One American Handbag Designer whose stock is very much on the up is Michael Kors. Following his recognition at Project Runway, Michael Kors’ bags are appearing everywhere. The accent is always on luxury, catering to US glamorous lifestyle images, and the leather is superb quality with that rich leather smell that seems to ooze quality in a handbag.

Purple plaited handle shopper with lace up detail. Bag has two purple tassels to the front, gold hardware and a gold, branded MK attachment. Bag fastens with a gold zip. Bag is lined with emblem fabric and has a zipped internal pocket. Bag measures 33cm x 38cm x 16cm. It comes in purple (pictured), brown or white from my-wardrobe, who ship these bags worldwide with a seven-day approval guarantee.

This Michael Kors shopper comes in purple, beown or white

Michael Kors makes quite a few medium totes, this is a good choice if your budget does not strecth to buying unlimited designer handbags. However the Michael Kors Brookville Bag suffers from a common design drawback, in that the strap is slightly too short to loop over the shoulder comfortably. I found this with the Chloe Paddington as well. How does it happen? Do the designers forget that real women are going to be wearing jackets or even coats when they use the bags?

Michael Kors Rehearsal Tote Bag

To carry this bag on your shoulder is still a little snug, but it is very comfortable to carry as the body of the handbags is not excessively deep.

Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown exchanging gifts

I also found this photo of Sarah Brown leaving the US in a camel coat – this looks like the makeover has not been total. Thick woollen coats with tie-up belts are never flattering if you are above a size 2! Next month the US fashion icon is coming to London for Obama’s first presidential visit to the UK. I look forward to the next examples of their handbag choices.

Sarah Brown in a Camel belted coat

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Nancy Gonzalez for Samantha and her dog

A new name in the film is Nancy Gonzalez.  Samantha gets a designer dog from a rescue charity she chooses the dog because she seems to be keen on the same things as Samantha – watch again if you don’t know the scene! Of course the dog needs to be accessorized to suit Samantha’s image so she pops into the nearest designer bag outlet and emerges with a her new Nancy Gonzalez bag, plus a matching Nancy Gonzalez collar and leash for the dog, complete with led light for those night-time walks!

Do we like this Gucci patent hobo? I find it really verges on the tacky side of designer. Over here there is the start of a reaction to overpriced ostentatious designer bags, and for me this Gucci medium patent hobo bag in a tortoise print is the kind of design that fuels that feeling. Did the designers decide to see just how awful they could make a bag with material handling while trading on the Gucci name? Are there really women out there who find this bag attractive, and worth the price tag of $1300 +? If that is you, please let me know.

Here is a way to wear this season’s edgy designer scarf. Kate Moss is wearing a Louis Vuitton Leopard Print Scarf, by Stephen Sprouse: this is sold out in London, Paris and New York as a result. Whatever has happened with Kate Moss in the past, she knows how to display clothes and accessories to their best advantage: no wonder she kept her contracts with the top designers in spite of her bad CAT6 habits. Anything she wears in public becomes instantly sought after and this ethnic looking cashmere scarf has been snapped up by the fashionistas who want to be seen following the same trends this autumn. Note also that Kate Moss is clutching a small make up bag – is this the credit crunch version of the oversized designer bag?

The distinctive squishy shape of a Chloe bag is on show here with this cheery pink number, model no. 0017. I know we are fast approaching winter, but there are still occasions for using a pink bag. This one is covered in studs, plus of course the obiolgatory oversized trademark padlock clasp on top. There is contrasting pink top stitching to enhace the lines and you can probably pick up this Chloe Clutch now at under $150. If your bag is stolen you could use DNA testing to get it back.

This Autumn a designer handbag in a shade of purple or mauve is going to be an essential accessory for any handbag addict. The colour is everywhere, in coats, jackets and shoes – especially Christian Dior. It will be simple to put an outfit together in purple hues with a Louis Vuitton Epi bag, shown here in ‘Grenade’. Strange choice of name – should it be ‘grenadine’?

This elegant tote bag has generous room for carrying a mobile phone, personal organiser and make-up bag. Why is it called the Alma – the name comes from the Paris square, Place de l’Alma. The underpass below the square was where Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in 1999. Diana was a big fan of Louis Vuitton Designer Handbags, and this Designer Tote is an overdue tribute to her.

• Beautifully textured Epi leather with smooth leather trim
• Full double zipper with padlock for safety and easy access
• Small inside pocket and cell phone pocket
• Alcantara lining
• 12″ L x 9″ H x 7″ W
• Grenade, Ivoire, Black, Cassis

This handbag has a classic sophisticated design, available in sober black with silver trims or the up-to-the-minute grenade shade. This is and oversized bag that can be dressed up for formal occasions, or it can be adapted for casual wear. So if you splash out on the Epi Alma bag you will get good value for your investment.

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Louis Vuitton Designer Handbags are distinctive and colourful, and that is why they have been copied and counterfeited more than any other designer brand. Cheap copies of Louis Vuitton Bags are sold on street corners and in flea markets in nearly every big town you can think of. Takashi Murakami, creator of the world famous Multicolore bag, says he can always tell when a woman is carrying a knock-off version of one of his handbags. He designed the LV monogram to be printed in no less than 33 different colpurs, giving the subtlety and class that you expect in an authentic designer handbag. Inside, the durable lining in soft suede is stitched and reinforced so it will not split as soon as you use the bag. Zips and clasps will stand up to regular use, and always close securely and smoothly. If you were offered the chance to buy a ‘genuine’ Louis Vuitton bag in a shed with metal roofing (pic right), would you think it was not completely legitimate?

Murakami sees his designs as an art form, and most of us would not expect to rip off the latest painting by an exclusive artist – would we? Leading handbag designers say their bags are worth every penny, as they use the highest quality materials, and the design makes them a pleasure to use. Louis Vuitton is now making more affordable versions of the Speedy bag, which might come closer to your budget.

Takashi Murakami’s latest desgn, the Monogramouflage range, is now available and is likely to become a cult collector’s item, in the same way as its predecessor, the much-loved Multicolore Handbag.