It then asks the reader to identify the subjects of Cartier-Bresson's photographs and asks a follow up question about Cartier-Bresson and Giacometti.
Roy Halston Frowick was a famous American fashion designer in the 1970s known for his minimalist yet elegant designs. He created the pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy popularized. Halston founded his own fashion house in the 1960s and became very successful, dressing many celebrities. However, he lost control of his company in 1984. In 2008, the Halston brand was revived under new leadership seeking to recreate the original designs while also expanding into new product lines.
Gucci is an Italian luxury brand founded in 1921 in Florence, Italy that designs and sells leather goods, handbags, shoes, clothing, fragrances, and other fashion accessories. Some key points:
- Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci and is now owned by French company Kering.
- Creative director Alessandro Michele oversees design and innovation at the brand.
- Gucci operates over 500 stores worldwide and has partnerships with automakers like Fiat and Cadillac to produce luxury versions of vehicles.
- The brand experienced financial troubles in the 1990s but was revived under Tom Ford's creative direction in the mid-1990s.
- Today Gucci continues to build its reputation through
mithun sharing his collection of quizzes/ppts which were left over in his laptop. this is something i have prepared for my own learning or for conducting some quiz in hyd or bglr between 2005 and 2011. might even contain some strays of ppts from other quizzes i visited/tried
Prada is an Italian luxury fashion label founded in 1913 by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear clothing, and other luxury items. In the 1970s, Miuccia Prada took over the family business and revitalized it by expanding into nylon bags and footwear. Her clean, minimalist designs emphasized high quality materials and became widely influential. Today, Prada operates worldwide with stores in many countries and has collaborated with other brands like LG Electronics to produce luxury cell phones.
The stories behind fashion's most iconic bags.pdfReplica Bags
Explore the captivating narratives and rich histories woven into the fabric of fashion with "The Stories Behind Fashion's Most Iconic Bags." This immersive journey delves deep into the world of haute couture accessories, shedding light on the legendary bags that have left an indelible mark on style and culture.
The document provides rules and context for a fashion quiz, including 18 multiple choice questions. After discussing the origins of palazzo pants in the 1920s, popularized by Coco Chanel in Venice, it asks a series of multiple choice questions about fashion brands, trends, and historical events. Examples include the Kelly bag made famous by Jackie Kennedy, bomber jackets, Nehru jackets, and the origins of the Burberry plaid pattern.
Hermès is a French luxury brand founded in 1837 known for leather goods, clothing, and accessories. It began as a harness workshop but introduced saddles and leather bags in the early 20th century. The Birkin bag, named after actress Jane Birkin, became extremely popular in the 1980s and remains one of Hermès' most iconic and sought-after products due to its high quality craftsmanship and limited availability.
If you are a luxury buff and enthusiast, this article is your key page in the luxury bible of most iconic luxury handbags and the stories behind them. For a handbag to be iconic, timelessness is a vital factor to punch in – since many bags do lose their momentum over a period. Only a few of them seem to get better with age – remain as strong as ever. Most of these come from iconic legacy luxury fashion houses and have established themselves as the most classic, timeless, and iconic bags of our day and age.Do you know the stories behind each? How some of the most famous celebrities and social figures have played a crucial role to make these handbags classic and iconic? Let’s learn.
A brief history of iconic Louis Vuitton bags through the agesReverlavie
It was in the small town of Jura, France, that the founder Louis Vuitton left his home at the age of 14 on foot and embarked upon the journey that led him to design the bespoke trunk synonymous to the luxury brand. Years later when his son Georges inherited the famed luggage trunk business, he garnered the famous logo–the ‘V’ overlapping the ‘L’ patented in gold over brown on the travel bags.
THE HOUSE OF GUCCI: A COMPLETE HISTORY AND TIMELINEBoomidiaDealShop
Just like the long-lived mythological phoenix, Gucci has cyclically regenerated, reaching its centenary in 2021, passing through family feuds, take-over attempts, a near-bankruptcy, a public listing, storybook turnarounds and even a murder — which has sparked the Ridley Scott film “House of Gucci” starring Lady Gaga — but the allure of the brand is enduring.
Historical Research and Planning Project Patricia Lin
Extended researching and planning for a mock exhibition regarding to the Art Deco Fashion. From making brochure to planning all the actives for the three-day exhibition. Researched for appropriate speakers for the exhibition and plan the best route of the exhibition for the visitors.
The most complete of louis vuitton introducedhello212
Louis Vuitton was founded in 1854 in Paris by Louis Vuitton as a luggage maker and shop. It became known for its flat-top trunks and innovative designs. Over time, it expanded globally and became a leader in luxury goods, known for high quality leather bags and its monogram print. Today it is part of LVMH and remains one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world.
Valentino is an Italian fashion designer known for founding the Valentino fashion house. He apprenticed in fashion design as a teenager in Italy before moving to Paris to further his studies. There he worked for designers like Balenciaga and Guy Laroche before founding his own fashion house in Rome in 1959. His international success took off in the 1960s when he began dressing famous clients like Jacqueline Kennedy. Along with his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino built the brand into a global luxury empire while also becoming known for their lavish lifestyle and extensive art collection. Valentino has received numerous honors over his illustrious career and is considered one of the all-time great fashion designers.
Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford famously walked down the runway at a Gianni Versace show in 1991 while lip-syncing to "Freedom" by George Michael. They became known collectively as the "Supermodels" and helped open up the previously closed fashion industry. In the late 1950s, Grace Kelly used a boldly designed Hermes bag, known as the "Kelly Bag", to conceal her early pregnancy, which shot the bag to international fame. Norma Kamali is known for her streamlined one-piece swimsuits, made famous on Charlie's Angels by Farrah Fawcett, which launched Kamali into fame.
14 most famous fashion brands in the worldSarah NY
- Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion house founded by Giorgio Armani that designs, manufactures, and retails various luxury goods including clothing, accessories, home goods, and cosmetics under several labels of varying prestige and accessibility.
This document provides biographical information about five fashion designers and their careers:
1) John Galliano is a British fashion designer known for his work at Givenchy and Christian Dior in Paris. He launched his own label in the 1980s before taking the role of chief designer at major French houses in the 1990s.
2) Isabel Marant is a French designer known for her bohemian aesthetic. She launched her own label in Paris in the 1990s after interning with other designers. Her brand now includes multiple lines.
3) Miuccia Prada founded her brand in Milan and is known for her avant-garde designs.
4) Donna Karan launched the urban
Telfar Clemens is a Liberian-American fashion designer born in 1985 in Queens, New York. He founded the brand TELFAR in 2002 and creates unisex clothing incorporating comfortable sportswear designs. Clemens studied business and has had critical success, winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize. The TELFAR shopping bag, first released in 2014, has gained widespread popularity in 2020 for its accessible price point and representation of shifting trends towards inclusion and diversity. It has been compared to drops of highly sought-after brands and can resell for much higher prices. Clemens continues to focus on inclusivity and making clothing for all with his brand.
The document discusses Henri Cartier-Bresson's famous photographs of the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi and portraits of Alberto Giacometti and Albert Camus. It then asks the reader to identify the subjects of Cartier-Bresson's photographs and asks a follow up question about Cartier-Bresson and Giacometti.
Roy Halston Frowick was a famous American fashion designer in the 1970s known for his minimalist yet elegant designs. He created the pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy popularized. Halston founded his own fashion house in the 1960s and became very successful, dressing many celebrities. However, he lost control of his company in 1984. In 2008, the Halston brand was revived under new leadership seeking to recreate the original designs while also expanding into new product lines.
Gucci is an Italian luxury brand founded in 1921 in Florence, Italy that designs and sells leather goods, handbags, shoes, clothing, fragrances, and other fashion accessories. Some key points:
- Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci and is now owned by French company Kering.
- Creative director Alessandro Michele oversees design and innovation at the brand.
- Gucci operates over 500 stores worldwide and has partnerships with automakers like Fiat and Cadillac to produce luxury versions of vehicles.
- The brand experienced financial troubles in the 1990s but was revived under Tom Ford's creative direction in the mid-1990s.
- Today Gucci continues to build its reputation through
mithun sharing his collection of quizzes/ppts which were left over in his laptop. this is something i have prepared for my own learning or for conducting some quiz in hyd or bglr between 2005 and 2011. might even contain some strays of ppts from other quizzes i visited/tried
Prada is an Italian luxury fashion label founded in 1913 by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear clothing, and other luxury items. In the 1970s, Miuccia Prada took over the family business and revitalized it by expanding into nylon bags and footwear. Her clean, minimalist designs emphasized high quality materials and became widely influential. Today, Prada operates worldwide with stores in many countries and has collaborated with other brands like LG Electronics to produce luxury cell phones.
The stories behind fashion's most iconic bags.pdfReplica Bags
Explore the captivating narratives and rich histories woven into the fabric of fashion with "The Stories Behind Fashion's Most Iconic Bags." This immersive journey delves deep into the world of haute couture accessories, shedding light on the legendary bags that have left an indelible mark on style and culture.
The document provides rules and context for a fashion quiz, including 18 multiple choice questions. After discussing the origins of palazzo pants in the 1920s, popularized by Coco Chanel in Venice, it asks a series of multiple choice questions about fashion brands, trends, and historical events. Examples include the Kelly bag made famous by Jackie Kennedy, bomber jackets, Nehru jackets, and the origins of the Burberry plaid pattern.
Hermès is a French luxury brand founded in 1837 known for leather goods, clothing, and accessories. It began as a harness workshop but introduced saddles and leather bags in the early 20th century. The Birkin bag, named after actress Jane Birkin, became extremely popular in the 1980s and remains one of Hermès' most iconic and sought-after products due to its high quality craftsmanship and limited availability.
If you are a luxury buff and enthusiast, this article is your key page in the luxury bible of most iconic luxury handbags and the stories behind them. For a handbag to be iconic, timelessness is a vital factor to punch in – since many bags do lose their momentum over a period. Only a few of them seem to get better with age – remain as strong as ever. Most of these come from iconic legacy luxury fashion houses and have established themselves as the most classic, timeless, and iconic bags of our day and age.Do you know the stories behind each? How some of the most famous celebrities and social figures have played a crucial role to make these handbags classic and iconic? Let’s learn.
A brief history of iconic Louis Vuitton bags through the agesReverlavie
It was in the small town of Jura, France, that the founder Louis Vuitton left his home at the age of 14 on foot and embarked upon the journey that led him to design the bespoke trunk synonymous to the luxury brand. Years later when his son Georges inherited the famed luggage trunk business, he garnered the famous logo–the ‘V’ overlapping the ‘L’ patented in gold over brown on the travel bags.
THE HOUSE OF GUCCI: A COMPLETE HISTORY AND TIMELINEBoomidiaDealShop
Just like the long-lived mythological phoenix, Gucci has cyclically regenerated, reaching its centenary in 2021, passing through family feuds, take-over attempts, a near-bankruptcy, a public listing, storybook turnarounds and even a murder — which has sparked the Ridley Scott film “House of Gucci” starring Lady Gaga — but the allure of the brand is enduring.
Historical Research and Planning Project Patricia Lin
Extended researching and planning for a mock exhibition regarding to the Art Deco Fashion. From making brochure to planning all the actives for the three-day exhibition. Researched for appropriate speakers for the exhibition and plan the best route of the exhibition for the visitors.
The most complete of louis vuitton introducedhello212
Louis Vuitton was founded in 1854 in Paris by Louis Vuitton as a luggage maker and shop. It became known for its flat-top trunks and innovative designs. Over time, it expanded globally and became a leader in luxury goods, known for high quality leather bags and its monogram print. Today it is part of LVMH and remains one of the most prestigious luxury brands in the world.
Valentino is an Italian fashion designer known for founding the Valentino fashion house. He apprenticed in fashion design as a teenager in Italy before moving to Paris to further his studies. There he worked for designers like Balenciaga and Guy Laroche before founding his own fashion house in Rome in 1959. His international success took off in the 1960s when he began dressing famous clients like Jacqueline Kennedy. Along with his business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, Valentino built the brand into a global luxury empire while also becoming known for their lavish lifestyle and extensive art collection. Valentino has received numerous honors over his illustrious career and is considered one of the all-time great fashion designers.
Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford famously walked down the runway at a Gianni Versace show in 1991 while lip-syncing to "Freedom" by George Michael. They became known collectively as the "Supermodels" and helped open up the previously closed fashion industry. In the late 1950s, Grace Kelly used a boldly designed Hermes bag, known as the "Kelly Bag", to conceal her early pregnancy, which shot the bag to international fame. Norma Kamali is known for her streamlined one-piece swimsuits, made famous on Charlie's Angels by Farrah Fawcett, which launched Kamali into fame.
14 most famous fashion brands in the worldSarah NY
- Giorgio Armani is an Italian fashion house founded by Giorgio Armani that designs, manufactures, and retails various luxury goods including clothing, accessories, home goods, and cosmetics under several labels of varying prestige and accessibility.
Gucci is an Italian luxury brand founded in 1920 in Florence that designs and manufactures fashion items like clothing, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and perfumes. It gained international success in the 1950s reaching New York and Hollywood. In the 1990s, creative director Tom Ford led a revival with his sexy designs. Under Alessandro Michele since 2015, Gucci has achieved unexpected success with its retro aesthetic. Some iconic Gucci products are wool coats, moccasins, mini bags, and the Jackie and Sylvie handbags. Celebrities like Sienna Miller, Brie Larson, and Michelle Obama promote the brand.
The document summarizes women's fashion in France from 1940-2000 in 3 sentences or less per decade:
1940s-1950s: Fashion was strictly controlled during WWII with pencil skirts and utility fabrics, then Dior's "New Look" defined the 1950s with an hourglass silhouette emphasizing femininity.
1960s: The miniskirt became iconic as women's liberation took hold, and designers like Courreges popularized a more geometric, space-age aesthetic.
1970s: Bold, colorful fashions emerged as hippies, punks, and disco dominated, including floral prints, bell bottoms, and platform shoes.
The Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most important social events in New York City. Also known as the "Oscars of the East Coast", the annual gala raises millions for the Costume Institute and features A-list celebrity guests. This year's theme was "Charles James: Beyond Fashion", celebrating the American designer's sculptural gowns and innovative tailoring techniques. Guests were expected to dress according to the theme at the exclusive black-tie event.
Maria Grazia Chiuri For Christian Dior IshitaSawant1
Maria Grazia Chiuri is the first female creative director of Dior. She studied fashion design in Rome and worked with Pier Paolo Piccioli at Fendi and Valentino, where they helped launch iconic bags and the popular Rockstud shoe line. As Dior's creative director since 2016, Chiuri has focused on championing feminism and female empowerment through her designs and runway shows, celebrating the power of women. She draws inspiration from various cultures, time periods, and art forms to create feminine, bold, and experimental collections for Dior.
1. Running Head: THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 1
The Luxury of Leather: Women’s Designer Handbags
Kajah Houston
Miranda Garcia
Sarah Safar
Amy Wheeler
University of North Texas
2. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 2
Interior
The earliest handbag dates all the way back to 2600 B.C.E., when Egyptians used a
double-handled leather bag held by sticks (Campbell, n.d.). The ancient Sumerian culture,
Greeks and Roman’s all used handbags as well. In fact, ancient Greeks used a leather bag called
a byrsa, which translates to purse and Roman woman used a net purse called reticulum which
was the inspiration of the reticule of the 1790s (Campbell, n.d.). Handbags were used by men
until the 1400s when they then became unisex (Nyamache, n.d.). Today, women are the target
market for handbag companies. Although handbags are still used to carry belongings, they have a
different use today; handbags are seen as a status symbol and an accessory that completes an
outfit. By the 1800s, no woman would leave her house without her bag (Johnson, 2002). Leather
bags were introduced in 1815 and provided another option for women. Saddle maker and
luggage houses in Paris in the late nineteenth century like Hermes were leaders in making leather
bag designs (Campbell, n.d.). Even though these bags were made decades ago, they are used
today as a way for consumers to create their own unique and individual style. According to
Women’s Wear Daily, handbags have become the most important accessory driving the fashion
industry (Grotts, 2013). Handbags are such a commodity that statistics show, retail sales value
women’s handbags at approximately 9.2 billion dollars in 2015 (“Retail Sales”, n.d.). In fact,
handbags are extremely relevant today because studies have shown that certain bags, like the
Birkin, are a better investment than the stock market (Golgowski, 2016). These bags are
considered an investment because brands like Hermes use tanneries based out of France that
have been known as elite tanners since the 1800s (FNA, 2013). Hermes, Fendi and Prada are
known as the most elite handbag makers from Italy and France in the fashion industry. You will
3. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 3
have a chance to experience the luxury of leather handbags up close in person with famous bags
provided by The Simone Handbag Museum and The Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.
Hermes
Hermes started in 1837 by Thierry Hermes as a carriage company making saddles and
carriages for the wealthy (Jean-Louis, 2010). This was an affluent business for the family to be
in because only the wealthy could afford to travel in horse drawn carriages. Emile-Maurice
Hermes took over the company in 1879 and soon realized that technology was evolving and
changing the way people traveled (Lohse, 2011). He knew if he didn’t change the direction of
the company, they wouldn’t last. He then thought of the idea to produce luxury luggage, folding
portable furniture, and other items made specifically for traveling by boat, plane and car
(Milbank, 2005). Emile-Maurice’s son in law Robert Dumas took over the company in 1905 and
is known for his legendary creations of handbags later known as the Kelly bag and the Bolide
(Lohse, 2011). The Bolide (See Appendix A, Figure 1; Helton 2007), created in 1923 was the
first bag in the world to have a zipper (Helton, 2007). The Kelly bag (See Appendix A, Figure 2;
Milbank, 2005) received its name in 1956 when Grace Kelly was shown on the cover of LIFE
Magazine using the bag to hide her pregnant stomach (Milbank, 2005). In 1978 Jean- Louis
Dumas took over the company and in 1981 boarded a plane traveling from Paris to London. On
the flight he happened to sit next to Jane Birkin and through conversation, the iconic Birkin bag
(See Appendix A, Figure 3) was born.
Fendi
In Rome, 1925 an Italian couple by the name of Edoardo and Adele Fendi started the first
handbag and fur company in the city (Senft, 2011). In the 1920s Adele created the Selleria
leather series which was inspired by her love for the leather saddles seen on passing horse drawn
4. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 4
carriages outside of the Fendi shop (De Rosee, 2013). Edoardo and Adele never thought
everyone around the world would soon know their small shop as a luxury fashion brand. In
1946, Adele’s daughter Paola joined the family business at the young age of fifteen years old and
later inspired her other sisters to join the business as well. The daughters took on their own roles
in Fendi. Paola was in charge of furs, Anna leather, Franca with client relations, Carla with
business coordination and Aida with sales (“Fendi”, 2015). Fendi was quickly growing and it
was apparent they were going to need to seek some help from outside of the family. The
daughters decided to look into hiring a fresh designer to bring some new ideas to the brand.
There were many up and coming young fashion designers living in Paris in the 19th century one
of those being Karl Lagerfeld (Power, 2004). Despite Adele Fendi’s opinion, the Fendi daughters
decided to ask Karl Lagerfeld to join the company (Amed, 2015). Soon after Karl Lagerfeld
joined the Fendi family, the iconic ‘double f’ Fendi logo also called the Zucca was born (Pavitt,
2005). Karl Lagerfeld took the Fendi brand to the next level with his unique vision of furs,
fashion and bright colors. In 1997, Venturini Fendi, one of Adele’s granddaughters, created the
Baguette bag (See Appendix A, Figure 4). The small bag gets its name from the similar look of
carrying a baguette underneath your arm walking home from the grocery store (“Fendi”, 2012).
The bag unexpectedly took off and with Fendi not able to fulfill all of the requests, they
developed a waiting list style business that is still present today (De Rosee, 2013). Years later in
2009, Venturini created another grand bag called the Peekaboo (Appendix A, Figure 5). The
Peekaboo gets its name from the side pockets that fold down revealing the lining and implying
that “sometimes the inside is more important than the outside (De Rosee, 2013). The Baguette
and the Peekaboo are both major iconic pieces part of the Selleria Collection. Today, all of the
bags in the collection are made completely by hand (De Rosee, 2013).
5. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 5
Prada
In 1913 Mario Prada opens his first store in Milan’s oldest mall, Galleria Vitorrio
Emanuele II (Senft, 2011). Within his first decade of business, Mario Prada became the official
supplier to the Italian Royal Household. Because of this extreme title, Prada is able incorporate
the House of Savoy’s coat of arms into its trademark logo. Prada’s Galleria Vitorrio location
soon becomes a premier destination to the most elite people of Europe (“Prada Group”, n.d.). In
1950 Prada develops a new type of Nylon after years of research and product development. The
fabric is called Saffiano and is known for being durable because its scratch and water resistant
properties (Fobs, 2015). In the 1970’s Miuccia Prada, Mario’s granddaughter took over the
company and in 1977 her husband, Patrizio Bertelli joins the brand and together they take the
Prada brand to another level (O’hagan, 2013). In 1978, Miuccia Prada created the iconic black
nylon rucksack with a small label (“Miuccia Prada”, n.d.). At the time, fashion was all about big
labels and lots of them so this was considered a risk. The rucksack did very well and is one of
the reasons Prada is now a billion dollar company. From there, Prada would continue to create
fashions that were very different than the rest of the fashion industry (“Miuccia Prada”, n.d.).
Miuccia and Patrizio opened up their second store in Via della Spiga in Milan. The store
represented the new image of the brand since the take over of Miuccia and Patrizio. The store is
modern and has a pale green finish that becomes the look for all of their future stores (“Prada
Group”, n.d.).
Interior Flap
In 1981 Jean-Louis Dumas sat down on an airplane traveling from Paris to London and
happened to sit next to singer and actress, Jane Birkin, who at the time was known for her role in
La moutarde me monte au nez and Ex-fan des sixties (Jane, 2003). Jean-Louis Dumas looked at
6. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 6
her handbag and saw she was carrying an unkempt straw carryall (Milbank, 2004). Throughout
the rest of their flight they exchanged a conversation where Jean-Louis Dumas joked about Jane
needing a bag with pockets after her belongings fell out of her purse. Jane joked back saying she
would own a bag with pockets the day Hermes makes one (Leitch, 2012). Three years later, in
1984 the iconic Hermes Birkin bag was released. Last year, in 2015 PETA released an
unfortunate video that showed Crocodiles at a farm located in Texas being poorly treated before
being used to make the Birkin bags (“Exposed”, n.d.). When Jane Birkin saw this she was
extremely upset and looked for ways for her name to be taken off the bag. The Hermes family
was also very upset about the video and respected her concern for the mistreatment of animals
(Sowray, 2015). They are focusing on making conscious decisions for a successful future and
today they have a strong relationship. Hear more about their story and relationship from Jane
Birkin herself at the exhibit.
Back
At the end of the exhibit you will be able to pick up some exciting mementos. The
merchandise available will include but not be limited to; Jane Birkin CDs and movies, postcards
from Hermes, Prada and Fendi, postcards from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, books about the
history of purses including Handbags: The Power of the Purse and key chains that are replicas of
the iconic bags (See Appendix B, Figures 7-13). Jane Birkin will also be available to sign any
CDs and movies purchased at the museum.
Props, Film, Music
When you walk into the Metropolitan Museum of Art and make your way to The Luxury
of Leather: Women’s Designer Handbags exhibit you will immediately see the video How a
Leather Bag is Made. Walk a little further and you will see a display case displaying the steps of
7. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 7
a Hermes bag being made from start to finish (See Appendix C, Figure 14). Make your way into
the first room and you will hear the voice of Jane Birkin singing Serge Gainsborg’s Je T’aime as
well as a video of them singing it together and your eyes will be drawn to a bright Hermes
orange colored horse carriage (See Appendix C, Figure 15) displaying Birkins, the Kelly bag and
of course the Bolide, the first handbag made with zippers. Keep walking and you will find
yourself in a bright yellow room listening to the Sex and The City theme song with bright pink
mannequins (See Appendix C, Figure 16) displaying Fendi’s Baguette and Peekaboo handbags.
Why Sex and The City, you ask? The Baguette bag was made popular among American women
when the iconic bag was shown carried by the adventurous girl group (Gibson, 2011). You will
also be shown short clips from the episodes of the girls carrying their Fendi bags (See Appendix
C, Figure 17). Last but not least walk into a dark room with pouring down rain lit up by a neon
sign showing the famous quote by Miuccia Prada herself, “I want always to mix the industrial
way of doing things with the patrimonio of the past, with the artisanal tradition” (Borrelli-
persson, 2015). As you walk through the rain you will see naked trees (See Appendix C, Figure
18) with the iconic black nylon rucksack and Saffiano bags hanging from the branches. Don’t
worry about getting wet or needing an umbrella, this unique room stops raining wherever you
walk so you will stay completely dry (See Appendix C, Figure 19). The material Prada makes
their bags with is supposed to be waterproof, scratchproof and able to withstand the elements,
making this the perfect atmosphere to display these amazing bags.
8. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 8
Appendix A
Figure 1. Hermes Bolide bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.
Figure 2.Hermes Kelly bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.
9. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 9
Figure 3. Hermes Birkin bag. Courtesy of Simone Handbag Museum.
Figure 4. Fendi Baguette bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.
10. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 10
Figure 5. Fendi Peekaboo bag. Courtesy of Tassen Museum of Bags and Purses.
Figure 6. Prada Rucksack. Courtesy of Simone Handbag Museum.
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Appendix B
Figure 7. Jane Birkin CD.
Figure 8. Jane Birkin Poster.
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Figure 9. Hermes Postcard.
Figure 10. Fendi Karl Lagerfeld postcard purse.
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Figure 11. Metropolitan Museum of Art postcard.
Figure 12. The Power of the Purse: Handbags book by Anna Johnson.
14. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 14
Figure 13. Mini designer purse keychains.
Appendix C
Figure 14. How a Hermes bag is made. Courtesy of Hermes Leather Forever Exhibit.
15. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 15
Figure 15. Orange carriage. Courtesy of DTS Exports.
Figure 16. Pink Mannequin.
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Figure 17. Sex and The City Clip.
Figure 18. Metal Trees.
18. THE LUXURY OF LEATHER 18
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